Julia, Assistant Editor, Cologne, Germany
Ever since I can remember, my family and I have always been huge fans of Christmas, we're fanatical almost! Weeks before, my mother already starts decorating our house and baking cookies.
Back in the day, she used to tell us Christmas tales at night and when the sun was setting and the sky turned purple, she told us this was the angels baking for us.
On the day of Christmas Eve, the door to our living room stays locked. In the morning, my brother and I have breakfast with our father and then we spend the afternoon with our mother and her husband.
After church, it's time for presents and lots of food: pickled herrings, potato salad and sausages. We spend the rest of the evening playing games together.
The next morning after a huge breakfast, my mother already starts preparing dinner: goose and red cabbage. In the afternoon, we always go to see a movie together.
Boxing Day is our father's birthday so we spend time with him and his wife. After coffee, we go out for a long walk and then we have dinner at our favourite Italian restaurant in town.
For us, Christmas is always the same and that's what I love about it. From autumn onwards, I cannot wait for it to arrive.
