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!
●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.
.
●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 7th 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.
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.
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 23rd. This is the day the traditional Christmas tree is
decorated.
●Annar Jóladagur, is Boxing Day, the 26th
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 17th 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.
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?
DO YOU KNOW OF OTHER INTERESTING CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS?
TRAVEL TO FOREIGN LANDS FOR ROMANCE
AND INTRIGUE
with a novel by R.
Ann Siracusa
Facebook Twitter GooglePlus Website AmazonLink
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
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
Ann, this was so interesting. I especially love the Maori gingerbread men, the Santa hat on the Sphinx, and the Japanese eating KFC on Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThoroughly enjoyed your Christmas around the world - interesting information and how others celebrate. Thanks for sharing and all your research.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, as always. And a Merry Xmas to you!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. There's so many parts of the world who have adopted the Christmas holiday!!
ReplyDeleteLove how around the world the traditions of celebrating Christmas are so different.
ReplyDelete