Hazer

When the girls were younger they would be part of the Christmas program put on at our church. So cute to watch the little ones sing, all dressed up and on their best behavior. The younger ones sing or recite pieces they have memorized. The older ones may play instruments and sing. Often they preform a little play related to the meaning of Christmas. When the program is over they are given a bag filled with nuts and candy and an mandarin orange.
This was always a real highlight for the girls...and us! When we got home they would get to pick out a gift and open it. This was initiated by hubby (worse than any kid)! So once it started it was awfully hard to stop at one with the result that we developed the tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day we tried to spend with either set of grandparents and our siblings. On my side it required a 5 hour trip. Great times!

Hazer

Love hearing about everyone's traditions. My grand daughter's Christmas concert this year was devoted to exploring how other countries celebrate. Very interesting!

I love Christmas and all it entails so there are many traditions carried out at my house and now that the girls have married and moved away, some have been dropped and new ones added.

The first hint of the celebration to come is the making of the fruit cake and various kinds of cookies. Everyone has their favorites and I love to put on the Christmas carols, don my apron and smell the wonderful aroma of spices as my cookie tins fill with special treats!
Next I send out Christmas cards to family and friends....about 60 this year. I don't do the "last year's update letter on what the family's been doing" kind of letter that I get from some. That would probably save me from getting writer's cramp, but I prefer to write a little note in each card.
By the first weekend in December I usually put the tree up and decorate the house.
Then I start shopping....easy to do for the grand kids and my daughters, but the son-in-laws pose more of a challenge!
....I'll continue this later as I'm only getting started. It's probably more than you wanted to know anyway..hee hee.

Dragon

Hoping I didn't sound accusatory either. Just putting another point of view out there. I know well of your love for your savior and desire to share him. (And I think- like me- you enjoy a friendly debate and learning new info)

matthew

Any read Christian knows that the dates are skewed... (Aug)... Sorry if I sounded accusatory... Was just making conversation about cultural differences...

...Hence the "who am I to judge"...

...I love to share my Jesus...

Dragon

I find it interesting that you home in on Christmas and Easter as dates that should be celebrated religiously but which many people celebrate in a secular manner. I say this because the actually dates of both are those of pagan celebrations which were assigned Christian sacred days to help ease the transition of pagans into Christianity. From what I understand Christ's actual birthday would be sometime in March so one could ask why you celebrate the birth of Christ on a day that isn't his birthday.