Christmas presents
Moderators:Best First, spiderfrommars, IronHide
- Eline
- Help! I have a man for a head!
- Posts:877
- Joined:Sun Apr 22, 2001 11:00 pm
- Location:Delft, the Netherlands
- Contact:
We don't do Christmas presents since we celebrate Sinterklaas on 5 December (a dutch tradition with presents etc and the guy that Santa Claus is based on), so I was wondering:
How does it all work at Christmas? I have only seen the movies.
1. Do you write a whishlist? Do you get most of it?
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
6. What is Christmas eve for?
7. When do you actually get your presents?
8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
All I do this Christmas is spend time with my family, and have nice dinners. I did get an ipod nano as a Christmas gift from work though, so I already feel very spoilt.
How does it all work at Christmas? I have only seen the movies.
1. Do you write a whishlist? Do you get most of it?
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
6. What is Christmas eve for?
7. When do you actually get your presents?
8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
All I do this Christmas is spend time with my family, and have nice dinners. I did get an ipod nano as a Christmas gift from work though, so I already feel very spoilt.
- Metal Vendetta
- Big Honking Planet Eater
- Posts:4950
- Joined:Mon Feb 12, 2001 12:00 am
- Location:Lahndan, innit
Re: Christmas presents
Children are encouraged to write a list to Father Christmas, telling him what they would like. As a kid, I usually got a couple of items off my lidt, and a couple of surprises. Father Christmas can be a little slow, though, as I didn't get Optimus Prime until 1998, and I put him on my list in 1984.Eline wrote:1. Do you write a whishlist? Do you get most of it?
It can be posted - the Royal Mail here has a special address for Father Christmas at Lapland, or you can post it up the chimney and it will get to him.Eline wrote:2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
This is a hangover from older times, when presents were less and smaller. When I was a kid I would get a few presents in a stocking and the rest in a big pile under the tree.Eline wrote:3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
Yup. A glass of sherry and a mince pie is traditional, as well as a carrot for Rudolph.Eline wrote:4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
Um, no, I've never done that. You have to be good in order to get gifts. Father Christmas is like a kind of microcosm of God, in that if you are good you are supposedly rewarded, if you are bad you are punished, and neither really existEline wrote:5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
It's the day before Christmas day. Father Christmas comes down the chimney on Christmas eve, when all the children are in bed, and delivers their presents.Eline wrote:6. What is Christmas eve for?
The morning of Christmas day, December 25th. I always used to wake up about 5:00am on this day.Eline wrote:7. When do you actually get your presents?
If they can afford it, then yeah, I guess so. I think the most I spent this year was £65 on a table for my mom, though cumulatively, I probably spent about £150-£200 on my girl.Eline wrote:8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
Oh yes.Eline wrote:9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
There's usually one or two houses in every street that does that...it's kind of looked down upon as being a bit common, though I think it's great.Eline wrote:10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
Re: Christmas presents
Finnish way of spending Christmas varies a lot, but here's one way.
According to Finnish Post, Santa Claus does get every year a rather high amount of post.
Usually Santa Claus visits on Christmas Eve and brings presents. Much depends on the person appearing as Santa Claus. My father wasn't very enthusiastic about the role, so he happily made me do it after my voice changed, I think I was 13 years then. On the whole I had fun being a Santa Claus for my younger siblings and cousins. Made them also sing or play some instrument before giving the presents.
After my sister became too old to believe in Santa Claus, there hasn't been Santa Claus' visits anymore.
10. No.
As a kid I wrote something on the list, which my parents said to put forward.Eline wrote:How does it all work at Christmas? I have only seen the movies.
1. Do you write a whishlist? Do you get most of it?
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
According to Finnish Post, Santa Claus does get every year a rather high amount of post.
No socks here, nor coming down the chimney.3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
6. What is Christmas eve for?
7. When do you actually get your presents?
Usually Santa Claus visits on Christmas Eve and brings presents. Much depends on the person appearing as Santa Claus. My father wasn't very enthusiastic about the role, so he happily made me do it after my voice changed, I think I was 13 years then. On the whole I had fun being a Santa Claus for my younger siblings and cousins. Made them also sing or play some instrument before giving the presents.
After my sister became too old to believe in Santa Claus, there hasn't been Santa Claus' visits anymore.
Not in our family. Presents yes, but something small. Sometimes as a kid there were more expensive presents, but those should have been bought anyway, for example new skies. As children it was always clear that the people we knew were involved getting the presents, Santa just was the one who delivered those.8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
No, but in our family we eat some other traditional food. When visiting my grand parents on the 26th day, there's usually much more to eat. Me and my two brothers have had a competition "who gains most weight during one meal". Current record is 3.2 kg and our mother threatens to "kill" us for being pigs, but grand mother is just satisfied.9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
10. No.
That's about it here as well.All I do this Christmas is spend time with my family, and have nice dinners.
- Aaron Hong
- Me king!
- Posts:1269
- Joined:Fri Jan 11, 2002 12:00 am
- ::No pity for fools
- Location:...No let ME fold the map GAAH
- Obfleur
- Big Honking Planet Eater
- Posts:3387
- Joined:Mon Nov 26, 2001 12:00 am
- ::Swedish smorgasbord
- Location:Inside the Goatse.
Re: Christmas presents
Swedish christmas!
You never get everything that you write on the list.
We have our presents under a christmas tree.
Yes, you write a wishlist and hand it over to your mother or father. They make sure that Santa gets the list.1. Do you write a whishlist? Do you get most of it?
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
You never get everything that you write on the list.
The sock-thing doesn't exist in Sweden (or didn't. Because of all the american movies and stuff people have started doing it).3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
We have our presents under a christmas tree.
If you live in a house you are supposed to leave some porridge at your front door.4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
Nope!5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
We get our presents on christmas eve (the 24th).6. What is Christmas eve for?
7. When do you actually get your presents?
Yes.8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
No turkey in sweden! We have meatballs, sausages, eggs, red and brown cabbage, ham, different kinds of herring and porridge.9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
Nope! No fake snow and stuff - but people like to decorate their trees with lights and stuff. And some decorate their front doors.10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
Can't believe I'm still here.
- Eline
- Help! I have a man for a head!
- Posts:877
- Joined:Sun Apr 22, 2001 11:00 pm
- Location:Delft, the Netherlands
- Contact:
Thanks guys! It's nice to know how these things are done around the world.
We did buy our first(!) Christmas tree last weekend, it's tiny (60cm high, about 2 ft) and I still need to buy some decoration as I've eaten most of the candy decoration already. But with the candles it's getting a bit Christmassy now.
No snow though.
We did buy our first(!) Christmas tree last weekend, it's tiny (60cm high, about 2 ft) and I still need to buy some decoration as I've eaten most of the candy decoration already. But with the candles it's getting a bit Christmassy now.
No snow though.
- Optimus Prime Rib
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2215
- Joined:Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:00 pm
- Location:College Station, TX
- Contact:
Merry Christmas!
(didnt realize snarl was that small thought)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA
(didnt realize snarl was that small thought)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA
Shanti418 wrote:
Whoa. You know they're going to make Panthro play bass.
- sprunkner
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2229
- Joined:Fri Mar 12, 2004 12:00 am
- Location:Bellingham, WA
Re: Christmas presents
This is fun. Cool info about the tree tradition and its journey from Odin to Jesus at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_trees
1. Do you write a wishlist? Do you get most of it?
I always did a wishlist as a kid. I remember trying to gauge my parents' financial situation while a teenager before I wrote it. Since they had six kids and a bankrupty I didn't ask for much.
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
When I was little I'd give the letter to my parents, who said they would put it in the "special mail." Right. I wanted to believe so much so that my little sister was the one who disillusioned me.
3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
In my family we make each person a unique stocking with little designs on it. My sisters were mad seamstresses at one point. It was fun. One year we made my dad one with the three wise men from the Bible story. I made these two little fat guys and one tall skinny guy out of felt.
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
The mince pie thing is interesting-- in America it's milk and cookies. Though given the health craze, people are probably setting out carrots and orange juice now.
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
Are you kidding? We're American. We're entitled to stuff just by existing.
6. What is Christmas eve for?
We always open one present and (this is more in religious families) read the baby Jesus story from the Bible and act it out. This is a good excuse for my dad to run around hee-hawing because he always wants to play the jackass-- er, donkey.
7. When do you actually get your presents?
One on the eve, then Santa leaves a full stocking and usually something big next to the stocking. Most parents like to mess with their kids' heads by hiding a few presents and then, around three in the afternoon after everything's opened, they say, "Hey, Santa forgot something!"
8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
One year I spent over 600$. And I don't even want to look at my credit card now.
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
It's usually turkey, ham or lamb. A rerun of the American Thanksgiving meal from November, with a roast bird, some sweet potato/yam dish, some more vegetables and pumpkin pie.
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
Oh yea. There are contests. There's a botanical garden in Seattle that has a giant display of lights in the shapes of flowers. Unfortunately, with all the power outages here lately, only about half of them are working.
Cool Yule, everybody.
1. Do you write a wishlist? Do you get most of it?
I always did a wishlist as a kid. I remember trying to gauge my parents' financial situation while a teenager before I wrote it. Since they had six kids and a bankrupty I didn't ask for much.
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
When I was little I'd give the letter to my parents, who said they would put it in the "special mail." Right. I wanted to believe so much so that my little sister was the one who disillusioned me.
3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
In my family we make each person a unique stocking with little designs on it. My sisters were mad seamstresses at one point. It was fun. One year we made my dad one with the three wise men from the Bible story. I made these two little fat guys and one tall skinny guy out of felt.
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
The mince pie thing is interesting-- in America it's milk and cookies. Though given the health craze, people are probably setting out carrots and orange juice now.
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
Are you kidding? We're American. We're entitled to stuff just by existing.
6. What is Christmas eve for?
We always open one present and (this is more in religious families) read the baby Jesus story from the Bible and act it out. This is a good excuse for my dad to run around hee-hawing because he always wants to play the jackass-- er, donkey.
7. When do you actually get your presents?
One on the eve, then Santa leaves a full stocking and usually something big next to the stocking. Most parents like to mess with their kids' heads by hiding a few presents and then, around three in the afternoon after everything's opened, they say, "Hey, Santa forgot something!"
8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
One year I spent over 600$. And I don't even want to look at my credit card now.
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
It's usually turkey, ham or lamb. A rerun of the American Thanksgiving meal from November, with a roast bird, some sweet potato/yam dish, some more vegetables and pumpkin pie.
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
Oh yea. There are contests. There's a botanical garden in Seattle that has a giant display of lights in the shapes of flowers. Unfortunately, with all the power outages here lately, only about half of them are working.
Cool Yule, everybody.
Last edited by sprunkner on Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Eline
- Help! I have a man for a head!
- Posts:877
- Joined:Sun Apr 22, 2001 11:00 pm
- Location:Delft, the Netherlands
- Contact:
Re: Christmas presents
Great info, thanks!sprunkner wrote:This is fun. Cool info about the tree tradition and its journey from Odin to Jesus at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_trees
sprunkner wrote: 8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
One year I spent over 600$. And I don't even want to look at my credit card now.
Though that must mean just will receive some pretty cool stuff in return.
That's ****** inspired!Optimus Prime Rib wrote:Merry Christmas!
(didnt realize snarl was that small thought)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA
- Optimus Prime Rib
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2215
- Joined:Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:00 pm
- Location:College Station, TX
- Contact:
thank you thank you. Ill be here all week folks!snarl wrote:That's ****** inspired!Optimus Prime Rib wrote:Merry Christmas!
(didnt realize snarl was that small thought)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA
Shanti418 wrote:
Whoa. You know they're going to make Panthro play bass.
- Shanti418
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2633
- Joined:Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:52 pm
- Location:Austin, Texas
1. Do you write a whishlist? Do you get most of it?
I would have a wishlist, and most of the things I suppose tended to show up, on account of the fact that A, I was an only child, and B, I probably asked for less than most kids, although I will admit, I could ask for something like "Transformers", and be happy with whatever I got. I can fondly remember greeting blokes such as Devestator, Omega Supreme, Optimus, and Jetfire for Christmas, sitting under the tree not even wrapped. No Megatron, though. My parents hate guns.
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
If you postmark it to the North Pole, the Post Office will take it and do who knows what with it. I guess kids just assume that Santa has FedEx
3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
We had stockings in addition to our presents. It was usually filled with small items, like gift cards, candy/chocolate, cassette tapes, pencils, etc. There was one year where my Dad totally forogt to get my Mom anything for her stocking, and she was really really crushed, and so from then on until my parents divorced, I had a fanatical devotion to making sure both of their stockings were equally filled.
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
Like sprunk said, mlik and cookies. Milk and cookies.
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
We have no Christmas songs that relate to trying to get more gifts. When kids want more gifts, in America they just scream and cry until they get their way because trying to buy the love of your children is a national tradition.
6. What is Christmas eve for?
Again, as sprunk said, people go to church. But for the others, families usually set their own traditions. A friend of mine always opens all the presents on Eve with his family. Another opens one. Another always has a big diner with family. For us, we'd drive around and look at Christmas lights.
7. When do you actually get your presents?
As I said last question, it varies, but the majority are opened on the morning of Christmas.
8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
No doubt. I'd say $500 is a good average for me.
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
Our Christmas dinners are almost exactly like our Thanksgiving dinners, ie turkey, ham, stuffing, cassroles, pies, and TAMALES!
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
I don't know if I'd call it INSANELY decorated. As far as public locations/buisnesses, it's pretty subdued except for places in town where they have displays, ie sprunk's garden, NY's Christmas Tree, or the Trail of Lights we have here in Austin, nothing's garish or anything.
People decorating their houses, though, that's VERY popular, hence the aforementioned looking around at Chritmas lights on Eve that I mentioned. Still though, it's hit and miss.....some neighborhoods will only have the occasional strand of lights or lit up house, while others spend hundreds of dollars on their displays, with mutli lights, timing mechanisms, sculptures, anything you can think of. Some subdivisions even require that you participate.
I would have a wishlist, and most of the things I suppose tended to show up, on account of the fact that A, I was an only child, and B, I probably asked for less than most kids, although I will admit, I could ask for something like "Transformers", and be happy with whatever I got. I can fondly remember greeting blokes such as Devestator, Omega Supreme, Optimus, and Jetfire for Christmas, sitting under the tree not even wrapped. No Megatron, though. My parents hate guns.
2. How does the list get to Santa Claus?
If you postmark it to the North Pole, the Post Office will take it and do who knows what with it. I guess kids just assume that Santa has FedEx
3. How do all the presents fit into a sock?
We had stockings in addition to our presents. It was usually filled with small items, like gift cards, candy/chocolate, cassette tapes, pencils, etc. There was one year where my Dad totally forogt to get my Mom anything for her stocking, and she was really really crushed, and so from then on until my parents divorced, I had a fanatical devotion to making sure both of their stockings were equally filled.
4. Do you leave a small gift for Santa?
Like sprunk said, mlik and cookies. Milk and cookies.
5. Do you sing songs in hope for more gifts?
We have no Christmas songs that relate to trying to get more gifts. When kids want more gifts, in America they just scream and cry until they get their way because trying to buy the love of your children is a national tradition.
6. What is Christmas eve for?
Again, as sprunk said, people go to church. But for the others, families usually set their own traditions. A friend of mine always opens all the presents on Eve with his family. Another opens one. Another always has a big diner with family. For us, we'd drive around and look at Christmas lights.
7. When do you actually get your presents?
As I said last question, it varies, but the majority are opened on the morning of Christmas.
8. Do people really spend hundreds of dollars/pounds/etc on gifts?
No doubt. I'd say $500 is a good average for me.
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
Our Christmas dinners are almost exactly like our Thanksgiving dinners, ie turkey, ham, stuffing, cassroles, pies, and TAMALES!
10. Are all the streets and houses really insanely decorated with lights and props and and fake snow and stuff?
I don't know if I'd call it INSANELY decorated. As far as public locations/buisnesses, it's pretty subdued except for places in town where they have displays, ie sprunk's garden, NY's Christmas Tree, or the Trail of Lights we have here in Austin, nothing's garish or anything.
People decorating their houses, though, that's VERY popular, hence the aforementioned looking around at Chritmas lights on Eve that I mentioned. Still though, it's hit and miss.....some neighborhoods will only have the occasional strand of lights or lit up house, while others spend hundreds of dollars on their displays, with mutli lights, timing mechanisms, sculptures, anything you can think of. Some subdivisions even require that you participate.
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
Somebody's been watching QI...Legion wrote:Christmas is just the Christian rip off of several other earlier religious activities at this time of year... most notably the old sun god Mithras, who apparently was born on December 25th and whose mother was coincidently a virgin... hmmm....
In other news, eat turkey not goose. It's not as greasy, tastes better, and some traditions don't need breaking.
- sprunkner
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2229
- Joined:Fri Mar 12, 2004 12:00 am
- Location:Bellingham, WA
There are times I miss the Southwest. This is one of them. I love tamales and they're impossible to find here.Shanti418 wrote:
9. Do you always eat traditional foods like the turkey?
Our Christmas dinners are almost exactly like our Thanksgiving dinners, ie turkey, ham, stuffing, cassroles, pies, and TAMALES!
- Shanti418
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2633
- Joined:Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:52 pm
- Location:Austin, Texas
I'm sure you could get some to you, though? What with the 24/7 e-economy and all that? If I can get salmon shipped from Pike's Market, then I'm sure some tamales could make the flight.sprunkner wrote:There are times I miss the Southwest. This is one of them. I love tamales and they're impossible to find here.
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
- Shanti418
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2633
- Joined:Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:52 pm
- Location:Austin, Texas
Good luck. If I recall Seattle correctly, they have chinese teriyaki places like we have taquerias. lol
That's one of the great things about illegal immigration: Give it 50 years, and I'll finally be able to go anywhere in the country and get a good taco.
That's one of the great things about illegal immigration: Give it 50 years, and I'll finally be able to go anywhere in the country and get a good taco.
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.
- sprunkner
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2229
- Joined:Fri Mar 12, 2004 12:00 am
- Location:Bellingham, WA
You can't get these shirts anymore, but they are still wicked-cool.
http://blog.kevindonahue.com/archives/2 ... andwiches/
http://blog.kevindonahue.com/archives/2 ... andwiches/