Christmas 2011: A Festive Of Serenity, Joy And Shopping

Traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas in many countries is now also a celebration of the secular part of the holiday, with lots of shopping, entertainment, Christmas lights, and Santa showing up in full furs despite the fact that some are smack in the middle of the tropics.

In Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, and other Asia metropolitan cities, streets and shopping malls are lit up with stunning electric light displays that blaze through the cities prime shopping and entertainment districts every Christmas season. This, combined with the late mall hours put in place during Christmas season, make nighttime shopping in way more fun for shoppers.

Some churches are trying to guide Christmas day celebrations back to the religious spectrum, and you can’t fault them for trying, but for many, the whole point of Christmas is shopping, with malls doing their darndest to entice shoppers into their doors as Christmas time approaches.

Christmas 2011 Official Holidays

When is Christmas 2011? – Date of Christmas 2011
Christmas Day 2011 falls on Sunday, 25 December 2011.

In many countries, as it falls on Sunday companies will compensate by giving one more day of annual leave or making the subsequent Monday after the Christmas day (26 December 2011) an off-day. Companies that operates on a 6-day week usually will not have any replacement holidays.

Christmas Day Celebrations Around The World

Absolutely, celebrating Christmas is a worldwide celebration. Thought the foods and practices linked with it differ with climate, country, culture, even datebook, the spirit of the time excels all such distinctions.

Christmas Day Celebrations in United Kingdom

United Kingdom celebrated their Christmas with Christmas crackers also recognized as bon-bons. This is a usual practice during Christmas. This cracker is made from tube and cardboard which covered in a paper which is twisted and decorated around the pipe. After being covered the finish product of the Christmas cracker looks like a sugary wrapper which is huge. They pull this cracker from both parts and this will split randomly.

Christmas Day Celebrations in Australia

Several Australians also spend Christmas by heading to camping grounds and going to the beach for a lengthy break over the holiday period of Christmas. It has turn into traditional for global visitors who are in Australia at Christmas day to set out to Bondi Beach in which almost 40,000 visitor go on Christmas time.

Christmas Day Celebrations in the Ireland

In traditionally religious Ireland, Christmas time is a moment to rejoice with close friends and family members the birth of Jesus Christ. Usually, friends and families have festive meal together and after which visiting church services. For them, Christmas is a happy occasions for friends and relatives to come along, enjoy each others’ company and exchanging gifts.

Christmas Day Celebrations in the Philippines

The Christmas celebration in the Philippines starts on December 16 and finishes on the initial Sunday of January wherein it is known as The Three Kings. It is somewhat different from other states as it’s the longest festivities in the Philippines extending for more than three weeks. And it’s one of the longest Christmas time in the whole world.

Christmas Day Celebrations in the United States

A lot of individual in the US celebrate Christmas season on 25th of December. The day rejoices the birth of Jesus Christ. Frequently, it is mixed with tradition from pre-Christian frost celebrations. A lot of people decorate their houses, raises Christmas trees, visit friends or relatives and exchanging gifts.

Christmas Day Celebrations in New Zealand

On the other hand, in New Zealand, Christmas is a summer festival. Therefore, there’s no ice and snow during their Christmas. This is a season of partying and exchanging gifts. Each area of the state will reflect the Christmas spirit. The most fascinating thing is the houses, shops and lanes are embellished with the pictures of Father Christmas in snow scenes and red cloak. Perhaps it is because of the practice arriving from Europe together with their relatives.

Christmas Day Celebrations in Canada

The European influence in Christmas practices of Canada can be seen in the celebrations plus the several traditions and customs of the holiday. In addition to this, the central celebration of French Canadians on Christmas Eve is the midnight mass in which they show a nativity picture beneath a Christmas tree. The family has a large banquet after the mass as a portion of the Christmas practices of Canada. Alternatively, exchanging gifts happens on New Year’s time. Usually, the Christmas practices for English Canadians comprise a beef and plum pudding and roast goose. Also, the houses are embellished with kissing balls and pine bough. They sing also the old carols during the time.

Christmas Day 2011 in Singapore

Who cares about snow when we can revel in Christmas splendor in scorching Singapore without risking frostbites and chapped lips. Enjoy the classic Christmas songs sung by choirs fronted by cherubic children. Feel Singapore Christmas 2011 festive from 20 November 2011 to 02 January 2012 with Marina Bay will be lit up in Christmas Splendour everynight, and expect parties everywhere in Singapore on the Christmas Eve 24 December 2011 – 25 December 20120, and New Year Eve 31 December 2011 – 1 January 2012.

*A note for visitors with children/elderly : Orchard Road will be particularly crowded on the Chirstmas Eve and New Year Eve. You might want to enjoy the evening somewhere else.

Even though Singaporeans don’t get to experience the four seasons, much less snow, they definitely know when is the season to be jolly. Christmas in the Tropics is a month-long festival that takes the carnival to the streets in Singapore’s all-year round balmy, summer heat.

Street performers go wild in the city, especially on the streets of Orchard Road, with their capers and feats of gravity defying acrobatics. Choirs of cherubic children can also be seen and heard angelically carolling, human statues roam around freely and interacting with the crowds and stilt-walkers skip about, always game for a picture or two. So it’s just not about taking photographs with men in bright red fat suits and white beards impersonating Santa Claus.

This is one place where you can watch a fashion show outdoors without getting frostbitten. And for fashion fans, look out for the colourful make-shift stages which are decked out in glittering lights and decorative baubles, all ready for local and regional models to strut across them in the season’s trendiest style offerings — adding to the already bustling festival vibe in the city.

Feast your eyes on visual panoply of seasonal decorations, and we’re not just talking about the annual Christmas light up along shopping strip Orchard Road. Shopping centres like Tangs and Takashimaya compete with each other every year with illuminating decorations that seem to creep magically from the ground level all the way up to the rooftop, while other major malls like Wisma Atria, Orchard Central and ION put on quite a show too.

The light-up stretches over a mile down from Tanglin to Concorde Hotel, varying in color from blue (Tanglin to Shaw Centre) to orange (Ion Orchard to the Heeren) to red (Orchard Shopping Centre to Concorde Hotel).

Come and experience the meaning of Christmas, and enjoy the colourful lights of Orchard Road. At the same time, catch the excitement of taking a family portrait amongst the colourful displays. There will be nightly performances at the Christmas Village fronting Mandarin Gallery,Tong Building, the walkway fronting Wisma Atria and Ion Orchard Shopping Mall.

Hotel Deals In Singapore For Christmas 2011
Singapore has a wide range of accommodation available, from budget hostel under S$30 per bed to luxurious resorts hotel.

Find cheapest hotel rate and book to enjoy discount up to 70% for Singapore hotels.

Here are a few recommendations:
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Conrad Centennial Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel
Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore

Merry Christmas 2011 !
Happy Christmas Holiday 2011 !

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