CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

Posted by Author R. Ann Siracusa

Most of us living in the US and Europe know the common Christmas traditions in the western world. Although Christmas is a Christian religious celebration, it's surprising to find it is celebrated throughout the world, sometimes in places we wouldn't expect, and sometimes mixing Christian and local traditions.

Merry Christmas!

FRANCE

●The Nativity scene is familiar throughout the Christian world, but the French are "Creche Crazy." In addition to the usual figures, all sort of other people [called Santons] are present, such as the baker, street sweeper, butcher, and so on.

●"Father Slapper" exists under several pseudonyms, but in France he is Pére Fouettard, the "Whipping Father" or "Slapping Santa" who travels with St. Nicholas and brings a whip to punish naughty children. Wow! That's a new one.

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●Instead of leaving a snack of milk and cookies for Santa or hanging up stockings, French children leave their shoes by the fireplace, hoping Pére Noel will fill them with small presents, candy, and nuts.

Joyeux Noel!

SWEDEN

In Sweden the Christmas festivities start with the St. Lucia ceremony on December 13, the Winter Solstice on the old Julian calendar. The youngest girl in each family dresses in white with a red sash and wears a crown of evergreens with tall candles attached to it. Small children now use battery candles, but real ones are used after about 12-years-old.

 St. Lucia was a young Christian girl who was killed for her faith in 304 AD. There are several stories, but the most popular one is that she brought food to persecuted Christian in Rome hiding in the catacombs. She wore the candles on her head so she would have both hands free to carry the food.

God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt Ar!

GERMANY

●Advent is an important part of the German celebrating of the season. An Advent Calendar can be a wreath of fir tree branches is decorated with 24 decorated bags or boxes hung from it, each marked with the day and holding a small present. An "Advent Kranz" is a ring of fir branches with four candles which are lit at the beginning of each week in Advent.

●Carp or goose are often served as the traditional Christmas meal, and Stollen is a popular fruited yeast bread eaten at Christmas.

Frohe Weihnachten or Froehliche Weihnachten!

NEW ZEALAND

Even though Christmas comes in the summer in the southern hemisphere, the European traditions of the Christmas season are familiar but have local twists. The native Maori have influenced some of the Christmas traditions like the Maori-looking gingerbread cookies below and the Christmas dancers.

    

●Santa is often seen in parades and at stores wearing jandals [New Zealand flip-flops] and occasionally wears a New Zealand "All Blacks" rugby shirt.

●Children leave out carrots for Santa's reindeer and beer and pineapple for Santa.

●Along with conventional Christmas Trees [with Kiwi birds as toppers instead of an angel or star], the New Zealand Pōhutukawa tree is associated with Christmas. They grow to a large size but small ones can be decorated along with their red flowers. They are often found on Christmas cards.

●Caroling is a Christmas tradition there, but the islands have their own Christmas songs which are set to traditional tunes sung in Maori, and original titles such as A pukeko in a ponga tree.

Meri Kirihimete! [Maori]

 EGYPT

Although only 15% of the people are Christians, most of whom belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church, they are not the only Egyptians who celebrate Christmas. It is popular as a secular holiday with other religions there.

●Christmas is celebrated on the 7^th of January [as in Ethiopia, and some Orthodox in Russia and Serbia].    

●During Advent, the 43 days before Christmas [November 25 through January 6], Coptic Christians eat a vegan diet, no animal products. It is called "The Holy Nativity Fast".

● Baba Noel [Father Christmas] is expected to climb through a window, not come down a chimney. I'm not sure if he rides on a sleigh or a camel.

  

Eid Milad Majid! [Egyptian Arabic for Glorious Birth Feast]eid almilad! [Arabic]

CHINA             Here, only 1% of the population is Christian, so it's possible to assume most Chinese don't know much about Christmas. Nevertheless, in large cities [most of them are large by our standards], the holiday has been embraced. Shopping malls and some streets are decorated in traditional themes, including Christmas trees. In China, it is called "Sheng Dan Jieh" which means Holy Birth Festival.                                

●Most of the world's artificial Christmas trees and decorations are produced in China by people who do not know what the items are used for.

●A popular Christmas Eve tradition is giving apples. Stores sells them wrapped in colored paper. In Chinese, Christmas eve is called "Ping'an Ye" which means peaceful or quiet evening which was translated from the carol "Silent Night".

  

Sheng Dan Kuai Le! [Mardarin]Sen Dan Fai Lok!  [Cantonese]

INDIA There are 25 million Christians in India, which is only 2½ % of the population which is predominantly Muslin and Hindu. Christmas is not as big a festival as others but is widely celebrated, mostly in the southern part of the country, and fun.

●Instead of the traditional Christmas tree, banana or mango trees are decorated. 

●Paper lanterns [leftovers from Diwali, The Hindu Festival of Lights] are hung between houses and clay lanterns are placed on ledges and window sills.

Shub Naya Baras!

 ICELAND

Christmas in Iceland is known as "Yule" or "Jól" and originated as the ancient winter solstice celebrations which were absorbed into early Christian tradition. Yule includes New Year through Epiphany.

●December 23, or Þorláksmessa, is a celebration of Iceland's major Saint, Saint Thorlakur Thorhallsson, the Bishop of Skálholt, who died on December 23^rd. This is the day the traditional Christmas tree is decorated.

●Annar Jóladagur, is Boxing Day, the 26^th of December. Public entertainment is not considered appropriate for Christmas eve and day, but on Boxing Day dancing is again allowed.

●Everyone gets a new piece of clothing and a book during Yule. Children also receive a candle and sometime a pack of cards.

●It is tradition to light up and decorate cemeteries during Yule season.

      

●Another Yule custom is the coming of the Jólasveinarnir or Yuletide Lads. These are magical people who come from the mountains each day during the Yule celebration. From December 12 to Yule Eve a different lad comes. Legend has it that the Jólasveinar first came to Iceland in the 17^th century as the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, a couple of child-eating, bloodthirsty ogres.

This is an interesting beginning for beings the Icelanders consider playful imps who like to eat and play tricks on people. They leave little presents for children in shoes placed on the windowsill.

The child may get a potato or message telling them to be good next year. The last one leaves January 8, the day the Epiphany is celebrated. Presents may also be brought by Jólasveinn, or Yule Man.

Gleðileg jól!

JAPAN

Christmas has only been celebrated in Japan for a few decades, so there aren't any truly Japanese traditions, except for foods prepared especially for Christmas. It isn't a religious holiday, and it's not a day off, but is widespread in cities with decorations in malls and the ubiquitous Santa Claus. The Japanese think of Christmas as more of a time to spread happiness. Christmas Eve is more like a romantic day when couples spend time together and give each gifts.

●Eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas day is a favorite. It is KFC's busiest day of the year.

●Traditional Japanese Christmas dessert is sponge cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream.

 
   Godzilla shaped Christmas tree in a shopping mall

Meri Kurisumasu!
DO YOU KNOW OF OTHER INTERESTING CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS?

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Resources
http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/merry.htm
http://christmas.lovetoknow.com/chinese-christmas-traditions
http://www.clubpimble.com/fun-pimble/15-countries-that-have-different-names-for-santa-claus
http://www.all-about-india.com/Christmas-In-India.html
http://randomvacay.com/worlds-12-weirdest-christmas-celebrations/
http://www.geishablog.com/uncategorized/celebrating-christmas-in-japan/
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/beyond-a-traditional-holiday-15-unique-ways-to-celebrate-in-japan
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/newzealand.shtml
https://www.reference.com/holidays-celebrations/people-south-africa-celebrate-christmas-2ddc577ab1a8d6dc
http://goafrica.about.com/od/peopleandculture/a/christmas.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Itx1nyHbDE