In Canada, Christmas Day is celebrated on 25th December.

The Christmas festivities here are quite similar to the American observance of the occassion.

Pantomiming wearing masks is a popular tradition in Canada and comes from Newfoundland. In places like Labrador and Nova Scotia, local people wear masks and visit houses during the twelve days of Christmas, miming and making rude noises and actions, ringing bells and asking for candy or other treats. The mummers remove their disguise and stop behaving riotously if the hosts guess their identities correctly. They also quiz the children to check whether they have been good in the past year, and if they are satisfied, the kids receive candy as reward.

Christmas decorations start here from several days before 25th December. In Quebec, elaborate nativity scenes are displayed in individual homes as Christmas decorations. Labrador City in Newfoundland organises an annual Light-up Contest at this time of the year. People deck up the exterior of their homes with lights and often create big ice sculptures in their front gardens. Christmas is truly a white one here, with about 12-14 feet of snow covering the ground during this period.

On December 24, Christmas Eve, extended family members get together for a fun-filled celebration. In places such as Labrador City in Newfoundland, many households hold Christmas cookie-baking parties, where every participating family bakes their own kind of cookies and then exchanges them with the other members of their family. A variety of different cookies are to be taken home by each family at the end of the party. A mass service is held at midnight and attended by many. In Canada, tourtiere or pork pie is served to everybody who attends the Midnight Mass. After participating in the Christmas Eve Mass, many Canadian families(especially those of French descent) have a grand dinner that lasts well into the early hours of Christmas morning. The traditional Canadian Christmas dinner is known as 'Reveillon' and includes a delicious dish of roasted turkey with vegetables and sauces. A popular Christmas dish is "Boulettes" (small meatballs). The dessert is often a rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Local candy companies also make special sweets for Christmas, known as Barley Candy and Chicken Bones! These are a great hit and eaten during Christmas, not only by kids but adults too.

In Canada, children hold Santa Claus to be the bringer of their presents. Many of them hang their stockings to be filled by him with gifts and goodies. Many Canadians open their gifts on Christmas Eve, while others choose to unwrap only one gift on this day and open the rest on Christmas Day.

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