# Christmas on the 24th or 25th?



## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

Curious to know who celebrates Christmas on the 24th. Coming from English stock, I had always assumed that anyone who celebrated Christmas did so on the morning of the 25th. I was shocked as a teen when I moved to Calgary to discover that many of my friends celebrated it on the evening of the 24th. And now, married to a continental, I get to celebrate it twice. Frankly speaking, I've always been of the opinion that having the celebrations on Christmas Eve was a little weird. It renders Christmas Day so anticlimactic for one, waking early on Christmas is one of childhood's defining events. Secondly, if Christmas is or at least was intended to celebrate the birth of Christ, why celebrate it the day before the day. Anyways, just wondering if any members do in fact celebrate and open their presents on the 24th, or we all celebrate on the proper day.


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## Ottawaman (Jan 16, 2005)

Either and/or both.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

I dunno. Eastern churches celebrate Christmas on January 6, which is quite a ways from December 24th or 25th. The Roman feast of Saturnalia, on which Christmas is based, was about a week long and included the winter solstice, which is on or about the 21st of December. So—getting too attached to a particular calendar date is probably not all that important in the grand scheme of things. Like the great prophet Bryans Adams sayeth: there's something about Christmas time that makes you wish Cristmas would never go away.

P.S. On the planet Vulcan, we are always celebrating Hakuna Matata (Vulcan Christmas) on the inside, but we only reveal our feelings about it once every seven years.


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

The 24th seems to be a Catholic thing. Though all my protestant German friends also celebrate at that time.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

Our family is a Dec. 25th celebrator - we do have special "family time" on the evening of the 24th, but we don't do the real celebrating, slash gift giving until the morning of the 25th.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Our family always allows one gift to be opened on Christmas Eve followed by popcorn and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on the big screen.

Christmas is celebrated the morning of the 25th,although since our children moved out and now join us for part of Christmas Day, it can be late afternoon before any gifts are opened.

All our Ukrainian friends celebrate our Christmas on the eve (24th) and open their gifts then as well. Then they get their real Christmas a week later. No gifts, but much good food and drink.

Seems to me there is no hard and fast rule, rather there are family traditions that develop to suit a family's particular need. The way we celebrate is very different from our parents, although the Christmas morning gift opening stuck and our children are busy forming their own traditions that suit them.

Bottom line is it's all good.


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## wonderings (Jun 10, 2003)

German mother, and german background on both sides of my parents. We open all our presents on Christmas Eve. I like the evening, our family gets together at my parents place, its dark out, some years its snowing. We enjoy a good bottle of wine and exchange gifts. The mood of the evening seems just right for me, but we have always done it that way, just in the same way people who have celebrated it on the 25th think its somewhat strange to do it on the 24th.


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

wonderings said:


> German mother, and german background on both sides of my parents. We open all our presents on Christmas Eve. I like the evening, our family gets together at my parents place, its dark out, some years its snowing. We enjoy a good bottle of wine and exchange gifts. The mood of the evening seems just right for me, but we have always done it that way, just in the same way people who have celebrated it on the 25th think its somewhat strange to do it on the 24th.


Is the 25th observed at all then? Church going, or anything other than just a normal day? My European in-laws basically use it as a period of recovery from the previous evening's festivities.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Both parents were Dutch, and the gifts are traditionally opened on the evening of the 24th, which seems to be the right atmophere for me, as others have said. Married someone of British extraction, so we've moved it to the morning of the 25th.


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

Macfury said:


> Both parents were Dutch, and the gifts are traditionally opened on the evening of the 24th, which seems to be the right atmophere for me, as others have said. Married someone of British extraction, so we've moved it to the morning of the 25th.


I am sensing a trend: perhaps the 25ers are in the minority, that it is just a Britain and her colonies tradition.


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## DS (Oct 7, 2004)

Back in Canada my family always used to celebrate it on the morning of the 25th. Here in Mexico my fiancees family celebrates the night of the 24th. Both my family and hers are catholic.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Seeing how Jesus wasn't even born on the 25th, it could be the 11th or 21st or 29th for all we care, but I guess somehow or somerather we settled on the 25th. lol.


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## eMacMan (Nov 27, 2006)

The 24th is for remembering the far too many friends and family members who have passed on.

The 25th is for celebration.


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

chasMac said:


> The 24th seems to be a Catholic thing. Though all my protestant German friends also celebrate at that time.


No, I disagree!!

Christmas Day is the Birth of Jesus on the 25th Dec. There is a reason why there is a Midnight Mass.. so we can celebrate on the 25th!


The 24th Celebrations is probably a modern convienience thing


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

dona83 said:


> Seeing how Jesus wasn't even born on the 25th, it could be the 11th or 21st or 29th for all we care, but I guess somehow or somerather we settled on the 25th. lol.


Christmas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for why its the 25th


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

psxp said:


> No, I disagree!!
> 
> Christmas Day is the Birth of Jesus on the 25th Dec. There is a reason why there is a Midnight Mass.. so we can celebrate on the 25th!
> 
> ...


Oh, I don't think it is at all modern. But you may have a point on the convenience issue: a tradition began to open gifts prior to venturing out in the evening for church. Perhaps Anglo-Saxons chose to exchange gifts following mass, ie Christmas morning.


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## Manatus (May 11, 2009)

Does anyone wait until the 26th (Boxing Day) to open presents anymore? Or is that just for buying more presents (for yourself)?


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

There is one noted family in Britain that opens their gifts on Christmas Eve: the Royal Family, owning to, yes, their Germany ancestry. They probably secretly cheer for our historical arch-rivals during football matches too.


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## RunTheWorldOnMac (Apr 23, 2006)

Dec. 25.. Dec. 24 is big with the Quebecers...


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

Manatus said:


> Does anyone wait until the 26th (Boxing Day) to open presents anymore? Or is that just for buying more presents (for yourself)?


As I usually elect to receive, I opt for the second choice, though Boxing week, soon to be Boxing month, and pre-Boxing day sales make it considerably easier. Besides, in our supposedly classless society, giving someone a gift specifically because it is Boxing day could be construed as a grave insult as it was the day reserved for giving presents to social inferiors.


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

My mom is Anglican from England, my dad was from Canadian pioneer stock. We celebrated both the 24th and 25th. Christmas Eve was a big spread of seafood and other treats then off to church at midnight. Gifts were opened very early Christmas day then the full turkey dinner at about 2 PM. After that everyone crawled back into bed for their post turkey naps.

When I was really young, under 3 years old, Christmas Eve was spent going farm house to farm house by horse driven sleigh. Folks would leave their doors open with a spread of good eats and warm cider sitting on the wood stove. Anyone could wander in and help themselves then drop off cards or gifts. Wish I remembered more of that time.


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## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

My family is German Mennonite, my wife is Heinz 57. Growing up we always celebrated on the 25th as did my wife. However, depending if we are visiting or have family over on the 24, we will celebrate then. This year we will be at my in-laws celebrating and exchange gifts from one another. Christmas Day, we open the gifts from Santa and the 4 of us. Boxing Day is with my brother-in-law and the kids and we will exchange gifts with them.


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## Amiga2000HD (Jan 23, 2007)

What my family usually does is pretty convoluted: First, have a dinner with just the immediate family on the 24th, but no gifts are opened. Then, on Christmas morning, we open gifts that are exchanged within the immediate family only. Finally, gifts exchanged within the extended family would be opened with everybody present at Christmas dinner.

Question: has anybody ever sat through a Christmas gathering (regardless of date) and not received a gift, but had to watch the others unwrap theirs? If so, what did you do?


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## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

Amiga2000HD said:


> What my family usually does is pretty convoluted: First, have a dinner with just the immediate family on the 24th, but no gifts are opened. Then, on Christmas morning, we open gifts that are exchanged within the immediate family only. Finally, gifts exchanged within the extended family would be opened with everybody present at Christmas dinner.
> 
> Question: has anybody ever sat through a Christmas gathering (regardless of date) and not received a gift, but had to watch the others unwrap theirs? If so, what did you do?


No. But I did arrive at a gathering where I was the only one who brought a gift based on past history. I was made to feel about two inches tall after my uncle made a specific point in front of everyone to say we were not exchanging gifts.


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## Lichen Software (Jul 23, 2004)

*In a way*



chasMac said:


> Is the 25th observed at all then? Church going, or anything other than just a normal day? My European in-laws basically use it as a period of recovery from the previous evening's festivities.


We were celebrating on the 25th. British isles background.

All of my French Catholic friends went to mass on Christmas Eve. After mass the party began and went until 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning. A lot of them went to midnight mass, so technically, when they got out, it was Christmas and they had had the Christ Mass. They called the celibration Revillion (hope the spelling is right) and was a house party /family reunion. Lots of good food and people making music. A really good time and a privilege to be invited.


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

British upbringing on my side and it was always the morning of the 25th. My wife's family is a bit of a mix but mostly Irish and English and they celebrate on the 25th as well.

Christmas eve for us growing up as kids was mostly just going to the Christmas eve church service (7ish) and then coming home for a snack and then off to bed to wait till morning. We no longer go to church and now normally have a fondue or other pot luck like meal with the extended family and friends.


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## Max (Sep 26, 2002)

I was raised in a Catholic household. When all we kids were quite young, we observed Christmas on the morning of the 25th. As we got older, we started attending midnight mass. But the big dinner was always on the 25th. We follow the same basic template still, though almost half of my immediate family is gone now; it would seem we are becoming a smaller, ever more tightly-knit nucleus.

However, my wife is of Polish-Canadian stock and though her family too is at least somewhat Catholic, their big Christmas feast has always been on the evening of the 24th. It's generally worked out well for us - we do the 24th in Montreal, then we zip over to Ottawa on Christmas day for dinner with my own family. It's a fair amount of driving, but what can you do; it is what it is. As long as the car's in good shape and the snow tires are on, I'm cool with it.

Which reminds me. I have some driving to do over the next 24 hours to get to Montreal in time for the big dinner.

Different strokes for different folks. Merry Christmas, everyone.


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

Growing up, (once I was past the age of waiting for Santa and doing the gifts Christmas morning), we would go to church on Christmas Eve for the Candlelight service, then come home and open the presents, then head to bed. Christmas Day was church (again), and then the big meal in the afternoon.

I think it was just easier to do things Christmas Eve and then everyone could sleep in Christmas morning and not be rushed getting ready for church in the morning. 

My mother was choir director which is why we went to both the church services instead of just one or the other. (I continued the tradition by becoming a choir director too, as well as being church organist which usually meant going to both services too.)

My husband, however, is adamantly a 'Christmas Morning' type, so now we follow his (family from Britain) traditions and open our presents Christmas morning.


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## Macinguelph (Oct 27, 2007)

My wife and I both come from Christmas (25th) morning families and so we carry on that tradition. For me, Christmas eve night has always been filled with family, good food and music and some beverages. I have always wondered for families with little ones that open gifts on the 24th is how and when does Santa come to visit? Santa always visits our house late at night on the 24th after my daughter is asleep.


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## friend (Nov 14, 2009)

Ottawaman said:


> Either and/or both.


+1
Living in Sweden now and Norway before that it's somewhat the 24th
but being Irish we go British Isle style too with the morning of the 25th.

Then again we are bahá's we go x-mas light. 
One present each to the kids to show your respect and love to them
and the we decorate some and have a small tree and eat nice food.
We also remember Jesus and say some prayers to His honor.
The kids like the calmness of or that on x-mas. 
And with 11 kids buying a lot of present would break the bank.


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## friend (Nov 14, 2009)

chasMac said:


> There is one noted family in Britain that opens their gifts on Christmas Eve: the Royal Family, owning to, yes, their Germany ancestry. They probably secretly cheer for our historical arch-rivals during football matches too.


Prince Philip is from Greece.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

chasMac said:


> Secondly, if Christmas is or at least was intended to celebrate the birth of Christ, why celebrate it the day before the day.


I don't really celebrate Christmas anymore, but when I did it was like SINC's tradition: one gift on the evening of the 24th, then to bed, the rest of the presents opened on the 25th. My parents' background is Baptist and Methodist.

But as for the "why not wait till the 25th" argument, you're on pretty shaky ground there.

For the sake of discussion we will take it as read that Jesus was an actual person and not a historical composite of several people.

That said, theologians rarely agree on much, but they agree on this: no way was Jesus born in December. At all.

So the 25th is a fictional celebration of a (possibly fictional) birthday in the first place. So really you should have it whenever you want.


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

chas_m said:


> But as for the "why not wait till the 25th" argument, you're on pretty shaky ground there.
> 
> For the sake of discussion we will take it as read that Jesus was an actual person and not a historical composite of several people.
> 
> ...


Most of us with a little knowledge of history are aware of that. Anyways, it's beside the point: areas that celebrate on the 24th still believe that Jesus was born on the _25th_; my question is thus still valid.


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

friend said:


> Prince Philip is from Greece.


The Royal family is decidedly Teutonic. You may recall that after the Greek war of independence, the European powers installed a German as the first King.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

I celebrate Festivus on the 23rd, then boxing day eve on the 25th.


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## friend (Nov 14, 2009)

chasMac said:


> The Royal family is decidedly Teutonic. You may recall that after the Greek war of independence, the European powers installed a German as the first King.


Interesting. 

The Swede's King is of French decent.
I read that the first Bernadotte had a tattoo
that read: Death to the Kings.


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

friend said:


> Interesting.
> 
> The Swede's King is of French decent.
> I read that the first Bernadotte had a tattoo
> that read: Death to the Kings.


Good or bad, ruling families are literally rarely of the people. BTW, Gustavus Adolphus rocked!


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## Amiga2000HD (Jan 23, 2007)

Apparently I need to correct myself.

Last night was the immediate family's gathering because of schedule conflicts with my sister and I for tonight. Pretty much as soon as I got in the door, my mother told me that we were going to be unwrapping gifts. This was a problem because I didn't bring any gifts since we've never opened them before outside of Christmas day, and I was planning on bringing them then.

My sister showed up without gifts for the same reason and the complaining from my parents only ended when my brother said he had his gifts all ready only because he was told to do so that afternoon. My parents had to back down after that came out because they only told him to have his gifts ready several hours before the dinner and never called us up to tell us this. After all that, unwrapping gifts has been moved to Christmas day.

What a mess.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

In my ex-husband's family, the big Christmas dinner was on the 25th, though someone would usually have a somewhat more casual dinner on the 24th... but the 25th was for the turkey dinner. Presents were to be exchanged ahead of time, and opened earlier in the morning, but if not, then you brought the gifts to Christmas dinner.

In my family, we don't have a tradition of celebrating Christmas but sometimes we do for the heck of it, in which case we pick whichever day is most convenient.


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## jef (Dec 9, 2007)

Having lived many years outside Canada, it has been quite a shock to see the changes here. I do remember Christmas in Canada as a kid when people were nicer than usual, including drivers, and there was a feeling of Christmas spirit in the air. Now it seems that kids demand and expect expensive presents, parents are in a mad rush to accommodate and drivers are in a constant state of road rage. Parking space wars are not the way I remembered this time of year! I've lost my Christmas cred with my wife kids - they have no idea what I was talking about when I explained 'Christmas in Canada' over the years.

The Japanese have done what they normally do with Western holidays - commercialized it better than we have and created a traditional quirk that is worth a mention. The 'love hotels' in Japan have capitalized on Romantic Christmas Eve and offer packages complete with everything a girl needs to lose her virginity. If a guy asks a girl out for Xmas eve, she knows what she is in for and many young Japanese women plan this event months or even years in advance. All love hotels are booked out -  there is a lot going on in Japan on Christmas Eve!

The nearly non-existant Christian community has tried to stop this 'tradition' but it really has only served to make the event even more comical...

Romantic Christmas Eve anyone? Maybe the Japanese should export this one...


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