As we know the Swiss are big on eating Christmas dinner exchanging presents on the 24th. Something I have not quite got used to.

Although the birth of Christ was on the 25th, the Swiss are adament that they already begin to celebrate today.

These traditions are likely to be different all over the world but for me, Christmas dinner and presents should wait until tomorrow.

As my wife is Swiss, we will exchange presents tonight, but have our Christmas dinner tomorrow (unlike last year when we did both on the 24th).

Have you adapted to the Swiss way of Christmas or will you wait till tomorrow? Or do you celebrate on the 24th from wherever you may come from?

We're doing family dinner today - fondue chinoise at m-i-l house - as it is a big thing for not just hubby but his family too for us all to get together today.

For me too though, the 25th is the "big day" traditionally, presents in the morning and Christmas feast dinner. So, hubby and I are having a ham with roasted potatoes and glazed "rosenkohl" tomorrow as well.

Some presents today (he's still asleep, I need to wrap still ) and I put together a surprise for tomorrow morning, to help satisfy my growing need to celebrate in a traditional American style as well. (His vs my traditions and how to observe is something of a seasonal argument... )

Christmas is a time of harmony, not seasonal arguments

We celebrate on the 25th with a huge Christmas lunch and presents after. When i say lunch i mean loosely speaking of course because yes we may finish eating at 3 but most of us have some leftovers as snacks from 3 until whenever

Both, as we do the big dinner (raclette this time, rather than the usual fondues) on the 24th, but presents on the 25h.

Tom

Turkey and all the trimmings tomorrow - xmas eve is when santa comes only

Dinner tonight with Swiss family and Christmas day as usual tomorrow in they UK. Maybe its just my OH but it doesn't feel as Christmasy here.

Swiss Christmas tonight when hubby's family come over. English/Irish Christmas tomorrow when friends come over. Simples.

we celebrate the 24th (today!!!!) la noche buena with yummy food like tamales and sweets and guaro and family time. then of course we get woken up very early tomorrow (not so easy after the guaro!) to see what santa's brought followed by pancake breakfast and a yummy dinner/lunch that lasts hours!

followed by successive parties until january 2nd a small break and then one last little hoorah for 3 kings day the 6th of january. a very fun time of the year!

We will do one tonight at the and one tomorrow.

At home in Canada my family will do the same, we have been lucky in that all of the kids partner families will celebrate on the 24th with a trip to mid-night mass and then everyone trucks to my parents on the 25th ! Alot of food and fluctuating amounts of stress !

A few years ago we actually managed to have Christmas Eve here and then hopped and on a flight home and made it for a 6pm dinner Christmas day ! Exhausting and wonderful and not likely to happen again any time soon.

you're surely not celebrating the 24th on the 24th?

German hubby and I essentially have two. We will eat fish tonight and open half the presents and then have a champers brunch tomorrow, followed by the turkey works and open the remaining pressies.

We celebrate on the 24th with my in-laws with Chinoise and opening their gifts. The 25th is big breakfast (this year maisbrot french toast ) and opening the rest of the gifts.

Being half Dutch, we exchange some of our presents when Sinter Klaas comes on the 6th December as per tradition in Holland. I've converted us to doing most of it on the 25th with the big prezzies and food and drink thing then because we particularly enjoy just making it a huge celebration and going all out at it. Since i'm the Scottish part of the family I, of course, actively encourage the going all out party atmosphere . Plenty of booze and music right after Kirk. Christmas lunch can be a bit hit or miss......

Friends, as Christmas is usually a family holiday, how do you usually celebrate this if you happen to be on your own these days?

Christmas church service tonight. Then we are celebrating tomorrow on Christmas day, beef fillet wrapped in pastry, followed by Christmas pudding.

Well, we start the sorting around Thanksgiving so by now it's already harmony. "Discussions" done and over.


When I have been on my own before, I've usually either gotten together with other singleton / away-from-family friends (I used to live near a big Navy base in the US and we'd invite the folks who couldn't go home) all in one big party or kinda thrown myself into volunteering someplace. Last time was helping with kitchen scut work at Salvation Army before meeting hubby.

Unfortunately, suggestions probably not so helpful today.

Are you on your own????? Come along to McArthurs Pub, Lenzburg on the 25th. There will be a load of lonely x-pats there after 6pm

24th eve it is. Which makes me panic, since I still didn't manage to throw the glazed ham into the oven yet, coz I am going through xmas music instead, the tree needs to be decorated, gota finish cookies and tater salad..

Tonight my daughter will prepare a glass of milk and some cookies to put in a plate on the table. I will leave the balcony's door unlock for Santa. Tomorrow morning, we hope to find the glass of milk and the plate empty and lots of gifts under the tree.