Boxes and bows
- A box with a holly sprig, a candy cane, a small stocking and a ribbon
- A large box with stars and dots, a big bow and a sprig of holly
- An open box with a teddy bear inside, or a wheelbarrow full of presents in the snow
- A big bow at the center, ringed by small fir trees, stockings and stars
One sheet has a girl in pajamas unwrapping a present beside a decorated tree. Another has a girl in a flower crown singing into a microphone, with two children in hats and gifts at their feet.
Who brings the presents
| Country | Who | When |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Nikolaus fills boots | Night of December 5 to 6 |
| Germany | The Christkind in much of the south and west, the Weihnachtsmann in the north and east | December 24 |
| Italy | Babbo Natale, then the Befana | December 25, then the night of January 5 to 6 |
| Spain | The Reyes Magos, with Papá Noel now common too | January 6, and December 25 |
| Netherlands, Flanders | Sinterklaas | December 5 (pakjesavond) |
Italy and Spain split the season in two, with Babbo Natale or Papá Noel at the end of December and the Befana or the Reyes Magos in early January. Children in Spain leave their shoes out the night before.
Families mix these traditions, so treat the table as a conversation starter rather than a rulebook.
Turning boxes into gift tags
- Color the box in the paper you will really use, so the tag matches.
- Cut around the outline and punch a hole near the bow.
- Write the name on the back and tie it with string.
- For a bigger present, glue the colored page on a plain box lid.
The stocking pages carry the same idea to the fireplace, and Santa still has his sack.