Merry Christmas everyone! Hoping more blessings to you and your family.

I hope you're enjoying Japan, because Christmas wasn't for another 17 hours where I am at the time you posted.

Edit: Maybe I ought to pay more attention to listed locations next time; Philippines is just 1 hour after Japan, if I know my time-zones.

Phillippenes isn't really close to a country in Africa, and the correct spelling of said country only uses one "g".

Or it wasn't a geographical reference at all... in which case... WTF?

In Finland we celebrate Christmas already on the eve, 24th Dec. We eat Xmas food, get presents etc. in the evening of 24th.

Unless you work as a police or fireman or in a hospital, here 24th-26th are holidays for most people (too bad 24th was already on Sunday...).

25th (today) is merely for calming down, eating the Xmas food scraps from the eve, shortly visiting your relatives you see once a year anyway, visiting the Christmas church mass if you are so inclined (I am not, even though I "belong" to the church out of custom)... pretty much everything is closed down today on the 25th, shops and even public transport, as if they are telling you to stay at home today. Great day for playing some GOG games.

Merry Christmas!

I've always campaigned for having presents and such on the morning of the 25. in my family for years because then everyone is much more relaxed, content and more agreeable, especially the children. Not only that - it gives you more energy to fully enjoy/appreciate what you get and can share that joy with the others better. Sometimes I have a hard time even remember what I got from whom and the 24. can be a bit of a noisy day.

But no, tradition and habits rides harder! :D

Edit: Another thing that has been a long standing tradition in my family is snacks and watching cartoons on the morning of the 25. Sometimes with a movie... or 4.

I think that's most of Europe.