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Post by rikita on Dec 25, 2016 9:55:58 GMT
well, the german way i grew up with is opening the presents on the 24th (as you know), but having the big meal on the 25th at lunch time - the meal on the 24th was usually simple, with sausages and potato salad being seen as the traditional one, but sometimes we had pizza or just bread and cheese - the argument being, that the kids are full of sweets that evening anyway (at that time, we opened the presents after church, so before dinner), and that then on the morning of the 25th there is more time to prepare the big meal, as the kids are busy playing with their new toys, rather than jumping around impatiently waiting for christmas ...
these days we do it slightly differently: we visit my dad on the 24th (me and my brothers and their partners and kids - unless one of them wants to visit their partners family that year), so since we are only there that day he has a bigger meal that evening (the one described above), and my mom on the 26th (sometimes she make a big meal, but as she is not a fan of big meals, there is only afternoon cake and a normal dinner this year) and we have our own big meal on the 25th - and we also split the present opening: the main amount is given on the 24th, but we hold back some and give them to a. on the morning of the 25th, mainly so she does not get overwhelmed from getting everything at once ...
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Post by whatagain on Dec 25, 2016 10:22:24 GMT
Hello all. We had some gifts tonight, some I bought myself with Marie, some Father Xmas brought whilst we were outside trying to locate fireworks. Strangely enough most gifts came from the same library though. Xmas gifts are smallish in Belgium, as kids get it all on Saint-Nicolas. But Marie mischeviously reminded me that father Xmas brought gifts last year. I countered with the fact that we were in France last year. She said, maybe but Alice (a friend of her) gets presents at Christmas... Food was appetizers, then sushis, then oysters, then langoustines. We had planned on grilled fish but it will be today. Just the 5 of us, I thwarted the attempt to go with the rest of the family (my wife's) as I went last year.. I was utterly disappointed in my first wine, a 'liquoreux' (sweet) Vouvray dating 1993. So after the champagne I opened a Rully 2007 that I had managed to have somewhere in my cellar (I hardly have white wine, something that must change). Merry Christmas to you all !
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Post by amboseli on Dec 25, 2016 10:35:45 GMT
Our Christmas big meal and opening presents has always been on Christmas Day. We started in the afternoon and the feast lasted until it lasted. When I was a kid we went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and were not allowed to eat or drink xxx hours before mass. I think we got a pancake or a waffle after Mass. Nowadays there is no more Midnight Mass in my village, and Christmas is all about eating and drinking. Although we, in Belgium, only celebrate for two days. The Dutch also celebrate on the 26th which, for us, is a normal working day.
Merry Christmas! 🎄
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Post by lagatta on Dec 25, 2016 12:38:23 GMT
All I cooked was the soba (narrow buckwheat noodles) and I'm just spending a quiet day at home today with Livia; we had a more festive spread for the Solstice and will be doing another between today and New Year's. Today is more a day for biological family; I no longer have either parent (my parents were quite old when I was born) and don't have children. A good friend downstairs made dishes to take to his sister's place in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (south and west of here) including a maple syrup tart (or open-face pie). He also made a duck tourtière and duck pâté or terrine...
I'm making pizza or foccaccia today, just because I have the dough made up and have to use it soon. But mostly just drinking coffee and playing with Livia.
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Post by rikita on Dec 25, 2016 15:44:59 GMT
here, both the 25th and 26th are official holidays - the 24th, despite being the "big day" is a working day. some companies (like my own), give half the day off though ... but the last frantic christmas shopping is usually done in the very morning of the day you need the presents ...
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Post by amboseli on Dec 25, 2016 22:30:40 GMT
The 24th is a working day here, too. But most companies give half the day off. Because this year Christmas is on a Sunday, most employees have tomorrow (26th) off but shops will all be open.
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Post by tod2 on Dec 31, 2016 10:03:55 GMT
Also 24th a working day but we closed earlier than usual. Because Xmas fell on a Sunday our government decided that not only Boxing Day the 26th is the usual holiday but that the nation must also have the Tuesday 27th off as well. It was very nice for our family as we never get away together but this Xmas we did. The beach weather was terrible as the wind blew a gale.
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