Here we also celebrate the Epiphany (Twelfth Night) day on the 6th of January: the previous night children hang stockings on the chimney fire-place (or in the kitchen if their home don't have one) so that the morning they find small presents and lots of sweets inside – they believe an ugly hold hag riding a broom (or a donkey, it depends on the place traditions) called "Befana" brought them by night (obviously it's their parents again). The legend says she brings sweets to good children only (as Santa Claus does with presents), and black coal to the naughty ones – actually a particular strange tasting charcoal is produced just for this occasion to tease children: it's eatable and sweet but I never liked it. It's very weird to me reading about your summer Xmas – here everyone just breeze in the church during the catholic midnight Xmas mass! – but that pavlova dessert seems very tasty: I'd like to try it some time or other! ;P

Here in Italy Xmas is a great family occasion where children enjoy meeting uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents and other relatives. We have a big dinner on Wmas Eve with many special delicious recipies and particular big sponge-cakes such as "panettone" (with dry fruits) and "pandoro" (without). Here it's cold winter in Dicember, so all dishes are hot and greasy, and we prefer spending time at home near the fire than outodoor. Every house is decorated with a Xmas tree and crib (a small model of the Nativity children enjoy to make: carton houses with roofs painted white – standins for snow we have here! –, plastic shepherds and farmers all going to visit the Holy Family in the stable with animals, grass made of moss, silver paper lakes and rivers, and a bright comet star hanging above – some put it on the top of the tree. On 6th January we add the Three Kings with their gifts. It's considered as a real art here!); most gardens have coloured lights on trees and gates. On Xmas morning children find presents at the bottom of the decorated tree and believe Santa Claus (to whom they had written before to let him know what they wanted) brought them; when they grow up they know those presents come from their relatives. Most families have a big lunch together on Xmas day and adults exchange presents in this occasion.

we filipinos celebrated christmas with our loved ones. as much as we could we gather all family members. we usually spend the season with a clan reunion, really big

My family has always celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. We (my aunts, uncles, cousins) all go to my Grandma's house. Everyone brings a dish but usually my Grandma prepares the ham. After we eat we usually play games until it is time to open presents. On Thanksgiving we all draw a different name from a hat and that is the person that we buy a Christmas present for. After opening the presents we used to take the wrapping paper and crumple it up into balls and have a wrapping paper fight with it, but my Grandmas gets mad when we do that so we had to stop. Some of my family members then go to the church service, others just go home. Christmas day I just spend with my immediate family. We open presents in the morning and my Mom takes pictures. She still writes that the presents under the tree are from Santa. :)

It's a normal day, I spend it as any another day of the year. but; remember Jesus not only in this day.