Christmas Traditions Around the World
ENGLAND
Christmas in England began in A.D. 596. The monks who arrived with Saint Augustine wanted to bring Christianity to the Anglo Saxon shores. The day before the feast the only thing the people ate was Frumenty, which is a corn porridge. Over the years the recipe changed and it is now Plum Pudding. The traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. The dessert is fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, minced pies and pastry filled with chopped dried fruit. Christmas dinner is eaten at midday on December 25 during daylight. Father Christmas the gift-giver, wears a long red or green robe and fills stockings on Christmas Eve. They are usually not opened until the following afternoon.
ITALY
In Italy the Christmas season lasts for three weeks, beginning eight days before Christmas and is known as Novena. The week before Christmas the children go from house to house dresses as shepherds, playing pipes, singing and reciting Christmas poems. They are given money to buy presents. A fast is observed for twenty four hours before Christmas Eve, and then a celebration meal followed by a light Milanese cake Panettone and chocolates are served. At noon on Christmas day the Pope gives his blessings to crowds gathered in the Vatican Square.
FRANCE
Most French homes at Christmas time display a Nativity Scene or Creche. This Creche is often filled with little clay figures called Santons or Little Saints. The Christmas tree is not popular in France and though the use of the Yule Log has faded, they make a traditional Yule Log shaped cake called the Buche de Nol which means Christmas Log. Le revillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu varies according to the region. In Alsace, goose is the main course, in Burgundy it is turkey with chestnuts and in Paris, oysters and pat de gras. Le reveillon may consist of poultry, ham, salads, fruit and wine.
MEXICO
The Mexicans and the Spanish share many traditions. A religious procession called La Posads reenacts Joseph and Mary search for shelter before the birth of Jesus by going from house to house carrying images of Joseph and Mary looking for shelter. Children receive gifts and on Christmas day are blindfolded and try to break a clay piñata and once it is broken, they recover the candy that was inside. The children who have been good also receive gifts on January 6th from the” three wise men”. Mexicans attend a midnight mass called la Misa Del Gallo or “the rooster mass” where they sing lullabies to Jesus.
AFRICA
Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday. Homes are decorated with pine branches and all have the decorated Christmas Fir in a corner with presents for the children. For some, Christmas dinner is an open air lunch. For others it is a traditional dinner of either turkey, roast beef, mince pies, or suckling pig, yellow rice with raisins, vegetables and plum pudding. On the west coast of Africa in Liberia most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas tree decorated with balls. Dinner is eaten outdoors with everyone sitting around in a circle sharing a meal of rice, beef and biscuits. Games are played in the afternoon and at night fireworks light up the sky.
UNITED STATES
Christmas traditions in the United States can vary basked on each family’s ancestry. Some families celebrate Christmas Eve by attending Midnight Mass. Christmas morning is spent opening gifts. Gifts can range from handmade items to clothing to the latest in electronics. Gift baskets that include Christmas foods such as spice cookies and ham and decorated with traditional holiday trim are popular gifts. Basket Affair is a company that has been in existence since 1986 and specializes in Christmas gift baskets. You can order online at www.basket-affair.com or call 412.366.2400.
Abby Reid
5 Responses to “Christmas Traditions Around the World”
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What are the most interesting Christmas traditions around the world?
For example, in Colombia I believe they start opening presents at midnight on Christmas morning. What other intriguing Christmas customs do you know of?
my family has a German tradition to put a pickle ornament on our tree
References :
http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas
OH! and also, in Germany Christian families have a special ornament called the Christmas Pickle. When the family puts up the Christmas tree, the parents hide the ornament. On Christmas morning, the first child to find it gets an extra present and a blessing for the new year.
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In England they have acquired several customs. Besides the the use of Christmas trees etc, one custom is what is known as Boxing Day. It is celebrated the first weekday after Christmas. What this means is that small wrapped boxes with food and sweets, or small gifts, or coins are given to anyone who comes calling that day.
It Italy, the main exchange of gift doesn’t occur until January 6th, the day traditionally believed that the Wise Men reached the baby Jesus. Italy has La Befana who brings gifts to for the good and punishment for the bad. She is the same character as Russia’s Babouschka who refused to give the Wise Men food and shelter. The nativity scene may have first been set up by Saint Francis of Assisi. This first one was set up in a cave outside of a village and the villagers were so impressed by the display that now many of the communities compete for the best nativity.
The Japanese decorate their stores and homes with greens. The only part of Christmas that they celebrate is the giving of gifts. HOTEIOSHA the priest is like our Santa Claus, and he brings the children their presents.
Mexico calls Christmas Navidad. They celebrate Christmas for nine days with Las Pasdas. It is a time where people dress as Mary and Joseph, traveling from house to house asking if Mary may stay the night. They are told the is full. After which the door opens back up and all are invited in for a party with food, songs, and for the children a Pinata. The Pinata is made of paper mache and filled with all kinds of goodies. The object is to break it open with your eyes blindfolded. After which the children all dive for all the goodies they can pick up. On the ninth night they are told yes there is room for Mary in the stable and all come in for food and after all go to Church to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.
In India houses are decorated with strings of mango leaves. Lights are place on the window sills and walls and a star is hung outside. A sweet holiday treat is made called thali and it is brought to neighbors and friends.
From Christmas to New Years the streets in Poland are lined with lovely stalls called, JOSELKI, each one is carefully painted with scenes from the Christmas story. The booths are elaborately decorated in tinsel and lighted candles.
More traditions at:
http://www.portharbor.com/santa/xsatrad.php
References :
I’m in Australia. What is unique about our Christmas is that it happens in the summer so most christmas festivities are a little different to most parts of the world.
Carols by candlelight is popular, on the warm evenings people sit out side on the warm evening in parks singing carols with candle’s. Mostly electrical candles now as it is also bushfire season.
Christmas day is usually spent outside having a barbeque in the backyard, or at the beach or swimming pool.
Its also the end of the school year and the beginning of the long summer holidays so all the end of year traditions are associated with Christmas here.
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