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I get up early and tuck the goose or turkey into the oven. We tend to alternate the main critter.
Then we turn on all the Chrismas decoration lights, inside and out. We get the music going and then open the presents from under the tree. Then if they are not on the tv, we put on the following tapes.
White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Miracle on 34th St, etc. Drinking everything from hot tea, chocolate, cider. Then after the main dinner, we may just drive around the neighborhood to look at the house decorations, if the weather is good. If now, just pick at the leftovers and watch more films. For New Years, it is a Ham and the Rose Parade in the AM. I just wish they would show more of the horse units and less of the gab. Big Grin

"Shop" and My Snipes
I have a multileveled family, so Christmas takes a lot of planning! I start making candy, etc. weeks before Christmas. (hard to keep it hid, however!Smile )I teach and sing Christmas songs to the little ones and the older ones help me as they have much better voices and play the piano better! It is so exciting to tiny tots! We love watching Christmas stories. We do also go to Church together. On Christmas morning, I am up early, early. ( the night before, we have a cookout and get together with relation and friends)Pies are in the oven, along with a ham and turkey. Then the children awake. The tree is lite and gifts are opened. After, we have a special Christmas breakfast . We all give thanks for our blessings. The rest of the day is eating, eating, eating! LOL! New Years at our house is fairly quiet. We don't go out, just watch the New year come in together. Smile

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My previous years experiences were something like this.......

*Wake up whenever (usually as late as possible) get organised go to my parents or current partners parents place mid morning for present exchanges and then the big meal which would consist of Hot and Cold Food (its usually high 90's - 105 degress here). Hot Turkey, Cold Ham, Roast Chicken, Hot and Cold Seafood and salads as well as some roast vegies etc. Traditional Plum Pudding with Custard, Brandy Sauce and Ice Cream with 5cent pieces tucked away in there. Laze around after lunch to digest, if it was at my parents place we would have the Annual Game of Cricket...then its pack up and go to the other parents place to do it all again at Dinner Time. (Grrrrrrroooooooooaaaaaannnnnnn)

This year, however, will be vastly different as its my first Xmas with a baby. Besides that I have been informed that I am doing Xmas Lunch. Eek So I cant comment what it will be like.

Lexie
Lol, Shop, We had our peace for a while , but suddenly I am raising a family again! It's not all bad. I worked and traveled for many years, so it is a mind awakening change. I just wish Bob was able to enjoy it too.

Lexie, you will do fine. Just don't worry about duplicating someone elses idea of the lunch. Do your own thing! They will love it. Smile BTW, I found your description quite fasinating!

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My Christmas is quite similar to Lexie's. I guess its because we celebrate in the middle of summer.

Anyway, its been quite a few years since anyone in my family or extended family had young children, so our christmas is quite an adult oriented affair.

We usually start opening gifts we have given each other, then with a close family breakfast at around 11am... nice and late. Breakfast consists of, well, lunch really... seafood mostly, some cold ham, all kinds of salads.

Then we come home (because we have breakfast at restaurants to avoid the cleaning up and preparation), and have a "nanna nap", where my Dad gets to sleep while the rest of us laze around watching Christmas repeats.

In mid afternoon we head over to a close friends house, where we go to the beach, play some sports... like Cricket, or just tossing the Footy around. Then later in the evening we sit around the table drinking, and being merry, while we eat the traditional turkey, and ham... but of course there is more seafood, prawns, etc.

And New Years is very informal, its all about drinking, not really the meals.

We seem to have a minimalist Christmas compared to most. My wife comes from a very different culture so we've had to adapt together.

We too, are in Australia, but I've never been a big fan of seafood, so we make do with a nice cold salad, usually prepared by me because Muoi often works on the day (Personal Carer - has to be done). My family's pretty scattered and Muoi has none here, so it's just the two of us and, of course Mini & Maxi, the dogs.

GG
We do most of our Christmas on the eve. That started a long time ago, so Moms and Dads could sleep in I think.

The BIG family get-together with G’mas, uncles, in-laws, cousins, (it goes on and on) starts shortly after noon. We visit and snack all afternoon gearing up for a huge dinner at about six. Everyone brings something, so there is no shortage of food. About an hour after the kids start asking “Can dinner be over now” we finally give in and the presents are handed out. We open two or three at a time, youngest to oldest. Back to some more visiting, snacking, and playing with toys. The party slowly winds down and we call it a night.

Christmas Day is the smaller family get-togethers, leftovers (no cooking on Christmas) , phone calls to those far away, and a few more gifts.

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Garden, your better half is Asian? I wondered because of the name, but was not sure.We have Asians in our family and it was fun the first year to teach them everything about our Holiday.
Puppy, your's sounds very relaxing! I like the idea of no cooking on Christmas, I think!

I am surprised that we have not had any Jewish or other religions added yet. Hope we will ! Smile

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I suppose I better add my two cents, before Mrs. M bans me from her Christmas table! ( You all know she wouldn't do that) I come from the Panama Canal Zone. My Father was an American employee there for many years. My Mother was born there. All Holidays, are celebrated with much tado there. We actually start celebrating at the first of the month with many parties. It is also very religious and there are a lot of Church events also. We, because of my Dad had the traditional food, but also tamales and other food common to my Country of birth. Now that we live in the US, my family still gets together as we did there, but include our wonderful new American friends!

sunny
This Christmas, we have a never ending supply of logs for our open fires.

We had some trees in the garden trimmed and to avoid damaging the lawn the tree surgeon brought in one of his working shire horses to pull the logs away - a unique sight.

<IMG SRC="http://www.ukcamera.com/images/bringinginthelogssm1.jpg">
<P>
<A HREF="http://www.ukcamera.com/heavyhorse1.htm>
Click here for two fairly large - (700kb) photos if you are interested</A>
Hello Rick! Yes, he had to get down on his knees and ask for my hand in marriage in front of at least 100 guests! He spoke of our strong faith, our love and friendship. It was something I shall never forget. I do not believe it is a bad custom. It is not something you would take lightly. Our divorce rate speaks for itself. Wink And Great grandma smiled, with many tears. She IS special. They just celebrated their 46th. I know we will do the same. You are so fortunate to have her include you in her fold. Smile

sunny

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