In some places around the world this is the most important day of the Christmas holidays.

Christmas plays in schools and churches, family dinners, dancing around the Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols and exchanging presents.

I am sure most of you have plans for tonight.

I hope you have a wonderful day with your families and friends…. and for those where the big celebration happens on the 25th – have a great Christmas Eve and a great day tomorrow.

A very merry christmas to everyone!

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And we all know, that at least 1 present will be something we so NOT want. In the Commonwealth countries there is a dedicated day for exchanging unwanted presents to get something better.

That day is called Boxing day.

In the old days on Boxing day – the day after Christmas Day – the servants used to receive gifts from their employers. Those gifts were known as “Christmas boxes” – therefore Boxing Day.

Today Boxing day is celebrated on December 26th in most of the Commonwealth nations and some other countries. And it has nothing to do anymore with receiving christmas boxes or other old traditions.

It is the day when all shops are open and people eagerly return their presents and look out for more bargains. A bit like Black Friday in the US.

Happy soon-to-come Boxing day everyone!

Do you think you will be out returning and shopping on the 26th? What are you exchanging?

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There are more than 2500 Christmas markets in Germany. But the one in Nürnberg was the first one ever in the world and still is one of the most famous – and therefore most touristic – ones.

And still, it is wonderful to start the Christmas season meeting up with friends and family after work to have some sausages, Glühwein (mulled wine), marzipan and Lebkuchen (gingerbread). And Nürnberg is famous for all of it.

The biggest Christmas celebrity is the Christkind though.

Santa has not made it to southern Germany. People from Bavaria believe in the Christkind – an angel that flies in to bring the presents.

She opens the famous Christmas market and visits elderly homes, kindergartens, schools, homeless people and spends regular visits to the market itself. Every other year another girl – born and raised in the city of Nürnberg – gets elected by the citizens to represent the Nürnberger Christkind.

The famous opening ceremony is broadcasted on national TV and even outside of Germany she is known.

Ever been to a Christmas market? Which is your favorite one and why?

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The excitement starts around end of November where prices on food, clothing etc. get high as the demand is also high in this period.

The Streets in the cities get filled up with xmas decoration and people from all over Uganda come to do their xmas shopping.

Many people have tried their best to save up some money from their farms and small jobs to have fun for xmas.

It is always a family gathering where the whole family will gather together in the parents’ home with inlaws and grandchildren.

Culturally the sons’ wives have to come to the men’s families as that’s where they belong to after marriage.

Many people will have to buy new clothes for Xmas Eve. The men have the responsibility of buying their wives a new Xmas dress. In the old days some women even left their husbands, if they didn’t get a new dress for Xmas.

Also many children get something new to wear. For most kids that is the only time of the year where they get new clothing or shoes.

Apart from the clothes, most families don’t give presents as it is too expensive.

Families gather from the 21st December or before – depending on their  jobs.

Many families, specially in villages cannot afford to buy meat on a daily basis – it’s not part of their normal diet.  But at least 70% of the families will eat meat on Xmas Eve. Long term savings are used and people will sell food e.g. a bunch of green bananas to buy something special for that day. Buying meat on this day means a lot.

Many families with limited financial means will eat good food (things they don’t usually eat) during the Christmas season.

The 24th is a big market day for the final Xmas shopping. Especially the meat – used on the 25th for the Xmas dinner – is mainly bought on that day, since the majority of people don’t own a refrigerator.

In the afternoon of the 24th people put up either their plastic Xmas trees or they cut a piece of Thuja tree as a Xmas tree.

The 25th is the big day. In most families the women get up as early as 6 a.m. to start the cooking. In some homes the men will leave for the bars at 8 a.m. and come home for lunch around 12 noon!

Most families go to church on Xmas day and then have lunch.

Families eat, drink, dance ,talk and have fun from lunch time until they cannot dance anymore. The men normally leave again at some point and go to bars to drink until the next day.

Thanks so much for sharing Fionah! I have never heard about Christmas in Uganda before and I think it sounds really interesting. I hope you have a great Christmas time together with your family and that you will get a very nice piece of clothes.

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We drink something called Eggnog on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25th). It is a special drink/treat for us because we only make and drink it at Christmastime. It is usually made from scratch and served as a welcome drink or apéritif. It is typically served in a large punch bowl with a ladle for scooping the drink into your glass. It is all kinds of good and I look forward to this drink all year! Below is our recipe (it serves a large group and can also be made without the alcohol):

Ingredients
12 eggs, separated
6 cups milk
2 cups heavy/thickened cream
2 cups bourbon (alcohol)
1+ 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy (alcohol)
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Directions
In a large bowl and using a mixer, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar for 
approximately 10 minutes (you want the mixture to be firm and the color of butter).
 Very slowly, add in the bourbon and brandy – just a little at a time.
When bourbon and brandy have been added, allow the mixture to cool in the fridge 
(for up to 6 hours depending on when you plan to serve it). Approximately 30 minutes before your guests arrive, stir the milk into the chilled yolk mixture. Stir in 1+ 1/2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg (or to taste). In a separate bowl, beat the cream with a mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture. Optional: fold in a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. After ladling into cups, garnish with the remainder of the ground nutmeg.

Hmmmm….. the German version of this is called Eierlikör and is wonderful in cakes, with coffee, or just pure. Easy to make and so great – not necessarily only around Christmas time, if you ask me. And it looks like this:

Thanks Monica for sharing this great recipe!

Have you ever tried to make it yourself? Let me know what you think of it!

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But also singing and dancing is important for Danes and most families – young and old – dance around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

I love this tradition and I can highly recommend to try it. Do you also dance around the Christmas tree in your culture?

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If there is one song that represents modern Christmas then it is this one.

There is not much to say about it – so just lean back and enjoy! …

God! How much do I love this video … I am fully getting in the Christmas mood here…. What makes you get excited about Christmas?

By the way… did you know, that Last Christmas had its 30th birthday last Tuesday? …. Happy Birthday!

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