What are the customs of Christmas? How do countries celebrate Christmas?
10 min readIn most people’s minds, Christmas is a romantic holiday with snow, Santa Claus and reindeer. Christmas is celebrated in many countries, but each has its own way. Today, let’s take a look at how people around the world celebrate Christmas.Christmas PARTY.Christmas is an indispensable program in the world, there are family, friends, lovers of all kinds of parties. A good time for friendship, family, and love parties. Wearing a Christmas hat, singing Christmas songs, talk about everyone’s Christmas wishes.
Christmas dinner.Christmas as a grand celebration of the holiday, can not be less delicious food. Christmas Turkey dinner is an example of the main course, in the past, people would probably use the microwave to cook their own, but now people eat a lot of holidays in restaurants, businesses will also take advantage of the opportunity to make money from customers, of course, there are many Christmas food, gingerbread, candy and so on.
Santa hat.It is a red hat, it is said that in addition to sleeping peacefully and a little warm, the next day you will find in the hat more gifts from the beloved. In carnival night it is the leading role, whether you go to the corner, will see all kinds of red hat, some and cap tip shiny, some glittering gold.
Christmas stockings.The earliest is a pair of red socks, more can, because Christmas socks are to be used to pack gifts, children’s favorite things, at night they will hang their socks on the bed, waiting for the next morning. What if someone gave a car for Christmas? Better tell him to write a check and put it in his sock.
Christmas card.Christmas and New Year’s cards with pictures of the nativity story and “Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Santa Claus.It is said that he was the bishop of every city in Asia Minor, named St. Nicholas, after his death was honored as a saint, is a red robe, wearing a red hat, white beard old man.
Every Christmas he came from the north on a sleigh pulled by a deer, entered the house by the chimney, and hung Christmas presents in stockings on the children’s beds or in front of the fire. Therefore, when Westerners celebrate Christmas, parents put Christmas gifts for their children in socks and hang them on the bed of their children’s beds on Christmas Eve. The next day, the first thing the children do when they wake up is to look for presents from Santa Claus on the bed. Today, Santa Claus has become a symbol of good luck, not only is an indispensable figure during Christmas, but also an indispensable figure to celebrate the New Year.
Christmas tree.
It is said that a farmer received a cold and hungry child on a snowy Christmas night, and let him eat a sumptuous Christmas dinner. When the child said goodbye, he broke a fir branch and put it on the ground and said: “Every year on this day, gifts are full of branches, leaving this beautiful fir village, to repay your kindness.” After the child left, the farmer found that the branch had turned into a small tree, and he realized that he had received an angel of God. This story became the origin of the Christmas tree. In the West, whether Christian or not, a Christmas tree should be prepared to increase the festive atmosphere. Christmas trees are usually made of evergreen trees such as fir and cypress, symbolizing the longevity of life. The trees are decorated with candles, flowers, toys, stars and Christmas presents. On Christmas Eve, people sing and dance around the Christmas tree and enjoy themselves.
How do countries celebrate Christmas? An English Christmas.
British Christmas is the biggest festival in Britain and the whole Western countries, and the Chinese traditional Spring Festival, the British Christmas Day is a public holiday, subway, train and other all public transport are stopped, the streets are deserted.
British people in Christmas is the most attention to eat, food including roast pig, Turkey, Christmas pudding, Christmas patties and so on.
Christmas British people in addition to eating, followed by giving gifts. At Christmas time, every family has a present, the servants have a share, and all the presents are given on Christmas morning. Some sing Christmas songs along the door to sing good news, they will be invited into the host, with refreshments, or to give small gifts.
In the UK, no Christmas is complete without wearing a Christmas sweater. Every year on the Friday before Christmas, the British people have created a Christmas sweater Day.
Christmas Sweater Day is now an annual charity event in the UK. The non-profit organization Save the Children International encourages people to wear Christmas-inspired sweaters to raise money for children.
two Christmas in America.
Because the United States is a country composed of many ethnic groups, so Americans celebrate Christmas is the most complex situation, on Christmas Eve, they pay much attention to the family layout, placing the Christmas tree, stocking gifts, eating Turkey based Christmas dinner, family dance.
During the Christmas period, churches all over the United States will hold worship celebrations, holding many large and small musical performances, performing holy plays, telling Bible stories, singing hymns.
The most traditional way is to prepare Turkey and ham with some simple vegetables such as cabbage, asparagus and soup. It’s snowing outside the window, everyone’s sitting around the stove, and it’s a typical American Christmas dinner.
American people attach great importance to the festive atmosphere and the sense of ceremony, so the decoration before the festival is very important. Most American families have yards, so they will decorate the yard with lights, decorations and so on. Many streets are decorated with great care and become attractions for people to see. Large shopping centers and amusement parks have great lighting ceremonies. The lighting of Christmas trees marks the beginning of the annual festival.
American Christmas is to send gifts to each other, preparing Christmas gifts before the holiday is a very important link, of course, the most important thing is to prepare gifts for the family, especially the children, because the children believe in the existence of Santa Claus.
Before Christmas, parents ask their children to write a wish list for Santa, including the gifts they want to receive this year. This list serves as a basis for parents to shop for their children’s presents.
Families with a sense of ritual will prepare milk and cookies for Santa Claus. Parents will secretly drink a sip of milk and eat two cookies after their children fall asleep. After children wake up the next day, they will be surprised to find that Santa Claus has come.
Three. Christmas in Canada.
Starting in November, Christmas themed parades are held throughout Canada. Especially famous is the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, which has a history of more than 100 years and is one of the largest Santa parades in North America. The parade features themed floats, bands, clowns and costumed volunteers.
Canadians’ affection for Christmas trees is just like Chinese people’s affection for Spring Festival couplets and Fu characters. There is a Christmas tree lighting ceremony every year before Christmas. The 100 foot tall Christmas tree with colorful lights stuns the audience!
If Black Friday is the biggest shopping holiday of the year in the US, there are two in Canada. One is Black Friday, one is Boxing Day.
Boxing Day, the post-Christmas shopping festival, is the most heavily discounted day in stores across Canada. It is the offline version of Double 11. Last year in Ole, Toronto, long lines formed before the mall opened at 6 a.m., and some people even lined up overnight with tents. The moment the door opened, customers began a mad 100-meter sprint, the combat effectiveness of the Chinese dama. In short, the big shopping malls, eyes, only people follow the crowd; If you want to buy something, you have to queue up and queue up.
Four. German Christmas.
Every Jesuit family in Germany has a Christmas tree. Christmas trees were the first in Germany. Christmas trees and Advent are very important to the German holiday season. In fact, many historians believe that the family custom of decorating the Christmas tree originated in medieval Germany.
Five. French Christmas.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve, families begin to decorate their homes with POTS of flowers. In many homes, a “Santa Claus” carrying a large bundle is hung outside the window, indicating that Christmas messengers will bring presents to children. Most families would buy a pot of pine or Holly, hang red and green ornaments on the branches themselves, tie them with lights and ribbons, and place a “cherub” or silver star at the top of the tree. When they went to bed on Christmas Eve, they would put their new socks on the fireplace or by their bed, and when they woke up the next day, there was a present in the stocking, which the children believed must have come from Grandpa the Red Hat while he was asleep.
The “Christmas dinner” of French families is very rich. First of all, every family will open a few bottles of high-quality champagne. Generally, there are several dishes before dinner, and everyone eats and drinks while chatting with the dishes such as small desserts, smoked meat and cheese. Then came the complicated main courses, such as pan-fried foie gras with port; Smoked salmon, oysters, prawns and white wine; Steak, game or lamb chops with red wine; The after-dinner drink is usually whiskey or brandy.
The average adult in France, on Christmas Eve almost all go to church to attend midnight Mass. After that, the family goes to the home of the oldest married brother or sister and eats together. This gathering, to discuss important family matters, but in case of family discord, in the future also reconciled, everyone will be reconciled, so Christmas is a kind day in France. And for today’s French Christmas, chocolate and wine are a must in the house.
6. Dutch Christmas.
On this day, Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) visits every Dutch home and gives presents. Since most Christmas gifts are traditionally exchanged on the eve of Saint Nicholas, the latter days of the holiday are more spiritual than material.
Seven Irish Christmas.
Like many Western countries, Christmas is the most important holiday of the year in Ireland. Its Christmas holiday lasts for half a month, from December 24 to January 6. Schools are closed for nearly three weeks and many businesses are closed for up to a week.
Turkey is one of the essential staples on Christmas night. A hearty Irish Christmas meal usually begins with a soup of smoked salmon or shrimp; Roast Turkey (or goose) and ham as main dishes, with stuffed bread, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce or bread sauce, etc. The usual vegetable is kale, but other vegetables such as celery, carrots, peas, broccoli are also served; Dessert is usually Christmas pudding with brandy butter or wine sauce, mince pies or sliced Christmas cake. After the Christmas dinner, Irish people leave some bread and milk on the table and leave their homes unlocked to show their warm hospitality.
The Irish often use Holly branches to make garlands to hang on their homes, or put a few branches of Holly on the table as a festive decoration. The Christmas tradition of hanging Holly wreaths on doors actually comes from Ireland.
People in most countries take down their decorations after Christmas, but in Ireland they keep them up until after Epiphany (also known as “Little Christmas”) January 6.
7. Austrian Christmas.
For many children in Austria, Christmas is perhaps the most dreaded holiday of the year.
On this day, the demon Kampus, dressed as half man and half beast, appears in the streets to frighten children, because according to Austrian folklore, during the Christmas season, Saint Nicholas will give good children gifts and candy, and the demon Kampus will punish those who misbehave.
When Krampus found a particularly misbehaved child, he would pick him up, put him in a bag, and take him back to his cave for his Christmas meal.
Therefore, on this day, the Austrian children will be very obedient, because no one wants to be taken away by the Kampus.
Eight. Norwegian Christmas.
Norwegians hide their broomsticks before Christmas Eve, a tradition that dates back centuries to when witches and demons were believed to be out looking for them on Christmas Eve to do evil things, so families would hide their broomsticks to prevent witches and demons from doing bad things.
To this day, many people still hide their brooms in the safest part of their house, which has become an interesting Christmas tradition in Norway.
Nine. Australian Christmas.
Australian national Christmas is also unique style, mention Christmas, people will naturally associate with the white winter, bright, decorated Christmas tree, church Christmas hymns and so on.
But Christmas in Australia is a different kind of thing — brilliant warm sunshine, soft beaches, the vast outback and dense rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, the unique kangaroos and koalas, the charming Gold Coast.
December 25th is the summer holiday, and traditionally Christmas Day is held outdoors in Australia. Carols by candlelight are one of the most popular Christmas activities. People gather at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols outside. The stars in the night sky will add a lot of romance to this wonderful outdoor concert.
In addition to Turkey, the most common Christmas dinner is lobster, crab and other seafood dinner. At Christmas, Australian people in the sea against the waves, singing Christmas songs, do not mention how happy!
We all know that the traditional image of Santa Claus is wearing a bright red coat with white fur and high black boots to deliver presents to children in the snow. But in Australia, where Christmas falls on a hot summer day, Santa is more likely to be seen speeding along on a surfboard in a bunt. Walk down any Australian beach early on Christmas Day and you’ll probably find at least one surfer in the waves wearing a red Santa hat.
10. Japanese Christmas.
Although it is an eastern country, the Japanese are especially enthusiastic about Christmas. Western countries usually eat roast Turkey, gingerbread and other food during Christmas, but in Japan, Christmas tradition is the family to eat KFC!
Every Christmas, KFC stores in Japan will launch a variety of Christmas packages, and this time the KFC grandpa, also transformed into an amiable Santa Claus, to send blessings for people.