When I was little I lived on a farm, and I can remember asking why the dogs (tied up near the house) didn't bark when Santa came. :whacky:
One of my older brothers quickly replied that Santa threw a special sort of salt in their eyes and they couldn't see him, and I just happily accepted that explanation. (I was a kid - so please ignore the concept that salt in the eyes would hurt like hell.)
Every two years my mother's side of the family meets up in the country for a huge lunch on Christmas day. This year is one of those years, although a few rellies wont be there this year. That tradition is slowly dying out. I'll be there, as will my oldest brother. My other brother, his wife and four kids have made other plans - I wont get to see 'my' kids.
I'm Catholic (although more of a C & E these days - Christmas and Easter for the uninitiated). We'll go to Mass on Christmas Eve. Mum is Uniting Church, so Dad will also go with her to Church first thing Christmas day. He'll then joke about having done his duty twice over. (I'll be sleeping in.)
Meeting up with the family means a lot to me, because we are scattered from the Central West of NSW to Sydney, Wollongong, Byron Bay and Melbourne.
I love Christmas carols (but can't sing for the life of me). I also love giving my niece and nephews presents - but buying for them is soooo stressful!
I think Christmas means the most to me when I am home with my parents.
... slightly long post!