Re: Christmas around the World ...... Please share

December 14, 2006

In a message dated 12/15/2006 3:29:53 AM Central Standard Time,

crowndale@... writes:

I think some traditions are as much family as national traditions

Hi Sue Merry Christmas

You may be right, reflecting on times back even here in America

demographically Christmas's are different. I was raised up North and brought to

the South

when I was 17 ............ Southern Christmas's of my friends here were so

different from my family. Then again I saw more culture differences in the

North than here in the South. My parents German friends and Italian friends

celebrated much differently ......... Especially with the Christmas menu

One sad Christmas years ago my oldest kids and myself dined at a

diner/cafeteria. My family was out of town for Christmas and my ex's family

wellllllllllllll their meals consisted of alcohol and fighting (I think I

divorced the

next year) lol Joe, and I feel very blessed we have never had to go

down that path again and we feel for all that are enduring some type of

conflict

in their own family's.

Kathy mom to Sara 15

¸...¸ ___/ /\ \___ ¸...¸

,·´º o`·, /__/ _/\_ \__\ ,·´º o`·,

```)¨(´´´ | | | | | | | | | ```)¨(´´´

¸,.-·²°´ ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸ `°²·-.¸

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Josh. 24:15

December 15, 2006

I think some traditions are as much family as national traditions but I had an

aupair (czech) who always ate fish at christmas.

Here in east yorkshire (UK) in our family we usually do things on a small scale.

We decorate the tree a week before christmas, go singing carols round the house

a few days before, hang up stockings on christmas eve, of course leaving a

tipple and a snack out for father christmas (in our house that would be baileys

irish cream and a mince pie). Christmas morning the kids open their FC pressies

from thier stockings and REMAIN IN BED until it is time for mum to get up and

make a 'full english' for breakfast (sausage, bacon, eggs, fried bried and baked

beans in our house). We don't eat then til mid afternoon. After breakfast we

get dressed and go to church (a weekly rather than an annual habit in our house)

to remember why we actually celebrate christmas, come home and open pressies.

And then we more or less vegetate for the rest of the day, especially after

eating lunch! Lunch is turkey and all the trimmings- cranberry sauce, bread

sauce, 2 kinds of stuffing, roast and mash potatoes, sprouts, swede, peas,

broccolli, mini sausages. I make enough to last about a week because we

actually like the left overs more than the hot dinner itself! We don't usually

eat christmas pudding til the next day! I shall also spend the whole of

christmas trying to keep three cats and a puppy out of the pressies under the

tree and out of the choccy decorations on the tree!

Having watched numerous american christmas movies my guess is that apart from

the content of the dinner our christmases here in the UK are not that dissimilar

to those in the US.

I love christmas and this year am celebrating the end of strained and stressed

holidays as my soon to be ex asked me for a divorce. So I may soon be

reclaiming my maiden name and become sue b instead of sue w! merry christmas to

all. hey ho, on with the christmas card list!

sue w

Christmas around the World ...... Please share

HI Everyone

Life has been crazy here and Im still waiting for a slow period ...... I did

squeeze in a hair appointment before Thanksgiving .......... I was

wayyyyyyyyyy over due

The reason for this email is I was thinking about Christmas traditions here

and everywhere. I know we have many list members who might have different from

the typical American Christmas and I thought we might all like to hear about

them. I remember years back when BJ was a baby ('s son) told me

about Christmas in Australia, I still think of her stories often

................

Thanks they were so cool.

Now Im not saying the Americans shouldn't post, I love their traditions too

heehee so what are you all up to this year?

My house is fully decorated, Mike is with Fed Ex and has to work Christmas

Eve so we will head to Memphis Christmas Day, have dinner at my in-laws and

stay with . Tuesday we will hit the shopping malls as my kids always

get

gift certificates and will want to shop ............. Sara wont, she'll go to

the movies with her dad (their tradition lol) Wednesday we will head back to

Nashville to celebrate here with my sister and Brother. I hate Mike has to

work Christmas Eve but this is peak time for Fed Ex.

OK waiting to hear from you all

Kathy mom to Sara 15 ............. still not done shopping, my rash has kept

me in

¸...¸ ___/ /\ \___ ¸...¸

,·´º o`·, /__/ _/\_ \__\ ,·´º o`·,

```)¨(´´´ | | | | | | | | | ```)¨(´´´

¸,.-·²°´ ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸ `°²·-.¸

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Josh. 24:15

December 15, 2006

Friends of ours with polish background eat fish every Christmas Eve.

When we were growing up, we had to wait until 8:00 to get up. If we woke

before then, we had to stay quietly in our rooms until then. Mom and Dad

didn't want the day spoiled later by crankiness. We actually rarely woke up

really early that I can remember.

Our kids have never gotten up early on Christmas! In fact, when they were

small we had to wake them up to get the day going because we had places to

go later. Ruthie will likely sleep through the first part of the gift

giving, as did all of our little ones.

Sue

_______________

I think some traditions are as much family as national traditions but I had

an aupair (czech) who always ate fish at christmas.

Here in east yorkshire (UK) in our family we usually do things on a small

scale. We decorate the tree a week before christmas, go singing carols

round the house a few days before, hang up stockings on christmas eve, of

course leaving a tipple and a snack out for father christmas (in our house

that would be baileys irish cream and a mince pie). Christmas morning the

kids open their FC pressies from thier stockings and REMAIN IN BED

December 16, 2006

I love hearing how others celebrate Christmas. Each year I look forward to

reading Sue Wong's posts about Father Christmas.

Our traditions are changing - my oldest will not be home this year...boo

hoo! TJ will be deployed in February so he will not be here next Christmas.

I did start making Christmas Breakfast with a late dinner. We watch

Midnight Mass at the Vatican on TV- it just won't be the same this year.

My traditions include having angels on the Christmas tree. I would have had

enough angel ornaments this year for a whole tree but then Tim went out and

got a 9' tree- Oh well. Tim also orders White House Ornaments for each

child. For Tim, I started buying him Dicken's Village pieces a few years

ago. Starting that collection (and adding to it) is probably one of the

best gift ideas for him. He always enjoyed looking at the Village displays.

Food wise, my Katey has to have sweet potatoes (not mashed) with

marshmellows. TJ and have to have mashed potatoes. I'm not sure

what our main dish will be - I'll leave that up to the boys to decide. I

started making fruitcakes (liquored up!!) and am hoping the girls will do

cookies this week since I didn't get those done while in North Carolina. My

daughter in law feels loves baking and I think she feels comfortable enough

that my kitchen is also hers .

December 16, 2006

Well San Diego isn't exactly a cultural hotspot, but we enjoy some

family traditions (without the hopes of snow, of course). We typically

put up the outdoor decorations (lights on the house, a few reindeer and

a sleigh, and some light up trees) right after Thanksgiving. We put up

the tree pretty soon after that since we most of the time use an

artificial tree......... it never fails that we have hot dry Santa Ana

winds during this time period, and a real tree turns into a

needle-dropping tinderbox.... not my favorite change since moving to

Southern CA, but the fake one looks good and it has become a tradition

to actually assemble the beast... the girls do it all themselves now,

which they really enjoy (and I enjoy watching the process of sorting

branches, fluffing, finding the right spots for everything, LOL).

Finally, we decorate the house with pointsettias, angels and candles on

the mantle and our collection of nutcrackers marching around the dining

room, and of couse, the stockings.

This weekend it's visiting Bethlemen Village that a local church puts

on..... you could imagine that you were really there after you enter the

gates, get counted for the census, and see the nativity play. Lots of

costumed folks, and crafts, barnyard animals, and llama rides, all free

as a gift to the community..... it's really fun for everyone. The big

event is happening this evening... making the gingerbread houses! We

used to make just one, all together, but my future home designer

daughter complained a few years ago about her little sisters " helping "

on " her " creation, so now each girl does her own, and they are all

beautiful and represnt their builder. It actually works much better

with 3.... can take 2+ hours on hers, Sammy can slap it on in 10

minutes, and can make patterns on one side of the roof, add a

window or two, eat some candy, and say " I'm done " .... they will all be

displayed proudly on the buffet. We play Christmas music, and lots of

candy gets eaten.... and usually a structural problem or two that can be

fixed with royal icing. Half the fun is going to the store to find

different kinds of candy that can be turned into so many creative

things... that's yet to come this afternoon.

Christmas eve we attend the family church service where the children all

receive a simple costume piece when they arrive and then participate in

acting out the Christmas story. Of course, besides the main parts (and

you have to get there really early to get a chance to be , LOL,

we've never made it!), most of the little girls are angels with sparkley

halos and most of the little boys are shepards, but it's really nice and

totally family centered. On the way home we drive by this certain

neighborhood that is called Candy Cane Lane, where everyone goes extreme

on the Christmas lights and decorations. We usually have a simple

dinner (Clam Chowder, spinach salad, bread or sandwiches, fruit) and

then the girls each get to open one gift before bed (and it is always

Christmas pajamas so that they look cute for Christmas moring..... they

know what it's going to be, but they look forward to new cozy PJs).

Christmas morning is usually not super early. We do stockings first,

then open the gifts (one each) that Santa brought (he always wraps in

plain red paper and leaves the gifts on the hearth). I usually get some

cinnamon rolls going, and we snack on rolls and fruit while opening the

rest of the gifts. ususally stops early on and goes to her

room to play with one of her new toys. This drives her sisters nuts as

they will be all finished and there will still be a pile of gifts for

left, LOL. They spend the rest of the morning trying to get

her to open gifts, which she seems to like to drag out througout the

day... one year she took 3 days total! We have brunch after gifts, then

ham for dinner. This year we are doing something new..... going camping

on the 26th. We are going to Doheny beach for a few days....... it will

probably be too cold to swim, but it's only an hour away and it will be

a vacation.

The wind is really blowing hard now as we are getting ready for an

Alaskan cold storm to rain on us today and tomorrow (though it probably

won't arrive in time to cancel soccer....... that's San Diego for ya...

indoor soccer is actually played outside!). It certainly makes it feel

a bit more Christmas-like after a week of 80 degree weather.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas or whatever else you might be

celebrating.

, mom to (11), (8 DS), and Sammy (7)

December 16, 2006

Christmas morning is not usually early for us, either. We have one different

tradition, though, someone told us about this year ago. Stockings kind of

got lost in the shuffle on Christmas morning, so they did their stockings on

Christmas Eve morning and told the kids the elves filled them when they came

to see if the house was ready for Christmas.

We put candy and fruit in them, and a small wrapped gift or two. These days

the gifts are often computer games or something similar for them to do

together. It takes the edge off waiting for Christmas morning and gives them

something new to do while we pass the time on Christmas Eve.

Sue

>

> Christmas morning is usually not super early. We do stockings first,

> then open the gifts (one each) that Santa brought (he always wraps in

> plain red paper and leaves the gifts on the hearth).

December 17, 2006

Traditions are funny. I remember one year when all my siblings were teenagers

and we decided as a family to start a new tradition as we were all old enough to

stay up late and to open our pressies on christmas eve instead of christmas day.

It was great on the night itself and then the next day we all felt really lost

so never did it again!! I gave my kids the option to change the christmas day

menu this year if they wanted to but no, it has to stay exactly the same, even

the bits like sprouts, parsnips and swede that they detest!! Can't say I'm

disappointed, I'm a creature of habit myself and I love sprouts, parsnips and

swede!!

sue w

Re: Christmas around the World ...... Please share

Christmas morning is not usually early for us, either. We have one different

tradition, though, someone told us about this year ago. Stockings kind of

got lost in the shuffle on Christmas morning, so they did their stockings on

Christmas Eve morning and told the kids the elves filled them when they came

to see if the house was ready for Christmas.

We put candy and fruit in them, and a small wrapped gift or two. These days

the gifts are often computer games or something similar for them to do

together. It takes the edge off waiting for Christmas morning and gives them

something new to do while we pass the time on Christmas Eve.

Sue

>

> Christmas morning is usually not super early. We do stockings first,

> then open the gifts (one each) that Santa brought (he always wraps in

> plain red paper and leaves the gifts on the hearth).

December 17, 2006

Well, we're New Zealander's that have transplanted to Australia. Can't say

as the traditions in either country are very different though! Both

country's " do " Christmas in pretty much an English way, the only difference

being that because the weather is warmer here in Australia, we eat a lot

more seafood.

Plants for this year are:

Christmas Eve - we're invited around to some friend's house (they have a

daughter with DS who is the same age as ) for their traditional EGG

NOG eve. The lovely thing about this tradition is that I was the one that

introduced this friend to my Egg Nog recipe about 10 years ago and she has

now made it a family tradition in their family (and actually doesn't

remember that it was my recipe, and I'm not reminding her...). We lost touch

for a number of years, so this is the first time we've been invited (we

don't really live near each other and after those early years of early

intervention and preschool morning teas, we lost touch for a while..).

Christmas Day - up early in the morning. The first child awake finds their

stocking beside their beds and rush around to wake up the others and then

they all pile into our bedroom to empty them on our bed. After cleaning up

the chocolate off the quilt, it's downstairs to make " American " pancakes for

breakfast. I serve them with strawberries, maple syrup, and a good cup of

coffee (oh, that's just for Tony and I, the coffee!). Then it's opening the

presents under the tree and then off to morning church and then home. When

the kids were little, I cross-stiched stockings for our entire family. Santa

fills the stockings, but not to overflowing.

This year we've got no family visiting from New Zealand, so we've got 2

other " orphan " families coming around for a late Christmas lunch. We'll

serve at about 2.30pm and the table will be laden with salads, cold meat

slices (ham, pork, beef), and a huge platter of prawns. There will be all

the accompanying dressings and dips (I'm thinking of making not only the

sweet chilli dipping sauce for the prawns, but maybe a wasabi one this

year...).

After the main course, will come dessert - the selection will include a

Choc-Orange Christmas Pudding & and Rum and Raisin Christmas Pudding (served

with custard and cream and icecream), Christmas Cake, and slices of

Choc-Chip Pannetone. There will also be a huge bowl of sliced strawberries.

The table will be set formally. I need to push 2 tables together to fit the

13 expected, with my theme this year being gold and white. I've got our

normal white dinner plates, but have gold and white Christmas Crackers (bon

bons); gold and white napkins etc.

After all that food we'll all sit around - some will go swimming (it's

hopefully going to be hot); some will watch TV...

We'll eventually make coffee and hand around some rum balls (chocolate balls

coated in coconut).

There will only be the 2 meals on Christmas Day. The leftovers will be

available for anyone to help themselves if they get hungry a bit later on...

Regards, and Merry Christmas to everyone...

(wife of Tony, mum to (15), (13 with DS),

(11)

in Sydney, Australia

PS: We're heading to the USA in May 07. It's a very quick trip, 3 days

Honolulu, 1 whole day in San Francisco, then drive down the coastal highway

and spend 4 days at Disneyland. Would love to meet anyone from our group

along the way...

December 17, 2006

Our Christmas tradition is even different yet

On Christmas Eve day, my girls and I go 80 miles North to my mom's. We have

already celebrated Christmas on Thanksgiving day when my brothers and their

wives (they live in Florida, we live in Illinois) come up to Mom's. So, just the

4 of us will get together on Christmas Eve day and have a simple lunch. I have

been spending Christmas eve day with my mom since I was born

Around 3, the girls get very antsy to head for home, since they open their gifts

from each other and from me Christmas Eve night. The gifts are around the tree

in the living room, which is decorated with only 1 of a kind ornaments...the

things they have made since they were little, special gift ornaments, etc. I

also have a tree in my sunroom, next to my office, that is decorated only with

clear, white or silver snowflakes and blue orbs and white lights.

Anyway, back to the gifts!! After opening gifts, they both retreat to examine

the gifts individually. Christmas morning, Karrie has been waking up around 5 to

see what Santa has brought. She checks to make sure the reindeer have eaten the

magic feed (oatmeal mixed with glitter) and that Santa has eaten the cookies and

drank the milk left for him (hopefully mom has remembered to do her part). She

then yells for Kate to get up.

They each have their biggest gift from Santa under/near the tree. I put things

together if needed, no boxes or wrappings. Then come the stockings. These have

small things and some candy. At 10, Karrie's dad comes to pick up both girls for

their Christmas with him.

This year, Karrie's gift from Santa is a Barbie doll house. Kate will have a

series of clues on paper, with the last being " In Christmas' past, you've gotten

some deals. This year for Christmas, you've gotten new wheels " . I bought her a

car!! It's a 94 Chrysler, but it's her first car. I'm so excited!!!

Anyway, that's our Christmas here!!

Sue mom to Kate 17 and Karrie 10 w/ds and mild autism

December 17, 2006

Christmas dinner for us is a little different every year, but always

includes crab legs and usually shrimp. Sometimes the shrimp is cold and

eaten with cocktail sauce, other times cooked into a pasta or something.

Often I make a roast as well.

This started a few years ago, we'd have friend come for New Year's Eve and

the kids would eat first, then the adults would have a fancy meal. Their

kids wouldn't eat the fancy food anyway, but mine would have preferred it,

so I offered to make the seafood for Christmas dinner the following year.

This year, our Christmas dinner is 6 pounds of crab legs, shrimp cocktail,

coconut shrimp, homemade coleslaw and green bean bundles. We can hardly

wait! In the evening, friends are coming over for dessert and cards.

Sue D

> Traditions are funny. I remember one year when all my siblings were

> teenagers and we decided as a family to start a new tradition as we were

> all old enough to stay up late and to open our pressies on christmas eve

> instead of christmas day. It was great on the night itself and then the

> next day we all felt really lost so never did it again!! I gave my kids

> the option to change the christmas day menu this year if they wanted to

> but no, it has to stay exactly the same, even the bits like sprouts,

> parsnips and swede that they detest!! Can't say I'm disappointed, I'm a

> creature of habit myself and I love sprouts, parsnips and swede!!

>

> sue w

December 17, 2006

For us Christmas has changed greatly - when my kids were little we would

start the day early, but not too early as they were threatened and not

suppose to get out of bed until they heard our alarm clock. I use to think

my kids were extremely unappreciative as they frequently didn't seem excited

about their presents but as kids will do, they had been up earlier checking

out their gifts. Once I figured that one out I wrapped everything which

added that excitement I was missing.

After the present unwrapping it was rush rush rush, first to my in-laws for

present exchange then onto my mother for more presents and lunch. Then we

would go and visit my grandmother who would be with my aunt and uncle.

After that we would head back to my in-laws for Christmas tea. A very long

tiring day. With little kids I eventually dropped visiting my grandmother

on Christmas day and would visit her a few days prior.

After my mother passed away - we would have Christmas Day at my in-laws and

Boxing Day with my sister and her family at our place. This year we are

changing again as my mil no longer wants the 'burden' of lunch at her place

and wants all to go to her 'only' daughters place. As Kaylene refused to

come to our place a few years back when we we could see mil was tiring and

things needed to change we have refused to go to her place - thus we now

start a new family tradition.

This year my eldest son is spending Christmas Day with his fiancee and her

family,this is the first Christmas in two years they will be with us as they

have just returned home after living in London. We are having lunch with

my eldest daughter (she is just back after 12months in Japan) and her new

boyfriend and his family. We will be having a bbq lunch with salads. Then

Boxing Day is the day it really happens for us - my family (being my sister

her husband, niece, nephew, niece's partner and two of their best friends)

join us in celebrating Christmas. Our meal consists of a buffet style, with

cold meats, seafood, salads and dessert. I do try to adopt the KISS strategy

but often my husband will complicate things and we spend more time preparing

for our meal than I would prefer. Each year I search for new and different

recipes to add a bit of variety, this year I am having chocolate mousse with

tiny meringue and chopped up Tim tams throughout - for chocoholics a great

taste and texture experience, along with a toblerone ice-cream pudding, also

trying a tomato and bocchini cheese salad. This is also the day my husband

lets his hair down so to speak, relaxes and has plenty to drink! The past

few years we have enjoyed capturing his alcohol induced slumber on film,

much to his annoyance and demands each year that I delete all photos. One

year my daughter enjoyed (and got away with) applying make-up to her

sleeping father. In years gone by my mother as did my mother-in-law kept

with the 'old English' tradition of a hot roast lunch with all the trimmings

I have several memories of eating Christmas lunch on a very hot day (think

around 90F) in those days the only cooling was an open window or electric

fan, no wonder tempers would flare and there was many a family argument.

I am a bit of a Christmas fanatic and generally well organized. We usually

have two trees in the house, a small (5 ft) artificial tree in the main

lounge room and a real (radiata pine) in the family room. Last year,

possibly due to my being extremely ill for a few months, finally

conceded it wasn't a good idea to expect me to put up with pine tree induced

allergies for weeks, thus during the sales I purchased a 7 foot artificial

tree for the family room, which I am very happy with. My main living area

this year is decorated in purple/silver/green and this tree bears the

decorations I have collected on our travels. The presents we will be

opening Boxing Day with the two older children are placed here. Our other

presents which we will open Christmas morning are under the other tree. The

family/kitchen area has the large tree and garland stretched between the

light fittings. Generally I stick with traditional Christmas colours for

this room but highlight one colour, this year being red. I have just

started collecting Lemax Village Christmas stuff, which all has reminders of

our travels, I.e.. Tudor post office - England. Horse & Cart - Switzerland,

Dogs & Sled - Lapland etc. I also have a few Christmas quilts I have made

along with appliqued cushions on display.

Lights, we have a few hanging off the gutter, in the garden and around the

windows, although I really love it all it is a lot of work for an hour or so

each night - doesn't get really dark here until 9.00 - 9.30 and I turn them

off when I go to bed around 10.30.

Yes, I am counting down and enjoying the lead up to the big day -

Keep smiling

Jan, mother of Trent 22yo w/DS from the LandDownUnder

-- Re: Christmas around the World ...... Please share

Christmas morning is not usually early for us, either. We have one different

tradition, though, someone told us about this year ago. Stockings kind of

got lost in the shuffle on Christmas morning, so they did their stockings on

Christmas Eve morning and told the kids the elves filled them when they came

to see if the house was ready for Christmas.

We put candy and fruit in them, and a small wrapped gift or two. These days

the gifts are often computer games or something similar for them to do

together. It takes the edge off waiting for Christmas morning and gives them

something new to do while we pass the time on Christmas Eve.

Sue

>

> Christmas morning is usually not super early. We do stockings first,

> then open the gifts (one each) that Santa brought (he always wraps in

> plain red paper and leaves the gifts on the hearth).

Click reply to all for messages to go to the list. Just hit reply for

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December 18, 2006

Well,

When my Mom was still living everyone in the family went to her house for

Christmas Eve dinner and gifts (that is,6 kids, and all their spouses and kids,

then grandkids). Then we all had Christmas Day to spend with our own

families.

Now I carry on that tradition-I have Christmas Eve dinner at my house with

all my kids and step-kids and their wives and kids.

We have the traditional dinner they have all requested. Since we are in the

south, it has a rather Southern flair-ham, mashed potatoes, what I call

" greasy green beans " , sweet potato casserole, homemade sour dough bread, and

rolls of some kind.

Then we have various cookies(which I still have to decorate), and pumpkin

pie, and cake for dessert.

We have sweet tea and pop to drink, and lots of presents for everyone!

Then Christmas Day my family and my kids and families go to my sister's

house for a HUGH dinner with her and all her husbands family(which is a LOT of

people). It is a pot-luck dinner, but everyone usually brings the same thing!

I say " bring a pot of food, and with luck there will be enough for everyone!

(get it-pot luck) And the step-kids go to their Mom's house to celebrate.

It gets kinda hard sometimes, with split families. Like my son-his wife's

parents are divorced. So they have to go to Moms, Dads, and Grandmas all on

Christmas Day. They don't usually get to come to my sisters. And my husbands

kids spend Christmas Day with their Mom. But all has been pretty well

distributed out and it USUALLY goes really smooth!

Of course Jasmine, our 15 year old that has Down Syndrome, is right in the

middle of it all! She loves Christmas and the family being together! She

loves presents, and can't wait for Santa Clause to come!

So that's how things go in our neck of the woods in uppereasttennesee. I've

enjoyed reading about your holiday traditions. Just wish I lived in

Austrailia so I could have a beach picnic on Christmas!

Toni and Steve-parents to Jasmine-15-ds-and still a little girl at heart!

(shouldn't we all be)

December 21, 2006

Hello everyone,

Christmas in Belgium is anticipated with the arrival of Saint .

Belgian children believe in the existence of Saint Nicolas ( for the Wallons)

or Sinter Klaas (for the Flemish), while Santa Claus (Father Christmas or

Kerstman or Pere Noel), is basically an “import” from the U.S) On the evening

of December 6th, St , dressed in his Bishop’s robes, rides on a horse

(for the Flemish) or on a donkey ( for the Wallons) The tradition is that the

children put their shoes at the fireplace and leave carrots or other vegetables

in the shoes for the horse and in return the Saint leaves sweets and small gifts

in the shoes. There is one figure that my children were not familiar with, and

it is that of Pere Fouettard or Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), the Saint’s

companion, and little children are often scared of him.

As to our family traditions, while in Honduras, it was a very special

occasion. We all went to my parent’s for Christmas eve. My mother loved to

celebrate Christmas, so it was really like a feast.( a lot of food, not just

traditionally Honduran, but mostly American – turkey, gravy, potatoes, cranberry

sauce, fruit cake, etc.) Dinner on Christmas eve, sometimes went to church that

same night, or on Christmas day, and at 12 everyone will exchange presents. On

New Year’s eve, we mostly went to the celebration at a club.

Now that we are here in Belgium is a bit different, my brother in-law’ wife

is from Poland and they eat fish as tradition. We will be celebrating X-mas at

my house, but the menu will be reduced to simple entrees and cold and hot hors

d’ouvres at the request of my mother in-law and then have the traditional

Christmas ice-cream cake, planning to go to mid-night mass, and have a glass of

the traditionally given gluhwein after mass. Here also we exchange presents at

midnight.

Ana really enjoys this time of year, she is 14 but like other mother said, she

is a baby at heart, and that keeps in our family the happiness, the inocence,

and Santa Claus is still coming to town!

I wish everyone of you a Merry Christmas and abundant blessings for the New

Year !!!

Bonnie

karriemom@... escribió: Our Christmas tradition is even

different yet