How do you celebrate Christmas?

Baubles, tinsel, snowmen and the sound of piped carols. It seems that, wherever you are in the world, there is no getting away from Christmas.

But how are you celebrating Christmas this year? Is it a barbecue on the beach or a turkey lunch with the family? And if you don't do Christmas what are you up to at this time of year?

How are your festivities going? Do you have any anecdotes you want to share?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

---

Your reaction

Most years tend to be the same. I cook the Christmas dinner, then after all that is cleared away, start repairing the present our two boys have broken! In between times, I have to mediate in the arguments which are always prevalent when you have two young boys!
John C., Warwick, England

We should look around and spare a thought for the quiet ones

Sally-Anne Atkinson, England

This year was a difficult one as I had lost my dad to stomach cancer in October 2000. He was my 'pal' and was always the centre of attention at any family gathering, so Christmas was hard. It has made me realise what a sad time this is for so many and I believe as we are shouting and cheering about the joys of Christmas we should look around and spare a thought for the quiet ones.
Sally-Anne Atkinson, England

Stay at home, read Tolstoy, Shakespeare and other great masterpieces!
Chong Hiu Pun, HK

Living in Australia we have a very relaxed Christmas. We get together with friends on Christmas day and have a big lunch consisting of ham, pork, chicken, salads, pastas, alcohol, fruit juices, soft drinks, fruit, pudding, custard, cheesecake, pavlova, mince pies, Christmas cake, and lots of sweets. We have a light breakfast before opening all the gifts, then we spend the day playing with the presents, and family games.
Boxing Day we have a big leftovers party where all of our friends bring their leftovers, and we eat outside in the sun. We also spend a lot of time in our swimming pool. For my family the most important part of Christmas is being with our close friends and family.
Kathleen Wormald, Australia

Wishing the powers in the grey suits would stop trying to ram overpriced tat into everyone's shopping baskets. Wishing that the build-up to Christmas could wait at least a few days after the pumpkins are taken off the shelves. Wishing that, after all the build-up, there wasn't quite so much pressure to get back to work and forget about it all after two short days. Wishing the Valentine's paraphernalia wasn't already lining the shelves.
Karl Peters, UK

We each choose 1 present which is suitable for any member of the family and have a lucky dip

Andrew, London, UK

As a large family with little income we adopt a different approach to handing out presents. We each choose 1 present which is suitable for any member of the family and have a lucky dip. At the end, there can be a barter period, but it solves the problem of buying expensive presents for everyone and really gives us a feeling of the true meaning of Christmas!
Andrew, London, UK

No presents are exchanged in our house, and there is certainly no reference to Santa. As born again Christians, Christ's birthday is a time for quiet reflection and prayer.
Robert, London England

I had lots of food, drank slightly more wine than the usual. Went from one beach to the next under a 40C hot sun (really hot!). By the time I got back home, I think I look like a roasted turkey!
Brian Yeo, Perth, Australia

Patched up a few problems with the wife. All in all an excellent Christmas!

John B, UK

Had my parents over, which was wonderful. Bought and received some nice presents but without breaking the bank. Enjoyed a bottle of amazing vintage port on Christmas Day. Patched up a few problems with the wife. All in all an excellent Christmas!
John B, UK

Christmas day was spent on the beach at Port Stephens, swimming, sunbathing and jet-skiing. Christmas lunch was a salad sandwich. No hassles - perfect!
Natalie, Australia (UK)

I spent some of Christmas Day at the gym. There were quite a few others who, like myself, wanted to escape the rituals of Christmas Day for a few hours. Christmas Day is so overhyped, and this is the cause of the increase in depression cases at Christmas time.
Michael Pala, UK

Spending Christmas with my wife and also my daughter. Very special time because we've had a load of family issues such as poor communication and emotional problems and growing up things. But we put them aside for Christmas and we all felt love and warmth. Christmas is an opportunity folks!
Willie, UK

A hot Christmas day gathered on the terrace for a seafood barbecue

Kate Worrall, Brit in Oz

A hot Christmas day gathered on the terrace for a seafood barbecue and lots of Pimms and lemonade, surrounded by fellow orphan Brits and Canadians. Fantastic weather but still missing family and friends back in the UK.
Kate Worrall, Brit in Oz

This Christmas I will be spending time with my family as each year a member of our family holds a dinner gathering for all of us to attend. We the recent snow fall, Canada and the Capital Region in Ottawa would not be any other place to be. As Rideau Hall, the official residence of our Queen, Elizabeth and the House of Commons are so lucratively decorated and blanketed under pure white snow. A sight that can truly warm the heart of Dickens ever famous and precarious character, Scrooge. Truly a breathtaking site.
Ryan Doyle, Canada

I spent Christmas isolated in my apartment due to an ice storm. It is cold and miserable here in Dallas. Christmas is too commercial, it is a meaningless holiday hyped by marketers trying to increase profits by selling useless junk to children.
John Jones, Texas, USA

I've spent most of Christmas morning shovelling snow, followed by a visit to the mother-in-law, followed by a visit to a Chinese restaurant

Michael, Italy

I've been away from the UK for many a Christmas, but this is the first time in all my 54 years that I've spent most of Christmas morning shovelling snow, followed by a visit to the mother-in-law, followed by a visit to a Chinese restaurant.
My Italian wife is now committed to the British way of celebrating Christmas even though she puts on a few extra kg's, and some of the locals also like our celebrations and almost ask to come to our little festive parties. However even though it is my first white Christmas for many a year, but I do miss the Dickens style coaches and those big hats and warm coats. Still can't have everything I suppose.
Michael, Italy

I spent my Christmas at the relatives house watching my cousin's wife throw yet another temper tantrum, insult my aunt and storm out like a spoiled child. Then drank beer with cousin John, and uncle Bud and spoke some Gaelic.
Metachris, USA

Mine was a traditionally Christian Christmas: starting with a church service, and a come together of about 200 church members for some Christmas carols and lunch which was punctuated by the rains, the shows of blessings. However the neighbourhood was generally quite due some economic stress the country is going through and a very vigilant police force.
W. Noyoo, Zambia

I sat for a while at the beach drinking Champagne and eating chicken

Lars Narfeldt, Sweden/Sierra Leone

After a tour with gifts to refugees in a camp here in Freetown, I sat for a while at the beach drinking Champagne and eating chicken. It's a strange feeling how Christmas is different for people although we are only 30 minutes away by car. And no fighting reported so far...
Lars Narfeldt, Sweden/Sierra Leone

I'm well out of the consumerfest in the UK. Sun, cheap beer and tobacco will do me, thank you!
Jon, India (UK)

Our Christmas Day was spent on Bondi Beach with thousands of other backpackers. Beautiful scenery and people but not quite the family, turkey and all the trimmings! It was a great experience, my first hot Christmas and hopefully not my last.
Jen , Brit in Oz

Christmas this year is aboard an oil installation, away from family and friends at home but with the extended offshore family. Christmas night is quiz night, but without brandy or cigars! There's always next year. Happy Christmas everyone.
Terry, UK

As I have for the last 26 Christmases, working so some of my co-workers can have the day off

Kate, USA

As I have for the last 26 Christmases, working so some of my co-workers can have the day off. I don't mind, they can spend a special day with their families and I get paid $120 an hour plus I receive a comp day. The downside of it is having a sandwich or "nuke-a-dinner" instead of the traditional holiday feast and having to do twice the work because we are operating with a holiday staff. The upside is not having to deal with my relatives who usually end up in an argument over something stupid.
Kate, USA

I've just spent my first Christmas away from home, with friends in Brisbane Australia. After a Thai food lunch we had a water fight (I ended up getting covered in flour!), a dip in the pool and the day was rounded off with a game of cricket.
Mark Humphrey, England

Another day of 33 degrees and humidity. We will walk the dogs, open our presents, cook a traditional turkey dinner with some trimmings smuggled from the US.
Chuck Weir, Brazil

After all is said and done, some liquor is poured on the ground to thank the ancestors for a successful year

Yeboah Achina, US

Christmas here in the US is a little too commercialised. Back home in Ghana, gifts are meant for the children only. I'm looking forward to spending my Christmas Day as I always used to in Ghana - Church until noon roughly, then a little get-together at my mom's house, where everything under the sun will be served to family folks and well-wishers who stop by to visit. Of course, one cannot ignore the hungry children in the streets.
After all is said and done, some liquor is poured on the ground to thank the ancestors for a successful year (regardless of how the last one had been) and ask for blessings of all forms. Christmas, after all, is a season of love-sharing and of thanksgiving. God bless!
Yeboah Achina, US

I keep myself fortified with scotch, intermingle with relatives and acquaintances who I have known long but feel much different to, and wonder what this life is supposed to be about.
S Ripple, Seattle

I am from Germany but am staying in the United States of America for one year as an exchange student, so this is a new Christmas experience. Because of the German and Dutch ancestors of my host family, we will open the presents on Christmas Eve, right after the church service. The house is decorated with lots of light chains and looks awesome. And we will go out for dinner. On Christmas morning we will go and eat at the relatives' house. Not very different from what I am used to but definitely a lot of fun. Have a merry Christmas.
Jessica, US

On Saturday we had children of family, friends and neighbours over for a party and decoration of our "Charlie Brown" tree (It will grow in the front yard later). Worship on Christmas Eve with our seven-year-old granddaughter; lunch at the Chinese buffet, and evening worship. Christmas Day will be gifting with our daughter and son -in law (the man can cook better than any chef in town). We are truly blessed.
Paul Shankland, US

Quiet Christmas at home with family, enjoying all the snow we have here in Michigan. Just got home from church, where we sat next to a man from Ghana and his nephew who just flew in from the UK. Small world!
Doug, US

Christmas Day, I'll probably spend six or seven hours on the web, then go to work

Morgan O'Conner, US

We did a dual celebration of Ahau Kankin and the solstice. Feasted at the best Vietnamese restaurant in town. Christmas Day, I'll probably spend six or seven hours on the web, then go to work.
Morgan O'Conner, US

Happily manning the newsroom of the newspaper I work for while my good colleagues are away for a good time, but there are two things I will start Christmas with: listen to the festival of nine lessons and 12 carols from King's College, Cambridge, via the BBC; secondly re-read O Henry's short story 'the gift of the magi'. Both are most wondrous. Deo gratias.
Kcvijayan, Singapore

This Christmas I arranged a small boat party in a Far Eastern marina for the residing sailing guests from Germany, Spain and Finland. One lb cooked ham in tin, one tube Finnish mustard and a bottle of Finnish schnapps and a small synthetic Christmas tree. Christmas wishes were spelled in five languages. Everybody far away from home, everybody perfectly happy with the humble but symbolic Christmas celebration.
Mikko Toivonen, Finland

Just another day for this workaholic. I will be working for a few hours and then dash to the mall for the last-minute shopping. God bless those old ladies at the mall that help a last-minute shopper like me wrap gifts. I will be cooking some pheasant soup today. It will be the traditional Yoruba's egusi soup. Merry Christmas to all.
Soji Olowo, US

I am celebrating by having a New Mexico Christmas dinner with my English friends. I am not sure they have ever had enchiladas and jalapenos for Christmas dinner, but it should be great!
Bryce Quillin, UK

Traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a walk with the dogs through the jungle areas, lots of champers and presents under the tree. Very traditional apart from 33-degree heat and high humidity.
Steve, Singapore

Christmas for me this year is somewhat unusual. I am working on a seismic vessel off the south coast of the US, and I will spend the day working from midnight until midday. We are getting into the spirit of Christmas here, we have a multi-national crew who all seem to celebrate Christmas. We shall eat turkey and wear silly hats, and the phone lines will be jammed as we all try to call home no doubt.
Phil Edgington, 200 miles off New Orleans

I am looking forward to spending the evening smoking cigars and drinking port around the pool.

Bob, Australia

No sleeping in, probably. It's light from about 0430 and we expect a 35-degree day. After breakfast and the tree, a dip in the pool before heading off to the round of relatives. I am looking forward to spending the evening smoking cigars and drinking port around the pool.
Bob, Australia

Barbecue on the beach, Boxing Day in Taormina where there's a traditional Irish pub and traditional Sicilian fish restaurant.
Ed, Brit in Italy

Christmas Day will be a barbecue with seafood - crabs, prawns oysters, etc. The Queen's Christmas message, then the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG. I hope everyone everywhere is as happy as we are at Christmas time
Andrew Coe, Australia

I have an Italian husband, but our Christmas is as traditionally English as I can possibly make it here. This requires forward planning, as gravy, stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, Christmas pudding, crackers, and other essentials just aren't available in Italy. The last time I cooked a full Christmas lunch for my (Italian) sister-in-law and family, I heard her murmur to her husband, "Put some of this brown stuff on it, otherwise it's got no flavour". I must have forgotten the garlic. She also flatly refuses to try Christmas pud, but the men will try anything, bless them.
Jane Green, English in Italy

Party in the bar tonight featuring drums and tribal dancing. Excellent menu in the restaurant, from traditional turkey to exotic antelope, wild pig, and crocodile. Oysters, lobster and champagne. Christmas Day reduced work hours and some relaxation. Boxing Day on the beach in Libreville, then Paris, then Thailand for New Year's Eve.
Mike, Gabon

I will be skiing in the Mammoth, then there's a five-hour drive through beautiful Dead Valley, to end up in Las Vegas for Christmas Day. I like warm dry weather.
Mark Kowalski, New Port Beach, CA, US

I'm a Muslim of Pakistani origin living in the US, but my wife who is a Jewish-Christian loves to celebrate Christmas at her grandmother's place. They have an old tradition of exchanging gifts, having Christmas dinner and then going to the movies.
Zulfiqar Ali, Pakistan/US