Tradition

We always have breakfast on the back veranda looking out over the trees. Crossionts with ham and cheese and lots of fresh fruit, melons, cherries etc.

Hey Axel.

My family is doing the Same, As the better half is German.
Xmas Day is another story.

Merry Xmas From the Top End Mob, This includes Doug T

I awake at 5am xmas morning.
Brew a coffee and have a decent cough.
Light another fag.
Think of the impending circus that will decend on us shortly.

Look at the 4by and think 'one turn of the key and I'm outta here'
Missus reads my mind and forbids any such action.

Spend the rest of the morning rehearsing nice comments for when the wicked witch, I mean the MIL, turns up.
[it would be nice if she did the same thing once in a while]

Yep.....Im really looking forward to xmas.........lol.

Cheers.......Lionel.

My kids always got new PJ's on Xmas eve. They were washed and ready to wear for Santas visit. Trouble is the family has married had kids and they still expect the "jamas". I now have a hell of a time buying PJ's to fit and suit all but I manage.

We also had small tree presents which hung on the tree and they still expect a tree present - now these are harder than PJ's to think of.

Each new family member hangs a decoration on the tree and they love looking at their decorations.

I also have a Xmas photo album that I leave out and they love looking back at their Xmas photos with Santa.

I do really love Christmas

Our tradition is that on Christmas Eve our small family (of German migrants) gather, have a huge meal. After dinner St Nikolaus used to come and give us our presents. wW would have to play with them all before we went home. Oma bought the best pressies. But the James Last music - man that drove us nuts.

Now that we are grown up things are a bit different. St nik doesn't come anymore but we still have the James Last records.

Froehliche Weihnachten Axel

Louie.

Our family are not right in to Christmas but still do some of the traditional things.
As a homebrewer, in 2004 my son gave me a carton of Coopers Vintage Ale.
It is now tradition that after breakfast every Christmas Day we both have a stubby each. And what a top drop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will have the last two stubbies in 2015 by my calculations as we had two when he gave them to me in 2004.
Best wishes to all and lets look forward to a great 2009.
The Bigfella

Well not so much weird but as long as I can remember I have had leg ham, tomatoe and avocardo on toast with home made mayo (YUM)

As the kids have moved away bugger me wife has organised a video link up so all are doing the same on xmas day LOL. Mind you I have to work xmas and boxing day so it will be an early start but its all be arranged.

I guess the other thing was the xmas tree I had been cutting a tree for more years than I can remember and my kids when old enough used to sit on my lap and steer the crusier in the forest (all 1st gear) I used to teach them to indicate and look left and right at intersection in the forest and we would pick many trees and after ages we cut one and sneek home. Of course I would cut it bigger than would fit in the house with the usual (fun) fight with the good lady.

The kids thought it was a true adventure and loved it, of course they loved it a bit to much when I got hold up by the one time as to what I was doing in the forest ............................... Just fishing Mr policeman ............ open the back up they say ............ my rods and gear ............... ok then and they leave. What they told there mum was somewhat different LOL.

We all had many great times getting a tree and my kids still talk about those trips.

Brian

every xmas day arouind 4am while fast asleep i get a nudge nudge from swmbo

my eyes always light up ...only to be told to "go outside and get rid of the milk and carrots before the kids wake-up"... that was left outside for santa's reindeers

merry xmas one and all

xmas tradition being cricket in the backyard, only you must use a real cricket ball no matter how small the yard is. usually plenty of people with bruises on shins by the end of the afternoon.

As our family has moved from one continent to the next the Christmas Traditions have changed.

The original German tradtions had been lost by the time I was born as the progenitor of the family landed in Africa in 1790.

Southern Africa saw Christmas Day on the farm and pressies being opened mid morning when everyone had arrived at the destination. Christmas lunch started at 12noon and we seldom got away from the table by 4pm. Of course there were servants to do the bidding and we had very little to do except to indulge.

In Oz the 'Family' gathered at Anglesea in Victoria every year when the 'old people' were still alive and we could have up to 50 sitting down for lunch. Everyone mucked in and by late afternoon, if you could still stand, a cricket match was started. When that conlcuded due to bad light, it was back indoors to the pool table and more food and drinks until in a blurr we staggered towards wherever we were camped. But the 'olds' have all passed on now and that spell has been broken.

After visiting family living in the USA some 20 years ago we were presented with a Christmas stocking each. So every year now we fill the stocking with $20 worth of presents. The stocking must have a coin in it so that you will never lack money during the next year and also some sweets to sustain you in the year to come. A visit to the cheap shops is a must. We are on our own and go through the stockings in the early morning. Then we start preparing for lunch and the time goes by in another blurr....lol Last year we spent our festive time with friends on the outskirts of Sydney and a similar pattern was followed. Most of us slept through Boxing Day recovering from the indulgences.

Merry Christmas to you all

Cheers