Christmas practices

Ok, please don't call me crazy but I start to talk about Christmas as early as August every year. HAHA....

It's something about Christmas that makes me sad in a way. I am away from my family and it's been that way for almost 6 years now. Eventhough I have a new family here, it feels so different not being with your real family. The traditions had changed.

These are what we used to do before:
Listening to Christmas carols given by different affiliates of people who are willing to sing for us;
Having a Christmas eve party on the 24th;
Gift giving on Christmas eve;
Attending the Christmas service at 12mn, December 25;
Noche buena usually after the Christmas service at church, with Christmas ham, bread, fruit salad, and some goodies ready to eat;
Opening gifts on Christmas morning;
Hearing Christmas tunes which is attached to our Christmas tree all day long;
Having friends calling you to greet you a short and sweet Merry Christmas;

So now, these traditions aren't practiced anymore. Now, we:
Attend the Christmas service at church in advance ... always, aside from a chance of having Christmas falling on a Sunday;
Only listen to Christmas carols over the radio;
Still have a Christmas eve party but we also do gift giving and opening of gifts in 1 night;
Don't have Christmas tunes on the tree as we only have a small tree;
Have no friends calling to greet each other a Merry Christmas

So Christmas is best celebrated with family and friends who gives a festive aura of the season. Some just go to a Christmas eve party then after that, they go to sleep. Some even don't go to a Christmas eve party. Oh well, to each his own. :)