Every year Christmas started off in a frustrating way! I wasn't allowed to have the Christmas tree up until around the 20th. Everyone else at school would've had their tree up for weeks by then. We had a 6ft silver tinsel tree and I loved it, it was so pretty with the multicoloured lights on it.
Christmas morning my Dad would go downstairs, light the fire and then shout "He's been!". I'd rush down, followed slightly more slowly by my older sister (11 years older than me so in her teens and not prone to excitement at that age).
After presents had been opened, Dad would make us all a cup of tea with a slosh of whiskey in it. I know, I know 
but this was the early 70s. I still make myself a cup every Christmas morning.
He, my sister and myself would then walk to visit his cousins at their houses (they lived a few doors away from each other and his aunt lived with one of them) while Mom stayed home to make dinner. The walk took about half an hour and there'd be more presents when we got there, along with mince pies.
Christmas night we'd have a 'party' at our house. There'd probably be around 15 family members who'd come along. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and Mom would do a buffet. When I say party, the adults would mainly sit around chatting. There wasn't any loud music or dancing. i always had something new to wear for that night though.
We still have the Christmas float come around our street - I never knew about it until we moved here a few years ago but I love it. My kids are far too old now so I get the dog wound up about Santa coming 
and he comes out to the street with me when I put some money in the bucket. It's either the Round Table or Rotary Club who do it here.