Which country does Christmas the best?

[The Larch]

Voted for ourselves and the great tradition of dragging the holidays until early January.

There's something to that.  I always thought Christmas ended too abruptly.

Yeah, but for instance getting the presents so late makes for a somehow lame holiday season when you're a kid. What's the point of getting new stuff if you have to go back to school in a couple of days? Better to get them earlier and gorge yourself for a couple of weeks.

[Malthus]

Germany - sexually perverted demons and getting drunk on mulled wine is what the Christmas spirit is all about.

Can't beat the Krampus. He beats you. 

[Admiral Yi]

Lights on the houses has to be one of the nicest parts of the American Christmas.  I said lights dammit, not gigantic inflatable reindeer.

The one Christmas I spent in Germany made me think it's the most depressing, stressful time of the year there.

I've always heard that Germany/Austria was beautiful during the winter holidays.

These two statements are not mutually exclusive.

[derspiess]

Lights on the houses has to be one of the nicest parts of the American Christmas.  I said lights dammit, not gigantic inflatable reindeer.

The one Christmas I spent in Germany made me think it's the most depressing, stressful time of the year there.

I've always heard that Germany/Austria was beautiful during the winter holidays.

These two statements are not mutually exclusive.

Please elaborate.  I hear a lot about how awesome most towns in Germany are during the Christmas season but this is the first time I'm hearing how Germans get particularly stressed or depressed around that time of year.  I guess I just assumed they were extra jolly & festive around that time.

[Admiral Yi]

Please elaborate.  I hear a lot about how awesome most towns in Germany are during the Christmas season but this is the first time I'm hearing how Germans get particularly stressed or depressed around that time of year.  I guess I just assumed they were extra jolly & festive around that time.

Keep in mind my sample size was very small.

I visited a half Korean/half German girl I had met at Korean language school in Seoul.  I was on break from French language school in Aix-en-Provence, in, duh, Provence.  She lived in Tubingen, which is an affluent college town not far from Munich.

I was expecting more or less what you described.  What I got instead was people getting freaked out and cranky.  My friend told me stories of buddies who hated Christmas so much they slept at the old folks' home they were doing their national service at.

Don't quote me on it, but I think our resident Kraut's have vouched for my impression.

Yes, the decorations were lovely, but the people seemed miserable.

[Ed Anger]

I can do without the fruitcake in the mail.

[derspiess]

I can do without the fruitcake in the mail.

I've still never seen a fruitcake firsthand.  Always thought they were sort of an urban legend.  Something you always joked about but nobody actually does it anymore.

[MadImmortalMan]

I always assumed Munich was the place to be too.

[Ed Anger]

I can do without the fruitcake in the mail.

I've still never seen a fruitcake firsthand.  Always thought they were sort of an urban legend.  Something you always joked about but nobody actually does it anymore.

My wife's relatives are Southern Indiana folk. You better send them a retaliatory reciprocal fruitcake and Christmas card. OR ELSE.

[merithyn]

I think I'm going to make a fruitcake this year.

[Admiral Yi]

I think I'm going to make a fruitcake this year.

I thought your tubes were tied.

HAHAHAHAHA.

[merithyn]

I think I'm going to make a fruitcake this year.

I thought your tubes were tied.

HAHAHAHAHA.

They were not!

They were completely removed. The doctor wanted no chance of me making more fruitcakes.

[Camerus]

Germany - sexually perverted demons and getting drunk on mulled wine is what the Christmas spirit is all about.

[Malthus]

Germany - sexually perverted demons and getting drunk on mulled wine is what the Christmas spirit is all about.

Bad enough that Krampus exists as a custom - but for what reason would anyone give a "Krampus card"? 

[derspiess]

Bad enough that Krampus exists as a custom - but for what reason would anyone give a "Krampus card"? 

Same reason so many other Christmas traditions exist-- to scare the kids into being good.