Christmas is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for people belonging to the Christian faith. Western Europeans celebrate this wonderful holiday on December 25 according to the Julian calendar.
In the most Western European countries, the Christmas season begins with St. Nicholas’ Day, December 6. The day before children usually leave their boots on the windowsill or outside the front door and the next morning Nicholas brings gifts and sweets to the children who were obedient the previous year.
Family celebrations begin with the decoration of the Christmas tree a few days before the holiday. Spending Christmas with the family is very important for European people. On this day, all family members spend time baking cookies, having fun and preparing a big Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
At midnight almost every European attends the Christmas mass. All the churches and cathedrals are magnificently lit and echo the joyful melodies of carols and bells. As a rule, small children do not attend midnight mass with their parents, but go to bed early to dream of their Christmas gifts. Before going to bed, they put their shoes or stockings by the fireside to get a gift from Santa Claus the next morning.
After the mass the main Christmas dinner is held. It is quite grand and a special meal of Christmas dishes is usually served, for which there are traditional menus in each country. An exchange of Christmas gifts among adults follows the Christmas dinner.
If you want to make an appropriate personal or business gift for Christmas for your friends or colleagues from Western Europe, you should know some simple tips.
First of all, keep in mind that gift giving is not something that is really expected in Western Europe. While seen as a nice gesture, it is more important to avoid gifts that will be perceived as bribes.
If you are choosing a business Christmas gift baskets, it is necessary to avoid highly personal gifts such as clothing, perfumes, cosmetics and others. On the other hand, unique gifts typical of your country are welcome, as well as high-quality spirits gift baskets or tea /coffee gift baskets. A nicely decorated gourmet basket is also a great choice for such a big holiday as Christmas, when a lot of people gather together for a great feast. Depending on the recipient’s country, you can fill your gourmet basket with the food typical of this region.
When selecting a gift for a female colleague or relative, don’t forget about women’s passion for sweet, so, a chocolate gift basket or a fruit gift basket is sure to live up to her expectations.
No matter what Christmas gift you have chosen, it should be from the heart and only then it will bring the recipient good luck and happiness in the upcoming year!