This is so interesting to read, and sad too for the people (and there are many) who did not have nice Christmasses.
We had pretty simple Christmas at our house. On Christmas Eve we always lit a candle in the front porch, to signify that we would welcome in Mary and Joseph who had nowhere to stay. I used to feel anxious about the symbolism of this because we were taught the "whatever you do to the least of my brethren" bit and I was afraid that some homelsss people would come to our house and that they would be scary and we would have to have them over Christmas, which was one day in the year when we were all together all day with no one else there (unless, in due course, married to a family member). So that lovely tradition did not really help me with the spirit of Christmas at all!
I have fond memories of chopping fresh herbs for the turkey stuffing on Christmas Eve, and listening to very cheesy Christmas music cassettes in the kitchen. The smell of herbs always makes me feel happy ever since.
When I was little my sister and I would rush downstairs early to open our presents. Every year my parents would warn us to wrap up warm and every year we failed to do so and would be shivering in the sitting room, even though we had plenty of warm clothes to put on and were well able to light the fire- we were in too much of a rush! We did not have stockings but Santa left presents near the fireplace.
On Christmas morning we went to Church and after that my mother went home to finish the cooking and my Dad took us to the cemetry to visit his father's grave. When we came home the kitchen would be full of condensation and wonderful smells.
After dinner we played cards with my grandmother (for pennies). She was a good player and enjoyed the competition! It got dark early and we would slumber by the fire and play with our new toys until it was time to eat the leftovers for tea. Time stood still on Christmas Day- the only day of the year that this happened.