This is set in the present day southwestern US, and my main character is spending his first Christmas out of the LDS church and estranged from his family. My question is...what sort of Christmas traditions would he be accustomed to after growing up in an LDS family? I did some Google searching, and it seemed that it would be pretty similar to the Protestant Christmases of my own childhood, but I want to make sure that I'm not missing anything...something that an LDS member would consider a staple of a Mormon Christmas.
Even more specifically, would there be some sort of special church services held on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? And what is the general consensus about Santa? I know that members of some Protestant denominations don't raise their kids with the whole Santa thing, but I couldn't really find anything definitive about the LDS stance on that issue.
Thank you so much!