In the US, there is only one day of Christmas, and much emphasis is placed on the evening before Christmas-- Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is a time of family gatherings and going to church. Americans are still largely a church-going people (even if it's only C & E!), and Christmas Eve church services are quite special
The day after Christmas is a nightmare for stores and anyone who wants to retain some festive holiday spirit avoids going to the mall at all costs! Hoards of people line up to return or exchange gifts, each one with a story as to why he/she deserves a full refund without being able to produce a receipt for the purchase!
Another Christmas tradition is to decorate the front door with a wreath. Some people really make elaborate wreaths and wrap them in little lights, but we have opted for the basic wreath-- it gets the job done and the dog doesn't care what the wreath looks like. She just knows the front door is home.
