At our house; one per person is our tradition. And we pick a smaller item for the kids. Nothing expensive. We also exhange and open all our presents to outside family on Christmas Eve at a party. Good times.
Here in Scandinavia, Christmas Eve is the whole deal; presents, big dinner, dancing around the Christmas tree, and then church at midnight. Christmas is an anti-climax. If the weather is OK you take a nature walk with the family.
When I have been in relationships or married always the littlest boxes since those tend to have jewelry,lol. If not I only open one present that I bought myself and the rest after midnight.
We do a big extended (Hispanic) family get-together on Christmas Eve where all of those gifts are opened. In recent years, all 17 of the adults agreed that it was getting out of hand, so we pared it down to a Secret Santa and White Elephant gift among the adults. The kids still get gifts from everyone. It has been *wonderful* having 15 less people to shop for.
Immediate family gifts are done Christmas morning (Mr. Nom and Baby Nom) and evening (go see our parents and siblings).
No presents on Christmas Eve. How can we when Santa hasn't delivered them yet? My kids spend the couple of days in the run up with their Dad. They have a big dinner and visit their Grandparents. I pick them up after, bring them home, showers, New pj's and lots of goodies and Christmas movies. Then it's all about Christmas Day. Stockings on the bed, Big gifts under the tree and a huge celebration. I'm so excited this year. My youngest is 11 so this will be the last Santa year. I want it to be magical.
All presents are opened on Christmas Eve. It is how it was when I was growing up (my dad's family always did it that way). The idea of waiting until Christmas morning seems very weird to me.
IJU, your Christmas sounds lovely! We were never allowed to open gifts until Christmas morning and I still adhere to that. My parents said (tongue-in-cheek) that Baby Jesus had to wait for his presents until after he was born and so did we. Obviously we couldn't open Santa's gifts until the morning anyway (not that we opened them--Santa doesn't wrap gifts).
Thanks Karen. I love Christmas. There aren't any gifts in the house on Christmas Eve to open. Santa gets all the glory. It's worth it though. When I was a kid we had to have breakfast before we got gifts! My mam thought we'd fill up on chocolate. I love your parents reasoning. It makes sense. Christmas Day was the baby Jesus's birthday. We go to Mass before dinner. Meet up with the neighbours, all that stuff. Have a very Merry Christmas Karen. And everyone else too.
In my culture Santa comes in the afternoon Christmas Eve and delivers all gifts personally. Christmas Day is just a day for food and maybe a visit to the cemetary.
Nobody in our family is Christian, so we just open all the gifts on the eve. We usually have a big huge party at grandma's and it's one of two events during the year that is mandatory for everyone to attend. As a kid, it didn't bother me, but now that all of us are older, I am super thankful that we do nothing on Xmas day. It's makes it alot easier to nurse the hangover OR have plenty of time to drink it away :)
Not usually any, but I liked when 2 years ago the creepy Elf on the Shelf at my brother's house left matching Christmas jammies for everyone including me :) it was Elmo the Elf's only redeeming moment in my opinion.
When my aunt moved to Arizona, she always sent a big package with gifts for the whole family. We opened those on Christmas Eve, so we could have our thank-yous prepared when we called her in the morning.
The kids get a new set of pajamas on Christmas Eve, and a new ornament for the tree each year. When they grow, and leave the house; they get to take their ornaments with them. They start a new life with sentimental ties to the old.
None. We get to open presents from friends on the 23 December when we go to their house. All others are Christmas Day. We already have the big present each, so only one gift each to open Christmas morning.
We usually spend Christmas Eve drinking and reminiscing. On Christmas Day, we have dinner at a relative's house and play White Elephant/Dirty Santa, usually ending with a battle for the lottery tickets or booze :) Afterwards, we go home, light the fire, open presents and play board games. I love it. I can't wait!
Hubby and I open our stockings Christmas Eve. As the kids understand it, Santa only fills their stockings and mom and dad fill each other's stockings. Since they get spoiled rotten, they get NOTHING until Christmas Day. L
At our house; one per person is our tradition. And we pick a smaller item for the kids. Nothing expensive.
ReplyDeleteWe also exhange and open all our presents to outside family on Christmas Eve at a party. Good times.
Here in Scandinavia, Christmas Eve is the whole deal; presents, big dinner, dancing around the Christmas tree, and then church at midnight. Christmas is an anti-climax. If the weather is OK you take a nature walk with the family.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have been in relationships or married always the littlest boxes since those tend to have jewelry,lol. If not I only open one present that I bought myself and the rest after midnight.
ReplyDeleteIn our family everyone opens one gift Christmas Eve after church and save the rest for Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteWe do a big extended (Hispanic) family get-together on Christmas Eve where all of those gifts are opened. In recent years, all 17 of the adults agreed that it was getting out of hand, so we pared it down to a Secret Santa and White Elephant gift among the adults. The kids still get gifts from everyone. It has been *wonderful* having 15 less people to shop for.
ReplyDeleteImmediate family gifts are done Christmas morning (Mr. Nom and Baby Nom) and evening (go see our parents and siblings).
we open all gifts christams eve and do stockings on Christmas morning, my kids are all grown.
ReplyDeleteNo presents on Christmas Eve. How can we when Santa hasn't delivered them yet?
ReplyDeleteMy kids spend the couple of days in the run up with their Dad. They have a big dinner and visit their Grandparents. I pick them up after, bring them home, showers, New pj's and lots of goodies and Christmas movies.
Then it's all about Christmas Day. Stockings on the bed, Big gifts under the tree and a huge celebration.
I'm so excited this year. My youngest is 11 so this will be the last Santa year. I want it to be magical.
All presents are opened on Christmas Eve. It is how it was when I was growing up (my dad's family always did it that way). The idea of waiting until Christmas morning seems very weird to me.
ReplyDeleteIJU, your Christmas sounds lovely! We were never allowed to open gifts until Christmas morning and I still adhere to that. My parents said (tongue-in-cheek) that Baby Jesus had to wait for his presents until after he was born and so did we. Obviously we couldn't open Santa's gifts until the morning anyway (not that we opened them--Santa doesn't wrap gifts).
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen. I love Christmas. There aren't any gifts in the house on Christmas Eve to open. Santa gets all the glory. It's worth it though.
DeleteWhen I was a kid we had to have breakfast before we got gifts! My mam thought we'd fill up on chocolate.
I love your parents reasoning. It makes sense. Christmas Day was the baby Jesus's birthday. We go to Mass before dinner. Meet up with the neighbours, all that stuff.
Have a very Merry Christmas Karen.
And everyone else too.
In my culture Santa comes in the afternoon Christmas Eve and delivers all gifts personally. Christmas Day is just a day for food and maybe a visit to the cemetary.
ReplyDeleteI am having Xmas eve alone for the 1st time this year... maybe I should buy myself the Chanel perfume I have been lusting after,,,
ReplyDeleteNobody in our family is Christian, so we just open all the gifts on the eve. We usually have a big huge party at grandma's and it's one of two events during the year that is mandatory for everyone to attend. As a kid, it didn't bother me, but now that all of us are older, I am super thankful that we do nothing on Xmas day. It's makes it alot easier to nurse the hangover OR have plenty of time to drink it away :)
ReplyDeleteNot usually any, but I liked when 2 years ago the creepy Elf on the Shelf at my brother's house left matching Christmas jammies for everyone including me :) it was Elmo the Elf's only redeeming moment in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWhen my aunt moved to Arizona, she always sent a big package with gifts for the whole family. We opened those on Christmas Eve, so we could have our thank-yous prepared when we called her in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThe kids get a new set of pajamas on Christmas Eve, and a new ornament for the tree each year. When they grow, and leave the house; they get to take their ornaments with them. They start a new life with sentimental ties to the old.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI think I'm in love with you! ;)
DeleteNone. We get to open presents from friends on the 23 December when we go to their house. All others are Christmas Day. We already have the big present each, so only one gift each to open Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteWe usually spend Christmas Eve drinking and reminiscing. On Christmas Day, we have dinner at a relative's house and play White Elephant/Dirty Santa, usually ending with a battle for the lottery tickets or booze :) Afterwards, we go home, light the fire, open presents and play board games. I love it. I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteHubby and I open our stockings Christmas Eve. As the kids understand it, Santa only fills their stockings and mom and dad fill each other's stockings. Since they get spoiled rotten, they get NOTHING until Christmas Day. L
ReplyDelete@onenicemonster Why thank you. Always nice to have a fan .-)
ReplyDelete