Christmas Etiquette

On Christmas morning, 2000, a mother in Starkville Mississippi, after watching her four old son take in the sight of all his Christmas presents, (from Santa) heard the child say, "Mom, ...I simply must send him a Thank You note."

A visitor writes: "Each year we have a small office Christmas Party and exchange gifts. One of the girls takes all of her presents home instead of opening them. Shouldn't she open them at the party like everyone does?" In at least one Oriental country it is customary that people open their presents in private. That way if a person finds that he or she is disappointed with a certain gift they will have time to compose themselves so as not to hurt the feelings of the giver. Comments and other insights on this topic are welcome. * * * From Chrissie, Received 19 March 2002. (With webmaster revisons!) Reading your comments about Christmas Etiquette made me think about my being in Phuket Thailand during the Christmas holidays in 2000. We have some friends who came to Thailand, fell in love with the country, and were living there. We got to visit in their home for a day. Their maid had a son three years of age who usually "visited" while his "Mum" was at work.. Our hostess, had put up a Christmas tree about a week before and had been noticing that the Thai lad, would sit for hours looking at the tree and the presents, absolutely fascinated. She decided to get some presents for him, and a kiddie car to drive whilst Mum was working. After giving him the first present, she had stepped out to the kitchen for a few minutes. Upon her return, the lad was still just holding the present! She told his Mum get him to open it, to see if he liked it. His Mum replied: "He will not know what you mean because he has never had a present! " When I was told this, I burst into tears. It really brings it home to you, especially when you think of all the things Western children have. Thanks! Astronomical Note - Christmas 2004 The author of this web page currently subscribes to the view that Halley's Comet (in 12 BC) was the Christmas Star. According to Donald Yeomans of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, up until about 300 years ago [in Christendom] if a person didn't believe that the Christmas Star was a comet, he or she was considered to be a heretic. Back in the 90's Columbus Mississippi, had downtown lighted christmas decorations that were comet-like, complete with curved tails.