When To Open Your Christmas Presents…
The anticipation of opening a huge pile of presents left under the Christmas tree can test the patience of young children to its limits! The excitement can be too much for some and a sneaky peak, gently pulling at the Sellotape or giving a present a gentle squeeze can sometimes turn to remorse on being discovered opening presents too early.
St Nicholas Day is celebrated on the 6th of December by a few European countries and children open presents on this day. In the Netherlands children leave out a shoe by the fireplace or window and hope they have been good enough to have Sinterklaas visit. Sinterklaas rides across the roof tops with his white horse and Zwarte Piet his servant will place the presents in the shoes. On the 25th of December, they celebrate Christmas quietly with religious and spiritual celebration and children hope that Santa has come from Lapland to deliver yet more presents!
In the South of Mexico however, children must wait until the 6th of January for the religious festival of Epiphany which celebrate the three Kings visiting Jesus. Epiphany is known as El Dia de los Reyes (Day of the Kings) and presents are left by the three kings for children who leave their shoes by the door with a small bundle of hay for the Kings animals.
Here in the UK we celebrate Christmas and open our presents on the morning on the 25th. If you want to open them earlier you could take on the Dutch tradition, or when your children complain about having to wait to the 25th of December, explain it could be worse, if you adopted the Mexican custom!
“Zalig Kerstfeest “
“Feliz Navidad “
& Merry Christmas