Do you open gifts on Xmas Eve
- Thread starter PinkSuadeSoho
- Start date
Since my mom is German (my dad is American) I always grew up opening the gifts from my parents on Christmas Eve. When we lived far away from the rest of our family, we also opened those on Christmas Eve. When we lived in Maryland, the rest of the family was relatively-close (within 1-2 hours) so we were always together on Christmas Day. We all went over to somebody's house (changed every year) and opened our gifts.
Now that I'm living in Germany, we open our gifts on the 24th. There is no "Santa Claus" here. They have Nikolaus, which comes on Dec. 6 and brings candy, nuts, fruits (oranges, clementines, etc) to the children. On Dec 24th comes the Christkind (in my area, different parts of Germany call it different things).
Today we will be having a traditional Fraekisch meal for lunch (Roast with Horseraddish and bread, bleh!) and Leberkloes Suppe. I don't really know how to translate Leberkloes, but it's...kind of like liver pate rolled up in a ball and put in soup with noodles. It's yummy and I hate liver! lol. Then we will have coffee in the afternoon and go out to my Aunt and Uncle's for the evening. We will eat a light dinner, and then open presents
Now that I'm living in Germany, we open our gifts on the 24th. There is no "Santa Claus" here. They have Nikolaus, which comes on Dec. 6 and brings candy, nuts, fruits (oranges, clementines, etc) to the children. On Dec 24th comes the Christkind (in my area, different parts of Germany call it different things).
Today we will be having a traditional Fraekisch meal for lunch (Roast with Horseraddish and bread, bleh!) and Leberkloes Suppe. I don't really know how to translate Leberkloes, but it's...kind of like liver pate rolled up in a ball and put in soup with noodles. It's yummy and I hate liver! lol. Then we will have coffee in the afternoon and go out to my Aunt and Uncle's for the evening. We will eat a light dinner, and then open presents
As soon as we get up on Christmas morning, before breakfast. Stockings with little prezzies are put on our beds the night before and we're allowed to open them at whatever time we want in the night - as kids this would be 4am but now I like a lie-in so it tends to be with my other gifts on Christmas day.
It's traditional in Iceland to have dinner at 6 on Christmas eve and open the presents after dinner. Santa Clauses are different here too, we have 13 of them and they start coming to town, one after the other, 13 days before christmas. Every morning kids put their shoe in the window and the Santas leave a little present for the kids in there, unless they've been bad and then they get a potatoe. The last of the Santas comes on the morning of the 24th.
Open one on Christmas Eve, the rest of them in the morning, although I am soooooo tempted to open all of mine now(it's 12:30am here.)
Yes! Family tradition to open all gifts on Christmas eve and have a casual dinner (chili, soups, italian, etc); then, on Christmas Day Santa came (obviously not any more since I'm almost 37 and my sister is 34 
) and we'd have the traditional turkey feast (actually TOFUrkey for me ).
) and we'd have the traditional turkey feast (actually TOFUrkey for me ).