My favorite songs are 'The Christmas Song' by Nat King Cole, 'Santa Baby' by Ertha Kitt and 'Santa Claus is Back in Town' by Elvis Presley.

My favorite traditions are visiting nursing homes and/or elderly shut-ins and taking them home-baked goodies or hand made ornaments and donating gifts to underprivileged children. Also, having chinese take-out and watching "The Christmas Story" on Christmas Eve.

A couple of Christmas cantatas and time with friends, family and my pets are what brings me joy; it's "the reason for the season" not the commercialization that is important. I could care less about receiving gifts, but I do love to give them!

A Christmas song I adore and that makes me all weepy and whatnot I would never have known if my dad and I hadn't gone to Portugal for Christmas one year. I just love it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCON07r908g

The only Christmas tradition I keep is decorating the house with lights, candles, etc. But no Christmas tree. Learned it the hard way that Christmas tree+cat = fail ;) :D

And I cook a bit more than usual :)
Love the cinnamon smell :D

I love reading the responses!

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ShadowSpark, thanks for the link; it was very interesting and informative-I I enjoyed reading it very much :)

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*sigh* It's just 'Spark', remember? Drop the 'Shadow'.

My apologies...

When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee

And one day as they went walking, all in the garden green
There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen
There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen

Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild
"Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child"
"Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child"

The Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he
"Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee
Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee"

Then up spoke baby Jesus, from out Mary's womb
"Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some
Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some"

So bent down the tallest tree to touch Mary's hand
Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command"
Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command"

When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee

Getting my little girls' picture taken with Santa (early on a weekday at the VERY beginning of December) and writing holiday cards till my hand hurts :)

Watching her open presents.

Attending my friends' drunken holiday parties.

Feasting on seven different fish dishes.

Other than due to his work schedule, I have often wondered why KR does not have a dog. They are faithful companions, provide unconditional love, and keep all of your secrets. And they don't complain if you skip shaving for a couple of days! :)

So how about some suggestions for alcoholic beverages to keep me company? I am usually a red wine drinker with tequila thrown in here and there...but I will try anything once! Thanks

Spiked eggnog's a seasonal comfort that might help you get through it all. I too am a red wine drinker, even as I type! (Well, ok, not exactly as I type, cuz that would make for a hot mess, but you dig whatahmsayin'.) Lately I've discovered a taste for things minty and have been trying the mojitos wherever I go. Yum!

Now we also have many more recent immigrants from Asia, Central America, and other parts of the world. It's really fun to learn which traditions are common to different cultures but are maybe celebrated slightly differently. Every year our city has a "Holiday Folk Fair" in which we celebrate the holiday customs of many cultures through music, dance, art and crafts, and of course, FOOD! Every summer, our city hosts weekend-long cultural festivals celebrating Polish, Mexican, Irish, Native American, Italian, German, Greek, Arab, and African traditions.

My favorite holiday traditions are eggnog, holiday light displays, Handel's Messiah and other traditional, sacred Christmas music, watching "A Muppet Christmas Carol" and the original Disney "101 Dalmations" animated features, and secretly hoping for a light but beautiful snowfall on Christmas Eve.

Oh, and what you call the "presepe" - we call that a nativity or nativity scene.

I live in a island with a ancient history of immigration, almost 4 millennium, before we start to emigrate to other countries in the last 150 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sicily
our traditions are discent form all the people lived here through the centuries, so I can say which part of the our tradition is from a people or from another coutry. because they are put all togheter without interruption. maybe the particular of the 28 day of celebration is taken from the ancient roman celendar or from the isis religion, who knows.

I search on google "Holiday Folk Fair" in your town :) it's seems funnist and very interesting. there's a rappresentation of almost every contry of the planet. whoa!

p.s. I try to post soon some pics of my nativy scene

Edit: click the link : https://twitter.com/#!/GulbieC/status/144394342226857985/photo/1
https://twitter.com/#!/GulbieC/status/143779583945211905/photo/1

Again, thank you all for sharing. It is such a treat to read these posts <3

St Augustine said:"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page". St. Augustine didn't know internet...