I went christmas shopping today. It was not as bad as all the other years as I already knew what I wanted to buy for everybody.
Last year our friends from Florida invited us to spend christmas at their house and learn about their traditions and habits. Of course we said yes and took a trip over.
We have had a christmas with the whole family, including grandmothers, all sisters and brothers with their children and their parents. And everybody gave presents to everybody. Over here nobody could afford this, but they did it in a quite clever way: In the U.S. they have the garage sales and thrift stores, so this were the places where our friends bought the presents all over the year. Everytime they saw something special that would fit to another person they bought it and did some real bargains. This led to the fact, that everybody received a lot of presents that really fit. Another way was to make presents buy sewing or knitting.
Our friends showed us a christmas where gifts were not appraised by the amount of money they cost but by the thought the buyer had, when he or she purchased it.
December 15, 2006
December 06, 2006
Santa Claus
I wonder where all the different traditions concerning Santa Claus and christmas gifts come from.
In the U.S. Santa Claus comes through the chimney and you will have your presents on the 25th’s morning.
In Germany Santa Claus comes on the sixth of December. He comes at night and when you wake up on the sixth he was already there and has left you a few chocolates in your boots. I can remember discussions at kindergarden when at some families’ Santa Claus already came on the evening of the fifth. But this is wrong, every calender shows the sixth as the day. But on the sixth you get only chocolates, the really big presents you will receive on the 24th, not from Santa, he is only in charge of the sixth of December – in Germany we have the Christkind for Christmas Day (December 24th) .
I learned from my husband that it is completely different in the Netherlands (and according to my cousins boyfriend from Antwerp it is in Belgium aswell). Santa Claus comes on the sixth on a ship from Spain, together with “Zwarte Piet” a black boy who helps him to give out the presents and who will give a little pack of salt to those who haven’t been good. On the 25th you will only receive chocolates.
In the U.S. Santa Claus comes through the chimney and you will have your presents on the 25th’s morning.
In Germany Santa Claus comes on the sixth of December. He comes at night and when you wake up on the sixth he was already there and has left you a few chocolates in your boots. I can remember discussions at kindergarden when at some families’ Santa Claus already came on the evening of the fifth. But this is wrong, every calender shows the sixth as the day. But on the sixth you get only chocolates, the really big presents you will receive on the 24th, not from Santa, he is only in charge of the sixth of December – in Germany we have the Christkind for Christmas Day (December 24th) .
I learned from my husband that it is completely different in the Netherlands (and according to my cousins boyfriend from Antwerp it is in Belgium aswell). Santa Claus comes on the sixth on a ship from Spain, together with “Zwarte Piet” a black boy who helps him to give out the presents and who will give a little pack of salt to those who haven’t been good. On the 25th you will only receive chocolates.
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