Is Christmas or New Year more important for you ?

[Maciamo]

How do you all celebrate Xmas and the New Year ? Which one is more important for you ?

In my case New Year has laways been much more important than Xmas. In Belgium at least, Xmas is just a small family gathering that ends before midnight and does not rank high for presents, as there is St Nicholas (= Children's Day, exist also in Austria and other Catholic countries) on 6 December, which is when children get most of their presents (more than Xmas, birthday or any other time of the year). Then most people aren't very religious anymore.

New Year anyway is almost always an all-night party, either with the (extended) family or in nightclubs, preceded by a long dinner, supposed to be one of the best and longest of the year (usually last from about 6pm to 11pm, and restaurants have special 10-courses menus). We end with the onion soup around 11pm for the digestion. In contrast, Xmas consist of only one main dish (turkey, chicken, vol-au-vent, rostbeef, or whatever) and is a much quieter time than the New Year. There are often games, costumes, dances or fireworks at the New Year, but hardly anything more than a decorated tree and midnight mass for Chrsitmas.New Year is tainted with its good resolutions, the start of something fresh and new, while Xmas isn't.

[Satori]

Hmmm ... for me, Christmas was always celebrated more than New Year's. In my family, we would celebrate most on Christmas Eve, and we would even open our presents on Christmas Eve, as opposed to Christmas morning. Oftentimes, Christmas Eve would start early in the day, because it would be celebrated at the office through office parties that same day, only to leave work to celebrate more at home! The large dinner would usually take place on Christmas Day (when everyone's a little more sober to cook!), and it was always a nice gathering of family relatives. And I have always loved that time of year, not for religious purposes, but for the enoyment of all the lights and decorations and the spirit of love in the air!! And the snow, of course (if you're lucky enough to have it)!

The celebration of New Year's, on the other hand, was usually spent entirely on New Year's Eve, and it would consist of either a party or nightclub gathering. Hardly ever dinner. But lots and lots of alcohol (and other drugs!). Over the years, I started celebrating New Year's Eve alone in a very low-key manner, because (1) I got tired of all the drunken crowds and drunken driving, and (2) I liked the idea of using that time in a more introspective way--reviewing the past year and making plans for the upcoming new year. I remember a lawyer I used to work with once commented about how each year everyone tries to outdo each other and each year's celebrations, and yet they never succeed and end up feeling worse off as a result. In some ways, that's probably true, depending on the celebration plans the person makes. But it's what first got me thinking about celebrating New Year's in my own special way, and it has made all the difference for me over the years. So now I usually spend it by the fireside, with a nice bottle of wine, reviewing my year past and year to come, and watching a good movie. Of course, I have to say, reading about how New Year's is celebrated in Europe, I think I want to bring in the new year sometime over there!! Wow, what a dinner! I really like that idea!!

[kirei_na_me]

Christmas is also more important to my family. Not because of religious reasons, but because that's just the time when everyone has time to get together. I think within my family, New Year's Eve is usually celebrated at home with one's immediate family, having some wine or whatever with the spouse and children. New Year's Day is usually spent taking down Christmas decorations and unwinding before you have to head back to work or school. This year, it really irritated me that my oldest son had to return to school Friday, January 2.

Anyway, since my parents are divorced and since my maternal grandparents are divorced, that means I have to go in all kinds of different directions for Christmas. For example, this year, my Christmas day began with the boys opening their presents early that morning, then I had to rush along and tear them away from their toys so we could make the trip to North Carolina(an hour or more drive away) to see my father, his wife, and all of my paternal relatives. After having Christmas breakfast there(where oysters are the main item on the menu), we then had to load everyone back up and head back home for my maternal grandfather's family gathering. Again, not very traditional food items on the menu. We usually have plenty of smoked salmon, oysters, and crabs that my great-aunt brings down from the Chesapeake Bay, to go along with the more traditional fare. Finally, we officially ended celebrating Christmas this year on December 27, when my maternal grandmother had her gathering. Of course, saving the best for last... ;)

[Iron Chef]

Christmas has always been the bigger affair here as well. I think a lot of it has to do with the whole Holiday atmosphere kind of kicking in towards the end of Fall and everything leading up to it (Halloween followed shortly by Thanksgiving and then Christmas and New Year's Eve). New Year's Eve has always been more of an afterthought with my family though. Sure, we have a nice meal and drink Champagne at the stroke of Midnight while watching the Ball drop in Times Square on TV... but that's about it for us.
:)

[Old School]

Hmmmm... there was no button for "neither"

[Chipi]

For me it�s Christmas. I love it and I wait for it every year...i love december, when i can plan christmas, burn some candles, and finally, on christmas eve, i can really calm down and enjoy the warmth and that some sort of "magic". I love peaceful christmases, with a lot of snow and stars in the sky...
Thankfully I haven�t had to work on christmas eve, yet, but it might be that next year i have to. That will ruin a bit of my christmas
I do love new year too, but somehow i haven�t had a chance to spend it the way i�d really like to. I�d love to be somewhere in Lapland on new year, watch the stars and the northern lights, go to the sauna, make some new year tins (a tradition we have..don�t know if it exists elsewhere?) etc. Before I always wanted to go some massive party on new years eve, but actually, not anymore. That isn�t so special after all.

[emperor]

I am not Christian, so I feel nothing in Christmas. I more like new year and lunar NY, because I grow up when I celebrate NY...

[Swtess]

i'm not big on christmas..my family is very big on Lunar New Year and so am i. for me christmas seems to be just another passing day, but LNY my family would go visit relatives and shrines. being surrounded with many people that is celebrating the same even as me makes me feel more warm inside.

[Ewok85]

I'd say christmas. We dont make a deal out of it for the religion but its a time when everyone is on holiday so all the family can get together and chat, have a big lunch, give presents and just be together.

New Year is normally spent with friends, maybe down the beach and go crazy at midnight, or at home having a big party. I dont quite remember though... i may have had too much to drink every time...

[Duo]

For most Albanians, including myself, New Years is by far the most celebrated holiday throughout the year along with our independence day. This is due to the fact that under communism, Albania was an atheist country until the early 90's. Now I'm sure that some people celebrate Xmas as well, but New Years for us is by far the most important.

[misa.j]

New Year is more important for me.

The preparation that started on Dec. 28 by cleaning the house w/ the thoughts of getting rid of the dust piled up over a year had always excited me, watching my mother pour hot water in a bucket so everybody could wipe the whole house, my father would go food shopping that had to last throughout the holidays because the stores would be closed.

We had "Toshikoshi soba" with shrimp tempura in it on New Year's Eve, watched "Kouhaku Utagassen" on TV that was followed by the sound of "Joya no kane" came from somewhere outside rung by monks.

Everybody slept in on New Year's Day, my father started drinking w/ the breakfast called "Osechi ryouri" which had been made a few days ahead, and competed the number of greeting cards "Nenga jou" we got. Jan. 2 is the happiest day for kids, it's the day they receive money "Otoshidama" from all of the relatives.

I get very nostagic about New Year and hope to continue the tradition I experienced.


On the other hand, I have a bitter memory about Christmas.

It happened last year, a few days before Christmas, my husband and I received huge presents from his parents for our birthdays which turned out to be the cause of stress that he and I went through.

His parents complained that he didn't look too happy when he opened the present,made them sad which made him re-think about Christmas.

My husband and I don't exchange presents from the reason that we are very specific about what we like and also we don't find spending a lot of money on presents covered w/ a shiny rapping paper that attractive.

We love being with his family, having a special roast beef dinner with yorkshire pudding as a sidedish with them, but the presents were becoming such a heavy thing for us since we are grown up and me not having experience receiving endless presents from not only his family but from people I worked for.

My husband called his parents, told them that we didn't want any presents,made both of them cry; it was only a few days before Christmas when everybody had already bought the presents... Christmas seemed kind of awkward even after he called them back, told them to forget about what he had said; we got a lot of presents and hugs from them.

I think we are going to get just an orange this year. Ha,ha,ha...

[Riven]

As I am Christian and grew up with Religion, Christmas is more important for me.
When I was kid, it was something really big, because we (my sister and I) met all our familly, had a lot of present, spend wonderful moments with people we loved.
With years, things changed a little and I was less waiting for it. Now I don't feel as much excited for presents I will get but I still look for it because I can share a great diner with people I love, my family.
Honestly, I feel like new year is just an occasion to party with friends.

[mdchachi]

It depends what you mean by "celebrate more". There is a lot more preparation involved for Christmas for us. Putting up decorations, buying/wrapping presents, getting together with family members.

New Years usually consists of a small party at home with some friends on New Years Eve. Also the making and eating of osechi-ryouri.

So in the sense of preparation/accomplishment, we celebrate Christmas more. In the sense of enjoyment, I don't know. We celebrate both.

[Buddha Smoker]

I concentrate more on New Year but I'm not religious (if I have to pick a religion then the closest is Buddhism) anyway but we still celebrate Christmas which I think is just to pass presents.

[Hachiko]

I voted for XMas, but out here both holidays are in the same boat, important staples for Winter Break.

[Foxtrot Uniform]

Even though I'm an atheist and so is my family, we have celebrated Christmas more because it is quite a big deal in Japan. You can see Christmas decorations up already in department stores and in other places as early as the beginning of November, although the Chritsmas celebrated in Japan is not the sense of the traditional Christian Christmas, but its more of the modern Capitalist version with Santa running around and people buying presents and basically spending money, so its hard not to get into that crazed consumer frenzy and shop with the rest of the common people.

[misa.j]

Is it just me that does not appreciate the atomosphere around the holiday season, which pushes me further and further away from enjoying Christmas?

My husband's family has a ritual about opening the presents; there is somebody to conduct the process which changes every year, the conducter hands everyone a present, we take turns to open it, and show everyone what you received saying "Thank you." to the person who gave you the present.
Last year I had such a hard time having fun opening those presents.
Is it a Scrooge way to be not to want a present, to want to have a nice family gathering w/ a special meal?

[King of Tokyo]

I don't celebrate New Year that much... Christmas is much more important to me

[RockLee]

It seems (I really hope so) that this winter(Christmasvacation) I'm in Sapporo, Japan...so it'll be a very special one ...but one small question, how do Japanese see these events ?? Just like we do?? I heard from my friend that Christmas -> boy/girlfriend together, New year -> family event

[Bounty Hunter]

I celebrate christmas more then new year.

but when am older it will be the other way around.

[TwistedMac]

i'm gonna go with new year.. christmas is spent with my family... great food, dull conversations.. new years is getting wasted with my friends time... i like that better...

[Lina Inverse]

Clearly Xmas, because you get presents
It's also a nice get-together with the family and stuff.

New Year is just some nice fireworks, and that's it.

@Foxtrot Uniform
That's it exactly! Worth some rep points for me.
I just wish I could convince my parents of this right "belief" (or rather, non-belief )

[EscaFlowne]

Gotta be Christmas! I love the winter time, and my birtday is around that time so Double the presents plus two tight parties! New year just means another all night party for me. with flashly lights

[Mimmy_08]

I choose Christmas,

[DragonChan]

Christmas is definately the big holiday in my family. We decorate the untire house, lots of presents, have the relatives over. It's really fun.

On New Year's I usually sit at home and watch a movie and play board games. It's no big deal for me.