Christmas around the World

[hemibee]

MOT brought up a comment in the Thanksgiving thread and I thought I would run with the comment.

I must admit that you lot over the pond really seem to celebrate Christmas in a big way.

This has given me a great idea, even better than " Cooking with the moderators ",why don't we all post pictures of our Christmas decorations in our respective homes, and then we could all vote for a winner, who will of course get nothing for their trouble

What are some of your Christmas traditions. How do you, whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday, celebrate this time of year? Share some of your photos or tell us a bit more about your activities this time of year.

I'll get us started by copying the reply I made in the Thanksgiving thread that brought on the comment by Mad On Triumph. . .

Another of our. . . read as Kim's Thanksgiving weekend traditions is to get started on Christmas decorating. This year was no exception.

She even started on my den.

At about 1900 Central Standard Time on Christmas Eve I will, if I'm not at work, switch the TV over to the channel that is running 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" and will actually watch it several times during the 24 hour run.

Also depending on what my work schedule is, one night we (the family) will load up in the truck drive around some of the area subdivisions and look at the decorations. We aren't the only ones doing it and you can tell when you get to a highly decorated area because the traffic will be like rush hour.

 

[DaveM]

We seemed to have lost Christmas this side and that is sad. I remember way back when it was also a big thing to go window shopping just to see the various stores decorations. Christmas carols would be played in all the stores but these days nothing like that any more. I am however glad to say our local Spar (grocery store) still plays the carols over the Christmas period. We will only be putting up our small tree in a week or so. This year it is only the two of us for Christmas but we still going to do the traditional Christmas lunch consisting of roast pork, roast lamb and a roast chicken (we don't do turkey). Then the best part a collection of sweets after this one being the traditional trifle and we always have ice cream, it just would not be right without these two Oh and then of course after the pig-out and cleaning up we have to have an afternoon snooze

Oh yes we normally go to midnight mass on Christmas eve

 

[CarlS]

I also attend a Christmas Eve service. Our Christmas dinner is much like our Thanksgiving dinner - deep fried turkey, ham, venison, cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, sweet potato casserole, peas and snaps and Waldorf salad.

 

[Rocky]

Christmas is alive and well over here with lots of lights, decorations, music, feasting - and of course - the frenzied Christmas shopping.
Many store windows have Christmas scenes; many with animated scenes. It's quite a joyous season.
Our bike club Christmas party is this coming Saturday night and that's always a great time and the social event of the season.

Sadly, this will be my first Christmas alone so I won't be doing any decorating. I'll spend Christmas eve and Christmas day with my daughter and her husband - and probably eat too much
Over the next week or so I'll help them put up some outside decorations and lights and help decorate their tree.

 

[DaveM]

Glad you going to be spending it with your daughter that should be nice for you. Funny how we seem to eat too much over this period but it sure is fun eating all that COOL food

 

[CarlS]

I, too, am glad you will be spending Christmas with your daughter and son-in-law. This will be a tough Christmas for you.

 

[DaveM]

I thought I may as well post the video of our place we did last year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyxHRyjP7UA

 

[Rocky]

Darn, I thought that it was my house until I saw dogs on the furniture.
I would never allow that

 

[CarlS]

That is beautiful and lavish. She has money!!

 

[Rocky]

That is beautiful and lavish. She has money!!

I've been in a few houses like that and they seem more like museums than a comfortable home.
They don't seem to have any warmth or softness to them.
Oh well, whatever floats your boat.

 

[The Seeker]

Winter and snow white with snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.....yet she lives where it never snows. Goofy!

-- Posted with TapaTalk

 

[CarlS]

Rocky, you nailed it. I would rather have a little homey, rustic cabin in the woods that a mausoleum.

AJ, you are right on target.

 

[DaveM]

I agree Rocky they just don't feel lived in at all. It does look very neat what she has done but I will pass on it I think.

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

It all looks so plane, there wasn't much colour to it all. Not for me I'm afraid

 

[Gromit]

I think having Christmas in summer, with temps of 30c (sometimes), makes it a bit difficult to do the snowy thing - and it looks silly in the middle of Africa. I used to go the whole hog when my son was young but not so much anymore. We're seldom at home for Christmas anymore - we head down to the coast to our small apartment. I do have a little fibre-optic Christmas tree at the flat (apartment) that I decorate with hand-made, African beaded decorations, but that's about it. Of course we do the gifts and I still do a full Christmas dinner on the day.