Christmas: More than Presents

[sweetnpetite]

The other day I was in a thread (forgot which one) and someone said (forgot who) that opening presents was a small part of there christmas tradition (oh, maybe it wasn't here, maybe it was a christmas board- anyway, regardless)- so I'm wondering, what percentage of your christmas celebration is presents and what else do you do (particularly on christmas day) that makes it special.

 

[sweetnpetite]

ps- please put your country name in your post. (for research purposes only)

sweet,
USA

 

[rgraham666]

For me, the best part is dinner with my family.

The rest is tertiary.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Also, I don't mean how much of the day do you spend opening presents of course, but how much of what makes Christmas Christmas for you is about the presents. (this includes playing with and using them)

I admit, if we didn't have presents in my house, we'd just sit around looking at each other. We have Christmas dinner too, but mainly it's presents.

Surely, I am not alone?

[Then again, I'd like some ideas of what real people do besides open gifts. Thanks.]

 

[sweetnpetite]

For me, the best part is dinner with my family.

The rest is tertiary.

See, for me, that's Thanksgiving.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Ok- 2 people have said "25% or less" but no one has given me any ideas. If gift giving is 25% or less, you've got to have at least 3 other big important things that make the day special. Come on. What else do you do?

ps. I'm not asking "how important are the presents to you"- I'm talking about what percentage of the festivities they are. hope this makes sence. I just wanted to add that to make sure I was clear.

 

[LadyJeanne]

We're not a religious family, so for us, Christmas is about family and spending some, um, quality time together.

We have lights, sometimes a tree. The parents don't care about Christmas trees and feel bad that so many are cut down for the holiday. But they live near tree farms, so they know that's why they're grown and will accept one if my sister and I insist and go out to buy one at the last minute. So there's usually some decorating going on.

We give each other small presents. We used to give bigger gifts, but in recent years, my sister and I have been planning events we can all do together on Christmas Eve day in lieu of presents. We've gone to see shows, like Blue Man Group and Stomp, and we've arranged for a carriage ride to see the lights on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, followed by dinner at some ethnic restaurant the parents would never go to otherwise.

Otherwise, Christmas is mostly about food. My mom goes crazy with dinner on Christmas Day (including homemade bread!), and my sister and I usually make a few different desserts and cookies. So, it's nibbling all day long.

It's fun.

(U.S. based)

 

[sweetnpetite]

Thanks Rob and LadyJeanne.

More responses please.

 

[cloudy]

Food and family - that's our christmas. Unfortunately, we're so spread out that it's rare that we're all at my mom's at christmas, but it's all about telling funny stories, watching movies, and eating my mom's phenomenal cooking. The presents are gravy, and I wouldn't miss them.

 

[TheEarl]

Oh for God's sake don't get me started on my solilique about my family Christmas.

I love the giving of presents far more than the opening, but Christmas is still mostly about my family and the odd little traditions, the way that everything stays the same, no matter what changes and the idea that it's a special time of year, completely inviolate no matter what the circumstances. I think if there was a minor nuclear war, we'd still all come home for Christmas and we'd still do the same things on Christmas Eve, Day and Boxing Day.

God, I'm looking forward to it.

The Earl

 

[LadyJeanne]

Food and family - that's our christmas. Unfortunately, we're so spread out that it's rare that we're all at my mom's at christmas, but it's all about telling funny stories, watching movies, and eating my mom's phenomenal cooking. The presents are gravy, and I wouldn't miss them.

Movies! Yes, there's always that moment when my sister and I look at each other and agree that we must leave the house immediately and go to the video store. I don't know that we need the movies as much as we need a break from the 'togetherness'.

Our choices are sometimes questionable, like the year we rented Joy-Luck Club - like we needed a movie to make us cry buckets!

 

[zeb1094]

Christmas presents are the least important to me, just being with my family would be enough. Although the joy on the childrens faces as they open their present is fantastic, just having them around is a joy for me.

For them, if you could get them to sit still long enough, it would be the presents, that's the whole reason there is a Christmas as far as they are concerned. Even though they only spend 10 to 20 minutes opening present and about another 20 playing with them on Christmas day.

So out of 8 to 10 hours a total of 40 minutes is actually about the presents.

Edit: USA...

 

[sweetnpetite]

From what I remember about Family Holidays, they tend to end in tears and fights.

At least they always did when I was a teen.

My Christmas will be me, my b/f and my 3 kids- possibly a sister-in-law. That's it. No big family gathering. Not so much that I don't want to attend a family gathering, more that the folks are in Fla. and I'm pretty far away from the rest to.

 

[sophia jane]

When I was growing up we had this ritual on Christmas morning. We weren't allowed to open any presents till my stepdad had had a cup of coffee. My mom would take him his cup to the bedroom to start the process, eventually he'd come out and refill his cup and say that didn't count because he hadn't had a whole cup yet. We would bicker for a bit and he'd grin to himself and then we'd finally have presents. After presents, we'd start making Christmas dinner and spend the rest of the day at home with the family.

Over the last several years, we've lived close to my ex's family so we would start the process of family stuff around ten, usually fitting in two different houses sometime during the day (plus a big get together on Christmas Eve). So for us, the gifts happened three times but there was alot of other stuff happening, too.
This year, I think it will be alot like it was for me growing up. Taking our time with gifts in the morning and then spending the day enjoying each other's company. We only live close enough to my parents and one grandparent to get together and I think we'll eat with them, but other than that it will just be a quiet day (ie mom and dad trying to nap while kids play with their new toys).

 

[sweetnpetite]

Christmas presents are the least important to me, just being with my family would be enough. Although the joy on the childrens faces as they open their present is fantastic, just having them around is a joy for me.

For them, if you could get them to sit still long enough, it would be the presents, that's the whole reason there is a Christmas as far as they are concerned. Even though they only spend 10 to 20 minutes opening present and about another 20 playing with them on Christmas day.

So out of 8 to 10 hours a total of 40 minutes is actually about the presents.

Edit: USA...

You misunderstood me.

I don't mean, how important are they to you or what percentage of the day you spend opening or playing with them.

What I am talking about is, if Christmas is Presents, Family and Food; Presents is a pretty big part of your celebration that day. If you also pray, rearange your nativity scene, sing happy birthday jesus, set up a puppet show, do eggnog shots, and organize a christmas linedance every year, gift giving becomes a smaller percentage.

Just getting together and talking with family and stuff- while I understand that's important, the way I see it, presents (even if it's giving the kids presents) is a major reason why everyone is together. So unless you actually have certain traditions, the gifts are usually a large proportion of the celebration.

Maybe I'm the only one who sees it that way, but even if you disagee (as most here probably do) just try to understand where I'm coming from in order to see the question that I'm trying to ask.

I guess I'm trying to say, "If you took away the gifts, what would all the family members do? What would draw them to your house on that particular day, vs any other family gathering. (More than just because the callendar says it's Christmas.)

 

[sweetnpetite]

When I was growing up we had this ritual on Christmas morning. We weren't allowed to open any presents till my stepdad had had a cup of coffee. My mom would take him his cup to the bedroom to start the process, eventually he'd come out and refill his cup and say that didn't count because he hadn't had a whole cup yet. We would bicker for a bit and he'd grin to himself and then we'd finally have presents. After presents, we'd start making Christmas dinner and spend the rest of the day at home with the family.

Over the last several years, we've lived close to my ex's family so we would start the process of family stuff around ten, usually fitting in two different houses sometime during the day (plus a big get together on Christmas Eve). So for us, the gifts happened three times but there was alot of other stuff happening, too.

Like What?!

This is what I want to know

Our Christmas ritual carryover (from my childhood) is that everyone can get into there stockings right away (and we do them for the adults too, cuz I don't want to give mine up) but they have to wait till everyone's awake to open presents. Then someone gets to play Santa Clause and Santa's helper, and read off and pass out the presents. Then we play and then we eat. And that's pretty much it.

So for me, Presents are 90-95% of our festivities.

 

[cloudy]

You misunderstood me.

I don't mean, how important are they to you or what percentage of the day you spend opening or playing with them.

What I am talking about is, if Christmas is Presents, Family and Food; Presents is a pretty big part of your celebration that day. If you also pray, rearange your nativity scene, sing happy birthday jesus, set up a puppet show, do eggnog shots, and organize a christmas linedance every year, gift giving becomes a smaller percentage.

Just getting together and talking with family and stuff- while I understand that's important, the way I see it, presents (even if it's giving the kids presents) is a major reason why everyone is together. So unless you actually have certain traditions, the gifts are usually a large proportion of the celebration.

Maybe I'm the only one who sees it that way, but even if you disagee (as most here probably do) just try to understand where I'm coming from in order to see the question that I'm trying to ask.

I guess I'm trying to say, "If you took away the gifts, what would all the family members do? What would draw them to your house on that particular day, vs any other family gathering. (More than just because the callendar says it's Christmas.)

Read my answer again, SnP.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Read my answer again, SnP.

I didn't mean everyone. But it's clear from some of the responses (esp. the one I quoted) that some people thought I meant 'how important are presents'

do you watch certain movies every year, or tell certain stories over and over again?

Growing up, I *always* watched soaps on Christmas Day. They usually had special stories that day (I remember on Days one year, Jen came back-possibly from the dead- right on Christmas Day) Now they usually run re-runs and my b/f refuses to watch soaps on Xmas anyway. He thinks it's sacreligous, and I think it's tradition. But like I said, it's a mute point because they don't show orignial episodes any more.

 

[TheEarl]

Ah, okay.

Well, our Christmas Day involves getting up and getting ourselves together. Usually we'll meet in my parent's room and talk of nothing. It's somehting of a tradition for me to be the only one still in dressing gown and not dressed, but I think I'll break this one this year due to excessive scarring on my left arm that I'd prefer my parents not to see. Long sleeved shirts rule!

Then, we go and see what Father Christmas has brought us. We spend a couple of hours opening presents and reading/playing/etc. Then it's Christmas lunch at the table, crackers, etc. Then we watch the Queen's speech (how very quaintly English) and watch a DVD or video that someone's got as a present. Then we talk, watch television, read, play with our new stuff, do a crossword together, eat ginger cake, fruit cake and mince pies, etc. Dinner is leftovers from the huge lunch, usually in sandwich.

It's mostly about spending time with the family and taking the day like it was like no other.

The Earl

 

[TheEarl]

do you watch certain movies every year, or tell certain stories over and over again?

My dad still reads "Night Before Christmas" every year before we go to bed on Christmas Eve, despite the fact that I'm the youngest at 21.

T'was the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse.

The Earl

 

[English Lady]

Well our Christmas tradition is evolving really, since my Grandad died, things have been different.

My childhood Christmases would include waking around 5am, taking a stocking to my sister for her to open (usually with a game in it, or colouring book to give us something to do till we could safely wake up mum and Dad) then we'd wake Dad. Funny, he'd been out the ngiht before drinking for his birthday and he was still the easiest to wake up *L* Then we'd wait for mum and open our presents.

then we'd get ready to go to Nanna's (important process, everyone had new clothes to wear and smeelies to use) and once there we'd help set the table for lunch and wait for Nanna to get to a point with lunch where she could have a break for 15 mins to open the presents. We'd open up presents together (sister and I would give them all out) and then lunch. Oh boy, lunch. Soooo much yumy food with homemade Christmas pudding and white sauce for afters, always.
After lunch we might go for a walk (if it was dry enough) sit and play with presents received, watch the queen then whatever film was on after that, whilst grandad smoked a cigar and watched James Bond in the dining room)

Then we'd help Nanna with Tea. cold cooked meats, coleslaw, potato salad, sliced eggs, salad, beetroot, pickled onions, chese and crackers, bread buns and fancies and special chocolate christmas cakes, mince pies, christmas cake, stollen and much more. This was when we'd pull the crackers (if we remembered*L*) and then we'd collapse for an hour or so then we'd go home, get ready for bed, watch a tad more telly then go to bed.

This year my mum and Nanna and sister are coming here for lunch, my Dad is coming round in the morning and we might be going to dads in the evening, boxing day we're going to the in-laws (it's a tradition to do that now)

I think what will happen is we'll wake up, open presents then spend ages primping *grins* and preping thigs for lunch. My Dad and his girlfriend will come round anf give Beth her pressies, watch her open them and have a drink and a laugh. We'll have osme time on our own (probably play one of Beth's games) then the next round will arrive and I'll set to doing the rest of dinner with mum (she's bringing a turkey and a christmas pudding already cooked) and then we'll open gifts.

After that we'll eat lunch and pull crackers. I love crackers!!! then the afternoon will involve queen watching, film watching and much playing with toys and games. Laughter , conversation and fun.

My sister is at mine in the evening, we're going over to Dad's for tea we think, then it'll be bed time for Beth. My sisters staying with Dad, so for the last few hours hubby and I will have time to snuggle and indulgie in some love sharing, before the madness of boxing day begins.


England

 

[English Lady]

My dad still reads "Night Before Christmas" every year before we go to bed on Christmas Eve, despite the fact that I'm the youngest at 21.

T'was the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse.

The Earl

I read every christmas Eve too. Dad used to read it to me, then I'd read it myself, and now i read it to my daughter

 

[Liar]

Our family is in a bit of a gap right now. There is no obvious central point to gather around to celebrate. So most of the day (traditionally Chrismas Eve for us) is spent in cars, shuttling from chrismas lunch at one place to chrismas dinner at the next. Presents are sporadic and not important. It was a bigger deal when I was a kid though. Both getting and giving. I guess it's different for the youn'uns.

I keep nagging on my sisters to start breeding, so I can be the cool uncle who spoils their kids with the best presents at christmas.

 

[Guest]

 

[sweetnpetite]

cool, thanks guys.

keep those stories coming