Christmas is primarily a Christian holiday, although some people who aren’t Christians celebrate Christmas anyway simply because they enjoy the spirit of the season, the fellowship and the family traditions that arise from the celebration.
Christmas traditions around the world are as different and unique as the country in which they are celebrated. While we may not understand all of these traditions, they are fun and interesting to learn about. Learn some of the Christmas traditions from around the world — You may find some you want to adopt…or maybe not.
Explains worldwide Christmas celebrations…
Christians around the world celebrate Christmas in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Of course nobody knows specifically when Christ was born; however, Christmas day is the day dedicated to the celebration of his birth.
Before the birth of Christ, a holiday celebration, actually celebrating the New Year, was a custom in Mesopotamia. In Persia and Babylon the festival of Sacaea was customary and the ancient Greeks had a similar celebration. Saturnalia was a pagan celebration in ancient Rome. A European feast was held to celebrate the end of winter.
The celebration of Christmas was brought about by Christians. Customs from many different cultures have become part of the holiday festivities; however, worshiping, celebrating and glorifying Christ is the purpose of the Christmas holiday.
Do Jews Celebrate Christmas?
Many people call Hanukkah the Jewish Christmas, but in reality, other than being a religious celebration, Christmas and Hanukkah are very different both in terms of tradition and customs as well as in meaning.
Hanukkah is the Jewish festival that celebrates, not the birth of Christ, but the religious victory that occurred when the Maccabees took back the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it after it had been occupied by the Seleucid Empire. The victory and rededication enabled the free practice Judaism which had been previously outlawed by the Seleucid monarchy.
Did you know? Most Jews don’t celebrate Christmas because they don’t believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.
Common worldwide Christmas traditions include cultural festivities which are simply a culture’s way of celebrating. Other Christmas traditions around the world include the German custom of decorating a Christmas tree which is said to symbolize the Garden of Eden, exchanging of gifts which is attributed to the wise men’s gifts given at the time of Christ’s birth, and Christmas stockings and Santa which are derived from the legend of St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop who was known for his generous gift giving.
Greenland
Instead of getting Christmas candy, chocolates, and pies, Greenlanders have a tradition of kiviak. Never heard of it? To make this special treat, take the flesh of an auk (a bird), wrap it in sealskin and place it under a rock until it decomposes. The treat, reportedly, has a strong odor and tastes similar to blue cheese. Don’t think so.
Portugal
The Christmas celebration starts off with a big Christmas morning meal. This in itself isn’t unusual, but the unusual part comes into play when they set a place for the dead and offer them food. Maybe not.
Yugoslavia
Kids and the parents tap into the fun side of Christmas with this tradition. The second Sunday before Christmas, the children sneak up on their mom and tie her feet to a chair. They yell, ‘Mother’s Day, Mother’s Day, what will you pay to get away?’ The mother then gives them each a gift. This repeats the next Sunday with the dad and he too gives them gifts. There’s no day set aside to tie the children up. Hmmmmmm…..possibilities.
Wales
The idea of a good Christmas tradition to some of the good people in Wales is dressing up in a horsehair sheet, putting a horse skull on a stick and parading around in the street nipping people on the head with the skill. The people nipped must pay a cash fine. Sounds like a good way to get in trouble.
Irish
An old Irish tradition that wouldn’t fly too well here in America is that of whitewashing the entire farm — inside and out. The women would scrub all of the walls and the men would follow behind whitewashing. The Irish thought this purified the farm for the coming of the Christ child. A nice Christmas Eve service sounds more appealing to me.
France
A Christmas tradition your children will definitely not want you to start is one that is held by northern France. On the night of December 5th, children are visited by two Santas — Pere Noel and Pere Fouettard. Pere Noel rewards the kids with gifts given on the 6th – St. Nicholas Day, but Pere Fouettard (Father Spanker) gives the bad children a spanking.
Finland
The Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve where everyone gathers at 5:00pm at the cemetery to pay a visit to his or her deceased loved ones. The visitors place candles on the graves and a service takes place. While this may not seem like a very happy way to start Christmas, later on, Father Christmas visits the homes, asks the children if they’ve been good and gives gifts.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, children receive gifts December 5th but Christmas is celebrated on December 6th. On the 6th of December, Sinterklaas and his sidekick, Black Pete, arrive by steamer. They leave nuts and candy for the children who have been good and have left hay and sugar in their shoes for Sinterklaas’ horses.
Yes, Christmas traditions around the world are a bit different from those celebrated in the United States. Of course, that doesn’t make them wrong… just different. This holiday season; celebrate in a way that makes your family happy and creates memories and maybe… just maybe you might want to add one of these Christmas traditions from around the world.
Christians in different parts of the world have various traditions for celebrating Christmas, but one thing is in common. Christ is the reason for the Christmas season.
