In most places around the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. Christmas Eve is the preceding day, December 24. In the United Kingdom and many countries of the Commonwealth, Boxing Day is the following day, December 26. In Catholic countries, Saint Stephen's Day or the Feast of St. Stephen is December 26!

Modern traditions have come to include the display of Nativity scenes, Holly and Christmas trees, the exchange of gifts and cards, and the arrival of Father Christmas or Santa Claus on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Popular Christmas themes include the promotion of goodwill and peace. Not being very religous our family celebrates Christmas in this modern manner of exchanging gifts and wishing family and friends goodwill! This year on Christmas Eve our friends and neighbours, Ellen, Claire, Jenny, Stuart, Quirine and Ceri called over where we all exchanged presents.

Christmas Day we got up a bit later than normal, about 8 o'clock, and opened the presents that Santa had left us!! Then after spending the morning glued in front of the television playing the Nintendo Wii games Ceri bought me, we picked up my Auntie, and joined the rest of our family for a fantastic Christmas Dinner at my cousin Julia and Gary's. There were eleven of us for dinner today, and everyone enjoyed the beautiful turkey and beef dinner that we had, and had a lovely time! Returning in the early evening, our friend Richard called over and had a go on the Nintendo with me, then we ended the evening by settling down and watching James Bond on TV - you've got to have Bond at Christmas somewhere in the mix!