What do you do for Xmas?

[bev]

Well for me and my family, we have been going to my youngest daughters house that past few years. She has lot's of stuff for all the kids to do.
Last year we ate Italian food, this year we are having Mexican food, Tacos, beans, rice(Spanish) and hope we have some of Grandma Jo annes cheese enchilada's. ;D We spend Xmas eve at Grandma Jo anne's, there is a house full, my hubby and I get home around 2 am. on Xmas day, and then we go to our daughters around 2:30 and we let the kids open all the presents that we bring, that's the best part for me, I love to see their faces when they open something that they really have wanted. Then we eat and eat, and then we eat some more when we have desert.
We also call the family members that live out of town so that they can be a part of our Xmas day also.
All in all we have a great time, but on the 26th, I stay in bed and watch movies, and just do nothing ;D ;D ;D ;D

[flawedprefect]

Bev - I exalt you. You are what Xmas is all about, god-d**n it! Each year, me and mine try to avoid the Xmas madness any way we can, because shopping of any kind will get you killed in the mellee, and you need all your mana and a +10 sword just to cut a swathe to that special gift for someone...

Each year I spend Xmas day with the family. I am happy to say I now have TWO families I need to juggle this time of year (and my partner's)... but instead of madness, I believe I will take some of your suggestions and put it to them for next year. "WHO WANTS TACOES FOR XMAS!?"

Hell yeah!

[Shinra]

me, I go over the river and thru the woods to grandmother's house on christmas eve. she really does live over the (miami) river and deep in the woods, so it's really nice around christmas time to see all the trees and everything with snow

[Casper]

Here in Germany we already celebrate on Christmas Eve. Last year Santa even visited us but this year my little nieces are with their other Grandma so we didn't bother Santa to come.

On the prenoon of December 24th we put up the tree and decorate it. Then we prepare dinner in advance. In the course of the day family members arrive. Some of us go to church. In the late afternoon we exchange gifts.

Afterwards we eat what we prepared in the morning. Most families eat something simple that doesn't need a lot of preparation so the family's cook doesn't have to be in the kitchen for long at Christmas eve. With us that is potatoes salad and hot dogs.

On December 25th we eat a big breakfast that goes on all morning. Afterwards we make a trip and a walk so we get some appetite. Back at home my mother's preparing duck and red cabbage. She's not a very good cook but it's tradition. Most of my siblings leave afterwards to visit their in-laws.

December 26th is left-over day and it's almost like a regular holiday ... only with lots of Christmas music though. And ... you know ... a tree in the living room. ;D

[DharmaPB&J]

On the 24th My family just hangs out together at home. We go to Christmas Eve Service at church then we drive around for a while and look at lights. Then we come home and eat, then we watch some sort of special that is on. We read a couple of Christmas books and have lots of cookies for dessert. My little sister then begs to stay up longer but she finally goes to bed, about an hour or so after I follow.

25th--My little sister (who's 10 btw) wakes up early and then usually "accidently" wakes me up at around 7:45. She begs me to get out of bed for a while...I touture her for a few minutes with talk of rolling over and going back to sleep hehe at about 8:15 I go down the stairs and into the living room where the tree is. We sit and look at the tree for about a half hour then someone gets enough guts to go into my 17 year old sister's room to wake her up LOL We open presents for about an hour and a half taking our time and looking at everyones gifts. When we are done we eat a big breakfast and test out some of the stuff we got. Then we load up the car and drive 1/2 to my Grams house. We have a big Turkey dinner...the little kids get done in about 15 minutes and start begging to open the gifts. Once everything is cleared up we go into their living room and take about 3 hours to hand out gifts then we have dessert and some left overs then reluctently everyone starts packing up to go home.

OK yes it is really long...hopefully someone will read it

[Casper]

When I was a little kid we would visit my Grandma as well ... and together with my aunt and her family we were a huge round ... and us kids fought over who could sit next to our favorite cousin. She was the nicest girl and great with us kids. She's still all this I bet ... just haven't seen her in a long time.

[大杂烩]

this year i'm going to four celebrations. each one with a different part of the family.

[Steve]

This year, my sister, grandma, and uncle from Tucson (AZ) are visiting, and also my other uncle, his wife, and her family are visiting from Scotland. My room is the basement (it's awesome) but I have to give it up as a "guest room" and sleep on the pull-out couch in the living room.

[dharmashark]

Christmas Eve, we go to Mass, then eat chocolate chip pancakes, and open a few presents early. All the kids sleep in the same room and watch the 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon for like ever ... And then in the morning, we go downstairs, open a ton of presents, eat breakfast, open a ton more presents, and my dad walks around for the rest of the day videotaping randomly while we all lie around with our new gadgets like a bunch of lazy bums. ;D

[SK]

On Christmas Eve my family celebrates with family friends, who are more like family than our real extended family could ever be. Last year we implemented the name draw, so everyone just gives one gift and recieves one gift, and no one spends more than $20. It's a good thing, since many of the "kids" are early twenties now, and buying gifts themselves, but still don't have a lot of money. We have a huge dinner, have loud, somewhat innappropriate conversation.

Every year we get home from the big party after 1:00 am, and I'm just wiped. It's off to bed, and I usually fall asleep immediatly. Santa still comes for us, and my brothers still get me up at 5:30. For the record, I've never been one to wake up early on Christmas morning, as much as I totally love it... when I'm asleep, I'm asleep. When I was really little, before my brothers were born, my parents had to wake ME up, because they were too excited to see me open my presents. Sometime before 7:00 the boys will actually succeed in getting everyone out of bed, and we have Christmas morning. We are not a religious family. Christmas morning is a celebration of how consumerism brings us together in front of a dead tree. Awww...

I'm always the last to finish opening my presents, because I'm still half asleep. But then one of my parents puts the cinnamon rolls in the oven, and the smell revives me. We eat a big Christmas breakfast together and talk about how much we love our gifts. Then we spend the rest of the day lounging about the house, playing with all our new stuff. Around New Year's we have a get together with my mom's side of the family, and eat another large breakfast... only in the evening this time. We tend to avoid my dad's family as much as we can.

Happy Christmas!

[bev]

jen said:

On the 24th My family just hangs out together at home. We go to Christmas Eve Service at church then we drive around for a while and look at lights. Then we come home and eat, then we watch some sort of special that is on. We read a couple of Christmas books and have lots of cookies for dessert. My little sister then begs to stay up longer but she finally goes to bed, about an hour or so after I follow.

25th--My little sister (who's 10 btw) wakes up early and then usually "accidently" wakes me up at around 7:45. She begs me to get out of bed for a while...I touture her for a few minutes with talk of rolling over and going back to sleep hehe at about 8:15 I go down the stairs and into the living room where the tree is. We sit and look at the tree for about a half hour then someone gets enough guts to go into my 17 year old sister's room to wake her up LOL We open presents for about an hour and a half taking our time and looking at everyones gifts. When we are done we eat a big breakfast and test out some of the stuff we got. Then we load up the car and drive 1/2 to my Grams house. We have a big Turkey dinner...the little kids get done in about 15 minutes and start begging to open the gifts. Once everything is cleared up we go into their living room and take about 3 hours to hand out gifts then we have dessert and some left overs then reluctently everyone starts packing up to go home.

OK yes it is really long...hopefully someone will read it

I did and I loved it

[bev]

Thank you everyone that has replied, I am loving the different ways that you all spend Xmas

[Kay]

Around here it's the same - the big celebration is on the 24th evening.

So on the 24th we will hang around at my in-laws, decorate the apartment and the tree and stuff. Around 6pm there is singing and gifts. Yeah, my dad is comimg over, too.
After the gifts there are different sausages to eat. It's a tradition from where my mother-in-law comes from, so we have no choice LOOL.

After dinner we will go with Dad to his place and meet his girlsfriend there, who was with her daughter and grandchildren before that.

On the 25th we are going with my Dad down to my Mom's, have lunch and drive back home.
My brother-in-law and his family told my in-laws that they have to be over at their place at the 25th. So we won't see them at all.

We will leave their presents there....

It was hard to get that all oranised that way, but I hope it will turn out to be fine with not too much fights.

[Zoso the Rock God]

What do i do on x-mas?
I open presents... DUH!

[Mix Master Mike]

zoso said:

What do i do on x-mas?
I open presents... DUH!

lol! after all what is christmas all about.......DUH!