Christmas in your country and mine

In my hometown, people didn't celebrate Christmas Day in the past because they knew little about it.But recently as more and more people from western countries come, Christmas Day has been becoming more and more popular, especially for the youth and business agencies.For example, my mother is a traditional woman who was born several decades years ago and she used to know little about Chistmas day.She even used to be against admitting it.But just now,she gave me a surprising call,and said Merry Chistmas to me. Thank you,and Merry Chistmas to you!

I think the only big (also national) holiday is St. Nicolaas (Dec. 5th). They say it's for children (the sweet children get presents) but originally it's not since this "saint" gave to poor adults as well. If it comes to big money makers shops over here try to force up other celebrations as well. Like Halloween (heard the government wants to forbid shops to sell products how rediculious since it's not even custom to celebrate it, Valentine's day (in the past 40 years still not a very big holiday) and christmas (with presents ofcourse since shops like to sell. One year some more people decide to buy some presents but Santa is not favourite here and I doubt he will ever be.) I think if it comes to Santa Claus it has nothing to do with christmas at all. Which is a religious celebration and has nothing to do with gifts and a lot of food. Over here religous people celebrate christmas originally this way: you go to church tonight (Dec 24th) at midnight. You have dinner together at Dec. 25 (first christmas day), you visit your parents one day, parents in law on the 2nd christmas day (Dec 26). That's it. Most people do have a christmas tree but not the whole house decorated neither all those lights outside etc. The shops might have some lights extra, some people still have the "star" with a light in it in front of their window. Perhaps dutch people are not great in celebrating? also many escape from it if possible (wintersport in Germany, Austria, France). Personally I never cook on these 2 days. These are the only 2 relaxing days we have. We stay home, watch old movies, sleep a bit longer and do what we like. So no fights, no need to visit someone or get visitors, we do not spend money on it. To us these 2 days are the only real holidays in the whole year. We like to keep it that way.

Christmas seems to be too commercialized these days. Christmas isn’t our statutory holiday.National Day(Oct. 1) and the Spring Festival (the lunar New Year’s Day) are our main statutory holiday. People who are in work can take a week off. New year's eve,we have family reunion dinner.The lunar New Year's Day,we would pay New Year calls to the elderly.

Actually my country is not a traditional Christian country,the most important holiday is the Spring festival and may be you can say it Chinese new year.But now my country start to celebrate the Christmas right now and we really have fun from it.

we celebrate xmas big here in Mexico.. But like in usa, Many have chosen to go the gift way. The media always makes a big deal about that here as well. Merry xmas to you there..

Maybe it is a big business when celebrating Christmas. Why? Because we can go shopping everywhere. We need some gift that we share to our loved ones. So we can buy it in a mall or even in a street market where there are a lot of things we can buy. But, because it is Christmas, that will be no value to us. The important is the spirit of Christmas into our heart. Merry Christmas to all.

In the Philippines, we have the longest Christmas as we start it as early as September. Our }Christmas is very festive here. We have lanterns, colorful lights, sumptous food and the early morning mass. _christmas is fun in the Philippines.