Christmas Day worldwide - open presents December 245h, 25th, or in January?

Santa Claus is calling? When?

In the UK we used to say Father Christmas.

 In England, Christmas presents are opened on Christmas Day, December 25th. According to the Gregorian calendar. A neat number, although the day of the week varies. In 2025 Christmas Day is on a Thursday. 

German Christmas Traditions

The Germans open their presents on Christmas Eve. The British royal family stick to this tradition, which came from Queen Victoria's husband Albert.

But does Christmas eve start at sunset the day before?

Sunset Evening

Starting the next day at sunset is the way that it would have been for Jews at the time of Jesus, and how Orthodox Jews today still start and end the Sabbath.

But when does the next day start? According to modern thinking, at midnight. 

Midnight Mass - Europe and Roman Catholic

Another European tradition in Catholic countries and Cathedrals is Midnight mass. We went to Midnight mass one year in Prague. Midnight of course is the start of the next day.

When we went to live in Singapore, Christmas ended at midnight on December 25th. No Boxing Day.

Angela Lansbury happily holding the Singapore flag. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Taken in August, on Singapore National Day, circa 2022.

Christmas in Singapore and Asia

I had a Christmas message from Singapore from my friend Jaya, who is Indian with a Chinese wife. He called me at 9 am UK time which was 5 p.m. in Singapore. He told me that he is going to work on Boxing day which is a normal working day for him. His wife is a teacher in a European school so for her Christmas is a long holiday, extending over New Year, January 1st.

The Chinese who are the majority in Singapore will be having their big New Year celebration at the time of the Chinese New year, which other Asian countries call the lunar New Year, which varies according to the lunar calendar.

When I was a teenager my parents could avoid giving Christmas presents and the inconvenience of no public transport on Christmas Day by going for a beach holiday to Spain to enjoy warmer weather.

Those who want to celebrate twice could stay in the UK for a British Christmas, then hop across to Europe to a country where Christmas is celebrated on January 6th, known in England as 12th night, celebrated in the Christmas carol, the twelve days of Christmas. 

We are still sending or giving Xmas cards in the uk. Although whatsApp messages and gifs aee taking over.

Jif forwarded to me by an Indian friend in London.

What about the USA?

USA

American flag. Picture from Wikipedia.

The Americans say Happy Holidays, which covers Christmas and New Year, those who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday as well as those who don't.

In restaurants and malls in the UK and other countries you hear English language carols, as well as the bilingual song, in Spanish and English, Feliz Navidad. Easy to recognize, like the words felicity, happiness, and nativity, birth, as well as to remember as the song keeps repeating the refrain.

So, to everybody, everywhere, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. and Happy Holidays.

Useful Website On Christmas and The Birth Of Jesus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_of_the_birth_of_Jesus#:~:text=Based%20on%20this%20winter%20solstice,held%20on%20the%20same%20date.

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Who Celebrates Christmas In January? Where? Why?

Merry Christmas with green tabletop tree. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problem
I have trouble remember which calendar and which countries celebrate in January and whether it's the 6th or 5th or 7th. Please explain - and make it easy to remember.

Answers
Julius Caesar landed in the UK BC. (Never mind accuracy and controversy - we just want the general easy to remember view.)

From him we get our first calendar, the Julian calendar. Julius Caesar, lived before Jesus. His month, July, occurs before Christmas.

Eventually the seasons got out of sync with the calendar.

Later, long after Jesus, along comes Christianity to the Romans, and a Christian Pope, Pope Gregory, who suggest a new calendar (in around 1582 - but no need to remember when).

If you stuck with the old calendar, events are later. The date of Jesus' birth falls in January.

Different countries were faster or slower to adopted the new, Gregorian calendar which we all follow. Many of the traditional, Orthodox, countries kept the old calendar for Christian festivals (just like Jews and Moslems use a different, lunar calendar so the festivals are on different dates each year).

Who celebrates Christmas eve on December 24th and Christmas Day on December 25th?

UK (and former British Empire - now Commonwealth, including New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Czech Republic.)
USA

January 7th
Russiand and adjacent Ukraine.
In alphabetical order:
Belarus, Egypt, Ehtiopia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

When Do You Celebrate Your Birthday When Travelling?

Problem
On Facebook I asked why so many people seem to have more than one birthday on Facebook. Is it me, my mistake? Are the years flying past? Or is it deliberate or accidental on their part? They can't all have dementia and have forgotten their own birthday. Are they avoiding their true birthday, trying to look younger, or to stop identify theft. Or are they trying to get two lots of presents and special offers from restaurants?

Answers
One possible answer came from the Chinese direction:

China and Chinese Birthday
"For Chinese people, this is not surprising. 
One which follows the familiar Gregorian calendar and the other following Traditional Chinese Calendar. Plus one more day on the Seventh Day of Chinese New Year."

I now have another question. How are birthdays celebrated around the world? How can you celebrate when travelling?

Stories
To prolong your birthday, fly West. The day is longer. 

USA flights
Flying within the USA, on a cheap flight, with two stopovers, at breakfast time I once had three breakfasts. I was offered five. I had one before leaving home. Then I was offered three in flight - one on each section of the journey. I ate the home breakfast and two in light but had enough when offered my fourth (the third in flight breakfast). 

Then we reached out hotel and were offered breakfast. I replied, "No thanks - I've already had three!" The receptionist looked confused, and wary. She was not sure whether I was being sarcastic, or completely mad. I explained about the multiple flights, all three on breakfast time.

Birthday In Flight Once, on my birthday, I was flying from the UK to the USA. I told a light attendant it was by birthday, which I proved by showing my passport. I asked if I could have a glass of Champagne, which was served only in first class. I was in economy. 

She apologised that she was not allowed to do that. But she wished me a very happy birthday and offered me with white wine and sparkling water. 

A few minutes she came back with a big grin. She had a Champagne miniature and a suitable glass which she gave to me, saying Happy Birthday. 

I wondered whether this was her secret surprise for me, or whether she had told everyone and they had all agreed I deserved a glass of bubbly.

A couple of hours later another flight attendant appeared, with congratulations and more Champagne.

Next time I fly on my birthday, I shall tell the flight attendants. Flying on my birthday is quite rare, I think I've only done it once, because mostly I have a dinner planned somewhere. I don't want to be rushing for a flight straight afterwards, nor flying in and risking delays making me miss my birthday.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k6829070-o10-Birthday_cake-Air_Travel.html
http://www.birthdaycelebrations.net/vietnamesebirthdays.htm
http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/15/family-kicked-off-flight-by-security-after-row-with-cabin-crew-over-birthday-cake-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share posts.