12-15-2011, 05:19 PM
There are a number of 'Christmas Customs' that descend from divers cultures (and usually, much like Christmas itself, descended from pre-Christian religions)
As a child, we were not allowed to 'open' any Christmas present until Christmas morning. However, we were allowed, upon our return from Midnight Mass (Catholic) to plumb the depths of our Christmas Stockings, which were felt decorated sock analogues that we had made ourselves at about age 4 or 5. These were commonly 'stuffed' with one 'nice' present.. often a treasured item like a harmonica, flashlight, or a pocket-knife, some candies, a few nuts, perhaps an Orange if we'd had a particularly good year, etc.
I do not follow this custom with my family, as my wife's family followed the German custom of exchanging presents on Christmas Eve.
As a child, we were not allowed to 'open' any Christmas present until Christmas morning. However, we were allowed, upon our return from Midnight Mass (Catholic) to plumb the depths of our Christmas Stockings, which were felt decorated sock analogues that we had made ourselves at about age 4 or 5. These were commonly 'stuffed' with one 'nice' present.. often a treasured item like a harmonica, flashlight, or a pocket-knife, some candies, a few nuts, perhaps an Orange if we'd had a particularly good year, etc.
I do not follow this custom with my family, as my wife's family followed the German custom of exchanging presents on Christmas Eve.