Christmas and New Year traditions

[Jeannette]

Do you have any?

In the Netherlands we have two Christmas days.
For a lot of families the first day is a family day. Gathering togther, cooking and eating. And having fun of course.
The second day however a lot of people go shopping (or at least they go to the stores) for furniture.
Must say I have never done that.
We will have a quiet Christmas this year, enjoying eachothers company, sharing a few presents and playing some games.

In the Netherlands we didn't used to give presents with Christmas. Santa does not come to our country. Sint Nicolaas does, we celebrate his birthday,with presents, on december 5.
But more and more people also give present at Crhistmas nowadays.

For New Years Eve we have oliebollen. I bake them myself, they are so yummy. Oliebollen are deep fried doughnut balls.



This year we are also going to bake "kniepertjes". These are yummy too, especially when you fill them with whipped cream.

 

[bcgal00]

Both desserts look really yummy. It's interesting to hear of other's traditions.

In Canada, we celebrate Xmas Eve with family, getting together and having a meal. Some open gifts on this night but our family has always waited until Xmas morning.

We open gifts in the morning and have a turkey dinner later that day. The following day is Boxing Day which is a day of shopping with lots of sales. I've always gone out on this day and picked up a few household items and/or clothes at really good discounts. The stores and malls are jammed packed on this day.

 

[Danesa]

Christmas... Our extended family (around 75-100 people) always met together, at the in-laws, on Christmas Eve and ate chili and let the kids open a present. (We drew one name each for kids only) Then on Christmas Day, each individual family had their Christmas Breakfast, opening Christmas gifts at home and then met, again, at our in-laws that evening and had a full traditional Christmas dinner.

New Years ... in the south we make & eat black-eyed peas with ham for the first day of the year. Also, whatever you did that day, was supposed to be carried out the rest of the year. (Example: taking paper in for the neighbors, making a phone call to an elderly person...etc)

This year I will be alone so all traditions are left behind. I hope to make new ones with my new grandson!!

 

[Scrapmemories]

The past few years it has been so hot her in south Florida that it is hard to get in a festive mood. My old neighbors were the ones that we would all get together on Christmas eve and celebrate with them. They moved a few years ago and we continued the tradition at their new home but they weren't available last year. this year my daughter is getting treatments for her illness and we will be spending the holiday home watching Netflix and playing with our new kitten. We all have to make the best of every situation.

 

[Madi]

Christmas is easy here, since we celebrate two days we have a day for family and one for inlaws. We all bring some food or drinks and spend time together.

New years means oliebollen here too, Maya bakes them with my mom and we eat them!
And dont forget about the fireworks at midnight! Love watching that!

 

[Madi]

And those kniepertjes, i know them too, but no baking, just filling with cream.