how do people in the caribbean celebrate christmas?
88580
Look up "Three Kings Day"... it's celebrated just after Christmas, and is big in the Caribbean.
244078
Christmas is actually more of a pagan holiday (even though the Christians don't seem to realize it).  The proper term is Solstice or Winter Solstice. . During the year, the position of the Sun seen from Earth moves North and South. When it changes direction it stands still momentarily. So solstices are those moments of the year when the Sun reaches its southernmost or northernmost position, at the Tropic of Capricorn or Tropic of Cancer.  It was traditional to give gifts on Winter Solstice and the passing of the year.  \n\nThats part of the reason gifts are given as it was designated a holiday, however when Christianity came along they designated it as Christ birthday even though no one knows the exact day and the tradition of giving gifts was taken.\n\nChristians would also say its in honor of the three wisemen who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
1066568
there's a whole lot and it will depend on which part of the country you're interested in. mostly, these are festivities of a town, city or province that coincide with the birth/death/any special event of that place's patron saint.\n\nbut for those observed nation-wide, there are only three major celebrations:\n\nreligious events in the philippines are particularly noteworthy. the whole lenten season is observed and the holy week can either be spent piously or by going on out-of-town holidays and vacations.\n\nthe first and second of november is observed solemnly and is dedicated to deceased relatives and friends.\n\nand then there's christmas season. the time frame for this season starts at 1 dec until the feast of the three kings (around the first week of january). unofficially, christmas season starts around 3 nov (see above). decorations are set up, parties left and right, gift-buying craze hits everyone. and it doesn't on the 25th of december either. there's another big celebration in each house come 31 dec, for the new year's eve.\n\nother holidays (usually with historical backgrounds) like independence day, labor day, etc. are just taken in as a welcome break from the work/school week. nothing really special for individuals.\n\ncheck out the link below for the specific dates of festivities in specific areas.\n\nhope this helps =)
1067319
In SPAIN, Papa Noel delivers his presents by climbing up balconies. On January 6, the three wise men come to visit and also leave gifts for the children. \n\nIn THE NETHERLANDS and AUSTRIA, on December 6, Heiliger Nikolaus (St. Nicholas) rewards good children with sweets, nuts and apples. On December 24, the Christ Child brings presents and the Christmas tree for the children. The children wait until they hear a bell tinkling. Then they enter a special room where the Christmas tree is waiting all decorated with candles, ornaments and candies. The whole family sings Christmas carols.
916673
Buy some pretty Christmas toasting glasses, and have a toast to your first Christmas together.\nBuy an ornament for the tree, a nice collectible one, just the two of you.\n LIght a Christmas candle together.\nDecorate the tree.\nDrive around, and see all the pretty lights, tune in a radio station playing carols.. Or go to a comercial light show.\nBuy some canned goods, and take them to the food bank, together.\nCall the relatives to wish them Merry Christmas.\nGo to church.\nHave an empty creche under the tree, and put the baby Jesus in it. \nBuy each other an ornament. \nDo a Christmas eve tradition. Open just one gift from each other. \nHave a cocoa and cookies snuggle by the fire, or TV.\nBuy a Christmas movie, watch the same one, or a different one, every year.\nGo caroling.\nVolunteer to a food bank, or deliver Chistmas baskets to the poor. \nIn advance, call a local nursing home and ask what they need for the patients.\nHave a open house for the neighbors.\nFill each others stockings, without the other one seeing.\nCook dinner together. Cook something that isn't a tradition.\nDeliver some small gift to each of the neighbors, a plate of cookies, a box of candy. \nBake some cookies together, and decorate them. Or make fudge.\nAnd don't forget the mistletoe!
1121704
it is believed that he dresses in red and comes and gifts every1 on christmas eve. and that is still a small belief and people dresses in red and sings carols. but it is difficult to meet
7474
You make Merry during christmas as a celebrate the birth of Christmas and you wish the person to have a Happy new year...and the days ahead
868712
find a christmas party to go to.
833090
I'm from America, and our personal tradition is to go over to my parents or brothers house on Christmas Eve for dinner, family time, and opening gifts. Christmas morning, I try to wake up before the kids so we can watch them get excited by all the gifts 'Santa' left them in the night. Then, for the noon meal, my in-laws come over and we have more family time and opening gifts. Probably pretty similar to many Americans - very basic.\nOne thing our neighborhood does (on the 23rd this year) is have luminaries. It spans several blocks and the streets are closed to traffic, and the sight is really beautiful. It's a tradition that has been around since before I was born - there are carriage rides and hot cocoa and cookies in the park, and some people go caroling. \nMerry Christmas!
785003
January 6, Epiphany.  Beautiful holiday,  celebrated as part of Puerto Rico's Christmas Holidays.  \nit is known as the day of the Three Kings (or wise men/magi): Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. According to an old legend based on a Bible story, these three kings saw, on the night when Christ was born, a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and found there the Christchild and presented it with gold, frankincense and myrrh.\nChildren in PR put grass in a shoebox and put it under their beds.  When they wake up, the shoebox is filled with goodies, toys and candies.  Families celebrate together and go to church.
1063980
It's tough - because the kind of Christmas of which you speak is the kind that is built through the family relationships.  It is next to impossible to get that without the family (the tree, the tradition, the smells of cooking, etc.)  Those who have said NYC are dead on, actually, for scenes of the holiday season.  It is a beautiful place for Christmas - also Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia.  I was in Venice for Christmas once and it was WONDERFUL.  They say Cancun celebrates for over a week leading up to Christmas and that it's great.  Bottom line, though, is that you will do better getting your own tree, decorating your own home to the hilt, and cooking up a storm (or ordering cooking up a storm) in for all the friends you have that don't have family around.
805060
Mine is very similar to yours - except that on Christmas Eve we spend the evening with my side of the family doing our gift exchange and dinner. My dad stayed with the kids during Midnight Mass last year, but maybe they'll go this year - who knows? (That's up to my husband, since I'm in the choir). The next morning we all wake up and the kids excitedly head downstairs to open gifts. I am alway amazed that they wait until we are all down there (and happy, too) before they start! The in-laws usually come over for the noon meal and more gifts. Then my husband and father-in-law take over all of the electronic toys and play to their hearts content. Our neighborhood also has a longtime tradition of luminaries - each year on the same date, most houses (it's voluntary, but the more, the better) set up the paper sacks with sand and candles lining the sidewalks, and light them at dusk. The streets are closed to traffic, and people walk around enjoying the sights and togetherness. Several people open their homes for hot cocoa or cider, soup or sandwiches; there are also carriage rides and the Boy Scouts always have a tent set up in the center park with more hot cocoa and cookies. "Santa" and his wife make an appearance and hand out candy canes to passersby. It's very nice, and brings back the simplicity of a bygone era. Carolers often tour the streets, joyfully singing in the cold. The candles continure to burn all night, until they've burned themselves out. Combined with the hushed glory of Midnight Mass, I'd have to say that if that was all I got for Christmas, I'd be more than content!\nMerry Christmas!
898696
Seasons' Greetings:\n\nI don't know what area you are from but my family is living in BC Canada  and local recreation  centres, libraries and other family facilities have events to do for kids to enjoy and get the spirit from Christmas.(NO CHARGE)  I know it doesn't need to be a lot just enough to let the children  remember cherish  moments they can take to their adult hood.  Look into any Community Centre and see what they have going on.  We just had a free Children's singer come into a mall and sing "Charlotte Diamond" the kids love her and it was absolutely free.  Good Luck and Much Love for a wonderful Holiday Season.
503635
Christmas thru New Years, it is hot and great beach weather.
1114919
Jamaica. check into the all inclusive packages then all you have to do is show up and enjoy yourself.
435171
Christ's birthday, but most people think of it as a holiday getting together with family and friends...presents....unfortunately people get so tied up with that that they miss the true meaning of Christmas =(
802650
I live in Australia and we do the same as Americans.  Except Christmas is in the middle of summer and we may go to the beach, Have Barb b ques, or salad in stead of roast dinners