Christmas Day
By Joy J. Fine
There are many different ways to celebrate Christmas day depending on where you live, what the day means to you and whether it is seen as a religious holiday, a family celebration or a combination of the two. For many this day is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ while for others, the young ones especially, it is the day that Santa brings them all those things they dreamed of. At the same time as many families are attending religious services at their church others are visiting family and friends to exchange Christmas cheer.
Traditionally on Christmas day the gifts are opened early in the morning. Children often wake their parents up so that the gifts sitting under their decorated trees can be distributed and given out for all to open and enjoy. The special meal of the day is more often eaten as a midday meal though just as many prefer this special meal as their evening meal. In the United States this meal is usually turkey, sometimes goose, served with dressing, which is also known as stuffing, along with roasted potatoes, and vegetables all topped off with cranberry sauce. If there is dessert served with this meal than it is usually Christmas pudding. Similar dinner traditions are followed in Britain and in Canada. In Hawaii dinner is more often teriyaki turkey and Virginia enjoys their ham pies.
In Germany, where decorating their homes is as important as decorating the tree, most people bring gifts on Christmas Eve after having gone to church. Traditionally one person will ring a special bell, calling everyone to come and open their gifts. Then on Christmas day they will enjoy a meal of carp or sometimes goose. New Zealanders open their gifts on Christmas morning before lunching with family. At this meal it is common to enjoy some turkey or chicken. Later in the day this meal will be followed by a barbeque where family and friends will also enjoy a little wine or beer. The Belgians open their gifts on Christmas morning. Then they celebrate with a special breakfast of sweat bread which is supposed to be shaped like the infant Jesus. Often they will have a special big meal later in the day.
The people of Finland have many traditions that they celebrate on Christmas day. They are different depending on where in Finland they live but some of them are shared by all. For example, the Finns make sure that not only their homes and trees are decorated but that the graveyards are as well. Their traditions are not to only go to church but to visit the graveyards lighting a candle to pay their respects. They open gifts on Christmas Eve, but it is the next morning that they fill the graveyards with candles. There are even places to light candles for those who have loved one in cemeteries that they cannot get to that day. This is a very family time for the Finnish people.
No matter where you are or what your particular traditions are for Christmas day, the most important part of the celebration should be being with those who are near and dear to your heart.
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