In China, December 25 is not a legal holiday. The small percentage of Chinese citizens who consider themselves Christians unofficially, and usually privately, observe Christmas. Many other individuals celebrate Christmas-like festivities even though they do not consider themselves Christians. Many customs, including sending cards, exchanging gifts, and hanging stockings are very similar to Western celebrations.
However, commercial Christmas decorations, signs, and other symbolic items have become increasingly prevalent during the month of December in large urban centers of mainland China, reflecting a cultural interest in this Western phenomenon, and, sometimes, as part of retail marketing campaigns.
Christmas is a state holiday in India, though only 3% of the population is actually Christian. Sincere devotees attend the church services. In many of the schools that are run by the Christian missionaries, the children actively participate in the programmes. This involves singing carols etc. Christmas is officially celebrated at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President of India. The celebrations continue and get mixed up with new year celebrations.
In India, most educational institutions have a mid-academic year vacation, sometimes called Christmas vacation, beginning shortly before Christmas and ending a few days after New Year's Day. Christmas is also known as bada din (the big day). The concept of Santa Claus is relatively new, and up until the mid '90s, Santa Claus was hardly popular. Due to the warm temperature it is difficult to Indianize his concept (however, see the section for the Philippines below). Commercialization and open markets is however bringing more secular-Christmas celebration to the public sphere, even though its is not celebrated religiously.
The first recorded Christmas in Japan was celebrated with a mass held by Jesuit missionaries in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1552, although some believe that unrecorded celebrations were held prior to this date, starting in 1549 when Saint Francis Xavier arrived in Japan to begin missionary work. Starting with the expulsion of missionaries in 1587, Christianity was banned throughout Japan beginning in 1612, a few years into the Edo Period, and the public practice of Christmas subsequently ceased. However, a small enclave of Japanese Christians, known as Kakure Kirishitan ("hidden Christians"), continued to practice underground over the next 250 years, and Christianity along with Christmas practices reemerged at the beginning of the Meiji period. Influenced by American customs, Christmas parties were held and presents were exchanged. The practice slowly spread in major cities, but its proximity to the New Year's celebrations makes it a smaller focus of attention. During World War II, all celebrations and customs, especially those from America, were suppressed. From the 1960s, with the aid of a rapidly expanding economy, and influenced by American TV dramas, Christmas became popular, but mostly not as a religious occasion. For many Japanese, celebrating Christmas is similar to participating in a matsuri, where participants often do not consider which kami is being celebrated, but believe that the celebration is a tribute nevertheless. From the 1970s to the 1980s, many songs and TV drama series presented Christmas from a lover's point of view.
The birthday of the current emperor, Akihito, on December 23 is a national holiday. Shortly thereafter businesses close for the New Year's holidays, usually reopening on the first weekday after January 3.
Though Jordan is located in the heart of the Muslim world, the Christian community make up 6% of the population celebrates Christmas freely. Christmas day is a public holiday in Jordan. December in general is a very busy month for the bigger shopping centers and smaller specialized stores for the Christmas decorations trade. Artificial trees are sold many places, along with ornaments and decorations which have been rising in standard and price over the past years, in relation to the increasing significance of the appearances part of Charismas observed by the upper-middle, and upper classes of Jordanian Christians. All Christian families (with exception of some extremely rare Protestant Christians) put up a Christmas tree. The trend to use natural trees is on the rise umong upper class Christians. Many, especially in recent years, have gone beyond the simple traditional decorations to the more westernized style of decorating the house inside and outside along with garden tress with lights. Perhaps the areas in Jordan where outside decorations are most significant, are Fuahis, and Al Hisn, - two towns with very high Christian populations. In Amman the capital, the most elegant decorations are found in the Abdoun area. A traditional part of the Jordanian Christmas decorations (though generally agreed to be an act introduced and emphasized by Palestinians in Jordan) is the nativity scene under the tree. The more traditional families make sure to always have a huge display (called Mughara) under the tree, built up with special brown paper known as Warak Mugharah.
The main Christmas gathering and celebration occurs either on Christmas Eve or Christmas day Lunch.Christmas Eve is celebrated with all the family and relatives. Usually there would be a very fancy dinner. Menus may consist of traditional dishes, such as (Grilled Chicken With Rice),warak dawali wo kusa (vine leafs which are folded around Rice and Meat, and rice and meet stuffed zucchini), Kubeh, Kahrouf Mahshe (stuffed lamb), or a Turkey (though the American style of cooking it hasn’t quite caught up). If the celebration takes place on Christmas day the main food item is usually Mansaf, the traditional Jordanian meal consisting of a yogurt based sauce, rice, and lamb. On Christmas Eve After dinner some families go to Church to celebrate the Christmas Midnight Mass. Most of the time though the midnight mass takes place around seven p.m. Other families go to hotels, and have a Christmas party on both 24 and 25 of December.
Christmas in Jordan has been for the past twenty-something years always celebrated according to the Gregorian (modern) calendar date- December 25th, even the majority of the Christian population is Greek Orthodox (some of the Orthodox Churches still follow the old Julian calendar which is 13 days late in 20th and 21st century). Some Orthodox Churches (e.g. Russian and Georgian, but not Greek, Romanian or Bulgarian Orthodox Church) also re-celebrates Christmas on January 7th (which is 25th December in their Church calendar) though on a smaller low profile scale. The King usually meets with representatives of Christian denominations on December 25th to congratulate them on Christmas. He also sends a written congratulation, or makes a telephone call to representatives of the Orthodox Churches again on January 7th.
South Korea recognizes Christmas as a public holiday. Non-Christian Koreans otherwise go about their daily routine on December 25 but may engage in some holiday customs such as gift-giving, sending Christmas cards, and setting up decorated trees in their homes; children, especially, appear to have embraced Santa Claus, whom they call Santa Haraboji (Grandfather Santa) in Korean, Local radio stations play holiday music on Christmas Day and a few days before, while television stations are known to air Christmas films and cartoon specials popular in the Western countries. In addition, increasing numbers of stores and buildings are displaying Christmas decorations.
As in the West, Christian churches in Korea hold Christmas pageants and conduct special services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Young people especially enjoy the fellowship these observances provide; after the Christmas Eve services, for example, they go caroling to the homes of older church members, where they are usually treated to hot drinks and snacks.
Christmas is a state holiday in Lebanon, a country in which 40% of the population is Christian. Most Lebanese Muslims celebrate Christmas with Christian friends. Commercialization and open markets are bringing a more secular celebration of Christmas to the public. Churches are open all night for praying and people go to visit friends and families, often to villages in the mountains. Christmas concerts are popular. Prayers and carols start to be said and sung on Christmas night and continue till the new year's eve. Internationally famous fashion designer, Elie Saab, donates a giant Christmas tree of 25m high for public display every year. Lebanese Christmas food is a mixture of European and Middle Eastern fare, for example, Taboule, Kebbe, Turkey and wine, and for dessert a "buche de noel" French is widely spoken, and the greeting, "Joyeux Noel" is used. Christmas decorations fill the roads. Houses are also decorated and beneath the Christmas tree, families will place a nativity scene or creche representing Jesus, St. Mary, St Joseph and the Three Kings.
In 2004, the government organized a national-level Christmas celebration but allegedly imposed an unofficial ban on all Christian religious symbols and hymns that specifically mention Jesus Christ. The event was jointly organised by the Arts, Culture and Heritage ministry, the government of the state of Selangor and the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM). It has been reported that the Sultan of Selangor and his consort, the Prime Minister as well as assorted cabinet ministers will be in attendance. It will also be televised on TV in a majority Muslim country.
OC Lim, a former lawyer turned Jesuit priest and director of the Catholic Research Centre (also assistant parish priest of St. Francis Xavier's Church) has lodged a formal complaint. He has also stated that "To exclude (such) carols and to use (Christmas) for political gain is outrageous, scandalous and sacrilegious." He also said "To call it a cultural event (as rationalised by Christian politicians who are more politician than Christian) is to downgrade Jesus to a cultural sage such as Confucius."
CFM general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri stated that the government wanted "nothing that insults Islam" during the open house.
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Dr Rais Yatim later denied that any such ban had been "issued officially or unofficially". He also added that there is "nothing wrong in singing songs such as Silent Night and Merry Christmas" as they are "joyous songs for the festival".
Lee Min Choon, legal advisor to the CFM and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship issued a statement which said "It means that churches can celebrate Christmas as they have been doing all along. Otherwise, the very meaning of the occasion will be lost." "Now, everybody should take the government at its word and celebrate Christmas the way they normally celebrate and express their religious faith."
In Pakistan, December 25th is a public holiday that coincides with the birth anniversary of Jinnah - the founder of the nation. Christians constitute approximately 1 percent of the population, mostly from Punjab who were once outcaste before British Raj. In Christian households, cards and presents are exchanged. People wear their best new clothes and visit friends houses. In rural areas, people go to Christmas Day services, which in Urdu and Punjabi is called 'Bara Din', the 'Big Day'. Bible Society of Pakistan conducts special programs on this eve.
The Philippines has earned the distinction of celebrating the world's longest Christmas season. Although faint traces of the holiday arise beginning from early September, it is traditionally ushered in by the nine-day dawn Masses that start on Dec. 16. Known as the Misas de Aguinaldo (Gift Masses) or Misa de Gallo (Rooster's Mass) in the traditional Spanish. These Masses are more popularly known in Tagalog as the Simbang Gabi. Christmas Eve on December 24 is the much-anticipated "noche buena" — the traditional Christmas feast after the midnight mass. Family members dine together on traditional noche buena fare, which includes the quéso de bóla ("ball cheese", usually edam cheese) and jamón (Christmas ham). Usually, aside from the already legal holidays which are Rizal Day (December 30) and New Year's Eve (December 31), other days in close proximity such as Christmas Eve (December 24), Niños Inocentes (December 28), and the Epiphany (traditionally, January 6) are also declared as non-working days. In Asia, Christmas is also the liveliest in the Philippines, since the country is the only predominantly Christian nation in the continent besides, Russia, East Timor, Georgia and Armenia.
As in many East Asian countries, secular Christmas displays are common both in business establishments and in public, including lights, Christmas trees, depictions of Santa Claus (despite the warm climate), and Christmas greetings in English and Tagalog, as well as in Chinese and other Philippine languages and dialects.. Occasionally such displays are left in place even in summer for example the parol representing the "Star of Bethlehem" which led the Three Kings to the newborn Baby Jesus.
In the capital Manila, Christmas Day is the start of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival during which locally produced films are featured in the city's theatres. ,
In Singapore, Christmas is a public holiday celebrated by almost everyone (Christian or otherwise). Typically it is also the boom time for retailers as Christmas season is also the time most people get their year-end bonuses. The entire shopping district like Orchard Road and Marina Centre areas is decorated with colorful lights from mid November till New Year's Day. In recent years, a charitable organization called Celebrating Christmas in Singapore Ltd (with links to the National Council of Churches of Singapore) organized the "Celebrating Christmas in Singapore" during Christmas period with carolling, concerts and parade down Orchard Road. As Christmas is not a native festival here, there is nothing local except for maybe the warmer tropical climate. Christmas celebration in Singapore tends to be borrowed heavily from the American version with turkey dinner and decoration. As Christians only comprise 14% of the population, most of the celebration tends to be secular and commercial in nature. Local companies normally arrange gift exchange programs on the last working day before Christmas.
In Taiwan, Christmas is not officially celebrated or legally recognized. However, coincidentally, December 25 is the date of the signing of the Constitution of the Republic of China in 1947, officially the Constitution Day (行憲紀念日). Hence there was already an official holiday on that date designated in 1963 by the Executive Yuan, which is largely, though unofficially, treated as if it were Christmas. In order to avoid having too many legal holidays when phasing in two-day-off-per-week plan, the Constitution Day is no longer a full legal holiday with a day off since 2001. Some people have become disappointed that December 25 has ceased to be a holiday, but there are still unofficial celebrations of Christmas.
Mexican Christmas is not influenced by American Christmas since it is filled with over 30 traditions found only within Mexican Christmas.
In many Mexican places, children receive gifts not on Christmas but on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, when, according to tradition, the Three Wise Men bring gifts not only to baby Jesus but also to children who have placed written requests in their shoes.
At midnight on Christmas, millions of families place the figure of baby Jesus in their nacimientos (Nativity scenes), as the symbolic representation of Christmas as a whole.
Mexican Christmas festivities start on December 12, with the birthday of La Guadalupana (Virgin of Guadalupe), and end on January 6, with the Epiphany. Children usually do not attend school on this date; and, when they go to their rooms, they find not only the toys but also that the Three Magic Kings have appeared at El Nacimiento.
Since the 1990s, Mexican society has embraced a new concept linking several celebrations around Christmastime into what is known as the Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon.
In the United States and Canada, the Santa Claus traditions are essentially the same, except in Quebec and other French speaking areas, with its réveillon and the Père Noël ("Father Christmas" in French). The Celebration of Boxing Day on the day after Christmas Day is a tradition practiced in Canada, as it is in the Commonwealth. According to a poll by FOX News, 96% of the people in the United States celebrate Christmas, while only 78% of Americans are Christian according to the CIA World Factbook.
Many Christmas-related tourist attractions, such as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and elaborate animated department store windows in New York City are heavily visited by non-Christian tourists from all over the world.
Gift giving traditions include Chile's "Viejo Pascuero" (Easter Old Man), and Brazil's "Papai Noel", the latter two resembling Santa Claus in many ways. South American "Santas" dress more lightly in keeping with the warmer Christmas there, and have adopted a number of means, from ladders to trampolines, to enter homes at night. Gift giving in Argentina occurs both in Christmas and on January 6, "Kings' Day", when children leave shoes under their beds to be filled with snacks or small gifts by the Magi, who stop off on their way to Bethlehem.
Nativity scenes are a strong feature of South American Christmas, both in homes and in public places. In regions with large numbers of Native American descendants, such as Peru, the figures are often hand-carved in a centuries-old style. As in Mexico, village processions acting out the events surrounding the birth of Christ are also common. Family Christmas meals are very important, and their contents are as varied as the number of countries on the continent. Christmas lights are a near-universal holiday feature, and with the summery weather, fireworks displays are also found, especially over the cities of Brazil and Argentina.
In most of Brazil, the Christmas is particularly a family celebration and it carries the European traditions, particularly from Portugal, brought by the Jesuits. Between December 24th and January 6th, there is an event in the most traditional regions called Folia de Reis, which consist in processions through the city singing Christmas carols for the "Menino-Deus" (The "Baby Jesus") and the Three Kings.
However, in most of the southern cities, as well as in the largest cities of the Southeastern Region, like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte the celebrations resemble in many ways the traditions in Northern Europe and North America, with the Christmas Tree, the exchanging of gifts and Christmas cards, the decoration of houses and buildings with electric lights and the Nativity Scene. In some cities like Curitiba, there are some decoration contests, when judges go to some houses to look at the decoration, inside or outside of the house, and decide the most beautiful house. The Christmas Eve is the most important day. In the midnight between December 24 and December 25, the churches celebrate the "Missa do Galo" (the Rooster's Mass).
Christmas in Colombia is celebrated as a religious holiday. Presents are brought by “El Niño Dios” (Baby Jesus) instead of “Papá Noél” (Santa Claus). He is still an important Christmas figure, but his role in gift giving has been downplayed by the church. His presence however is still felt in decorations, and Santa Clauses pose for pictures at malls.
While the Christmas decorations may have been put up since early November, the unofficial start of the Christmas festivities in Colombia takes place on December 7, Día de las Velitas, or "Day of the Candles", when at night the streets, sidewalks, balconies, porches and driveways are decorated with candles and paper lanterns, illuminating the city in a yellow glow, all in honor of the Immaculate Conception which takes place the next day December 8. Many activities take place including musical events, firework displays, and many other events planned by the cities.
In many cities, and even in small rural towns, neighborhoods get together and decorate their whole neighborhood or street, making many streets feel like a tunnel of lights. Many radio stations, and some local organizations hold competitions for the best display of lights, making the competition for the best light show a serious event.
Fireworks were a common item during the holiday season in Colombia, often going on at any time of the day everyday in many cities, but a recent ban of fireworks has decreased the use of fireworks and now only the city or towns get to hold firework displays.
December 16 is the first day of the Christmas Novena, a devotion consisting of prayer said on nine successive days, the last one held on Christmas Eve. The Novena was a call for an understanding the real meaning of Christmas, and a way to fight the commercialism of the season, the Catholic Church promotes this tradition as a staple of Christmas, much like the posadas of Mexico. Villancicos ung accompanied by Tambourines and bells, and verses from the Bible are read, followed by an interpretation which may change each year. Churches offer nightly masses for the novenas, culminating with the “Misa de Gallo” (Rooster’s Mass) on December 24 at midnight.
Christmas Eve is the most important day of Christmas in Colombia. Families and friends get together pray the last Novena and wait till midnight to open the presents, and parties go on till sunrise on Christmas Day, kids stay up playing with their toys, and fireworks fill the skies. December 25 is less on celebration as Christmas Eve is considered Christmas Day in Colombia.
Part of the Christmas season, Colombians celebrate the “Día de los Inocentes” or Day of the Innocents also known in English as the Massacre of the Innocents is a day for pranks, equivalent to April Fool's Day in many countries. Prank victims are called inocentes.
January 6, the day of the Revelation of the Magi, when according to the tradition is when the Wise Men arrived to see the baby Jesus and offered him gifts, used to be a day of gift giving, but has slowly lost its importance. Some families still give presents, but its also the day godparents usually give their presents, and the day where Christmas decorations are taken down. This is how Christmas is celebrated!
The unofficial start of the Christmas festivities is after the celebrations of "Feria de la Chinita", second half of November. The origin of this festivity is the cult to Virgin Mary of Chiquinquirá, when various religious activities, processions, and music festivals with the typical "Gaita (music style)" to honor "La Chinita" (nickname of this Virgin). This event takes place in the Zulia Region, specially in Maracaibo (the regional capital). After this festivity, the Christmas Spirit is every where and many activities take place including musical events of Gaita (music style), firework displays, and many other events planned by other cities across the country.
In many cities, small rural towns and neighborhoods get together for the "patinatas" night festivals where kids go and play with skateboards, roller blades and bicycles. This events are usually sponsor by the local church, and in there neighbors organize themselves and sell typical Christmas food, hot chocolate, hallaca, cookies, etc.
The night of Christmas Eve (Dec 24th) Churches offer nightly masses called “Misa de Gallo” (Rooster’s Mass) at midnight.
Christmas Eve is the most important day of Christmas. Families and friends get together to have typical dinner made up with hallaca (traditional Christmas food heritage from the Indians), pan de jamón (jam bread), etc. parties go on till sunrise on Christmas Day,
Usually (but this depends on the region, family, etc) kids go to bed, and on the next day Baby Jesus (Niño Jesus) delivers the presents. December 25 is less on celebration.
In Commonwealth countries in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas Day, 25 December, occurs during the height of the summer season. The Australian traditions are quite similar to those of North America and similar wintry iconography is commonplace. This results in such incongruities as a red fur-coated Santa Claus riding a sleigh, carols such as Jingle Bells, and various snow-covered Christmas scenes on Christmas cards and decorations appearing in the middle of a hot summer.
As Christmas falls in summer, the watching of television is not a strong part of Australian Christmas traditions, unlike in the United Kingdom, in which it is one of the most important television viewing days. In Australia, official television ratings are not taken during the summer and schedules are mostly filled with repeats of old programmes or previously cancelled shows. Some Australian-produced programs have a Christmas special though often it will be shown early December and not on Christmas Day itself. Many television stations rerun old Christmas-themed films on Christmas Day/Eve, such as Miracle on 34th Street. The Great Escape, Home Alone and The Bridge on the River Kwai are also common fare.
According to tradition, children are told Father Christmas surreptitiously visits houses on Christmas Eve placing presents for children under the Christmas trees or in stockings or sacks which are usually hung by a fireplace. In recent decades many new apartments and homes have been built without traditional combustion fireplaces, however with some innovation the tradition persists.
In many towns and suburban areas of large cities, it is popular for homeowners to decorate their houses with strings of decorative lights. Displays range from the modest to the extremely elaborate, sometimes with hundreds of individual strings of lights, arranged to depict seasonal motifs such as trees, reindeer or nativity scenes. Some suburbs or groups of streets enjoy an ongoing reputation for the high quality of these displays, and attract a great amount of pedestrian and vehicular traffic during the Christmas season. As it is summer in Australia, the typical warm weather on evenings leading up to Christmas creates an opportunity for families to stroll amongst local streets to view such displays.
A Christmas tradition that started in Melbourne in 1938 and has since spread around the world is Carols by Candlelight, where people gather, usually outdoors, to sing carols by candlelight on Christmas Eve or other evening shortly before Christmas.
Another popular tradition celebrated in Adelaide is the Adelaide Christmas Pageant. This parade is the largest of its kind in the world, attracting crowds of over 400,000 people. Begun in 1933, the pageant is staged in early November every year, usually on a Saturday morning, marking the start of the Christmas season. It comprises a procession of floats, bands, clowns, dancing groups, and walking performers, all culminating in the arrival of Santa Claus. At the terminus of the pageant Santa proceeds to the Magic Cave in the David Jones department store where he can be visited by children. Smaller scale pageants are also held in regional centres.
Traditionally, extended families would gather for a Christmas lunch similar to a traditional Christmas meal including decorated hams, roast turkey, salads and roast vegetables, followed by fruit mince pies and plum pudding. More recently, as appropriate to the typically-hot weather on the day, lighter meals featuring fish and seafood may be served, along with barbecue lunches. However, the typical roast remains popular.
Special events for international tourists away from their families are held on Bondi Beach in Sydney, often involving a turkey barbecue, and such humorous stunts as a fake santa dressed in a santa suit surfing in to appear to the crowd.
Many of Australia's Christmas traditions also apply to New Zealand: as with its larger neighbour, New Zealand celebrates Christmas with traditional Northern Hemisphere winter imagery, though to some extent the symbols of the holly and ivy common to the British and North American Christmas are replaced by the Pōhutukawa tree, which blossoms annually in late December and is thus often called the "New Zealand Christmas tree". This does not stop New Zealand homes being decorated with the more standard pine tree however. Children in New Zealand are also told of the surreptitious visit of Father Christmas to leave presents.
Traditional winter-styled hot roast food also has a role in New Zealand's festivities, Christmas dinner is also the place where Christmas Crackers are used, people will pull a cracker with another before eating. Traditional (generally British) Christmas desserts are also consumed, i.e. Christmas Pudding, Trifle, Christmas Cake and Mince Pies. One difference to the menu in New Zealand and Australia is the traditional dessert of pavlova.
House decoration is also popular in New Zealand, even though Chritmas falls in the height of the summer season, people put up strings of lights on windows, roofs, decks and fences to light up their streets, some of the best, attracting crowds in the evening, the popular store chain, The Warehouse also hosts a competition to find the best-decorated house of the year.
As with Australia, the watching of television is not a strong part of New Zealand Christmas traditions, though some Christmas-specific programmes are usually shown, usually including a mix of religious programmes and special one-off episodes of regular television series (many of them British or American shows). The Queen's Christmas message is also broadcast at around 6pm on Christmas evening.
The Australian tradition of Carols by Candlelight is popular in New Zealand, especially in Auckland and Christchurch, where there is usually a large outdoor carol-singing gathering known as Christmas in the park.
In keeping with the festive season a number of parades are held in the major centers of New Zealand (not including local parades around the country). The most popular of these would be the Auckland Santa Parade down Queen Street with numerous floats and marching bands attracting large crowds every year, although it is held during late November (to accommodate the holidaymakers), it is seen as the preamble to the later festivities.
What's common is that people usually stay in close family circle. Staying alone during Christmas Eve is considered very sad, and many families "bring home" their grandparents at least for Christmas.
After the dinner comes the time for gifts. Tradition varies with region, commonly gifts are attributed to Christkind (Little Jesus) or their real originators (e.g. parents). Children usually find their gifts under the Christmas Tree, with name stickers. An interesting example of complicated history of the region is the "fight" between Christmas beings. During communism, when countries of Central Europe were under Soviet influence, communist authorities strongly pushed Russian traditional Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost") in the place of Christkind. Little Jesus won. Now Santa Claus is attacking, by means of advertising and Hollywood film production.
Many people, Christians as well as people with just a Christian background, go to Roman Catholic churches for Midnight Mass. It's not uncommon to go to a church only one time a year, for this Christmas Mass.
In the Czech Republic, Christmas is celebrated mainly on December 24, or Christmas Eve - Štědrý den (pron. "Shtiedree den", means "open-handed day") when the gifts are given in the evening. However, the December 25 and 26 are also free days. According to tradition, gifts are brought by Ježíšek (pron. "Yezheeshek"), or "little Jesus". Many very old Christmas traditions are followed, mostly for fun. People are taught not to eat anything on Christmas Eve until a ceremonial dinner is served, in order to be able to see a "golden pig". The gifts are displayed under the Christmas tree (usually a spruce or pine), and people open them after their Christmas dinner.
Other Czech Christmas traditions involve predictions for the future. Apples are always cut crosswise; if a star appears in the core, the next year will be successful, while a cross suggests a bad year. Girls throw shoes over the their shoulders; if the toe points to the door, the girl will get married soon. Another tradition requires pouring a little molten lead into water and guessing a message from the shapes that appear when it hardens.
The above description is valid exactly also in Slovakia.
In Hungary, celebrations begin with Christmas tree decoration and gift packaging during daytime on 24th December, then comes a family dinner with traditional Christmas meals, and in the evening (Christmas Eve, in Hungarian: Szenteste) the Little (Baby) Jesus (Hungarian: Kisjézus or Jézuska) delivers the presents. This is the most intimate moment of Christmas, featuring warmly lit Christmas tree and candles, soft Christmas music, family singing of religious songs and gift pack openings.
NOTE: in Hungary (and equally in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and other catholic Central European countries), Santa Claus (Hungarian: Mikulás, Czech: Mikuláš, Slovak: Mikuláš) has nothing to do with Christmas. He visits families earlier, in the dawn of 6th December, and puts candy-bags for the well-behaving children (to be put in their polished shoes they put in the windows previous evening). Hungarian Mikulás never parks his sleigh on roofs and never climbs chimneys, but is usually accompanied by a diabolic-looking servant named Krampusz (in Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia: Krampus, in Czech and Slovak regions he is simply "čert", i.e. devil, without any name) who gives birches for badly-behaved children.
This Ded Moroz is not identified nor in any way associated with St. Nicholas of Myra, who is very widely revered in Eastern Europe more for his clerical and charitable works as a Bishop. In all likelihood, Ded Moroz is actually in Slavic tradition like the Santa Claus or some similar figure, any connection to the original saint long since disappeared.
Georgians celebrate Christmas (შობა, shoba) on January 7 (Julian calendar). Traditional in Georgia is to go on Alilo (a modified pronunciation of Alleluia), a mass walking in streets, dressed in special forms to celebrate and congratulate each other the holiday. Most members of the Alilo march are children and they are gifted from elders with sweets. The Alilo carols vary across the provinces of Georgia. In most songs these words are used: "ოცდახუთსა დეკემბერსა, ქრისტე იშვა ბეთლემსაო'" (otsdakhutsa dekembersa qriste ishva betlemsao) - "on December 25 Christ was born in Bethlehem". A local variant of the Christmas tree, called Chichilaki, is made of soft wooden material with curled branches. Sometimes it is hazelnut branch which is carved into a Tree of Life-like shape and decorated with fruits and sweets. Western customs of Christmas tree (nadzvis khe) are also popular and have been imported from Russia. The Georgian equivalent of "Santa Claus" is known as tovlis papa (or tovlis babua in western Georgian dialects), literally meaning a "Grandfather snow", and is traditionally portrayed with long white beard, dressed in national costume "chokha" and wearing a fur cloak "nabadi".
Christmas celebration in Russia is not as widely followed as in Western countries in favor of the New Year celebration. Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January (which corresponds to December 25 in the Julian Calendar). The tradition of celebrating Christmas has been revived since 1992, after decades of suppression by the communist government. It is centered on the Christmas Eve "Holy Supper", which consists of twelve servings, one to honor each of Jesus' apostles. The Russian traditions were largely kept alive by shifting some of them, including the visit by gift-giving "Grandfather Frost" and his "Snowmaiden", to New Year's Day. Many current Russian Christmas customs, including their Christmas tree, or "yolka", were brought by Peter the Great, after his western travels in the late 17th century.
In Eastern Europe, Slavic countries have the tradition of Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"). He is accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka ("Snowmaiden"). According to legend, he travels in a magical decorated sleigh drawn by reindeer, and delivers gifts to children. He is thought to descend more from Santa Claus than from Saint Nicholas.
Sviata Vechera or "Holy Supper" is the central tradition of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes. The dinner table sometimes has a few wisps of hay on the embroidered table cloth as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem.
When the children see the first Star in the eastern evening sky, which symbolizes the trek of the Three Wise Men, the Sviata Vechera may begin. In farming communities the head of the household now brings in a sheaf of wheat called the didukh which represents the importance of the ancient and rich wheat crops of Ukraine, the staff of life through the centuries. Didukh means literally "grandfather spirit" so it symbolizes the family's ancestors. In city homes a few stalks of golden wheat in a vase are often used to decorate the table.
A prayer is said and the father says the traditional Christmas greeting, "Chrystos rodyvsya!" which is translated to "Christ is born!", which is answered by the family with "Slavite Yoho!" which means "Let Us Glorify Him!". In some families the Old Slavic form "Сhrystos rozhdayetsya!" is used.
At the end of the Sviata Vechera the family often sings Ukrainian Christmas Carols. In many communities the old Ukrainian tradition of caroling is carried on by groups of young people and members of organizations and churches calling at homes and collecting donations.
Christmas day opens for Ukrainian families with attendance at Church. Ukrainian Churches offer services starting before midnight on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning. Christmas supper, without Lenten restrictions, does not have as many traditions connected with it as Sviata Vechera. The old tradition in Ukraine of giving gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day, December 19th, has generally been replaced by the Christmas date.
In Ukraine, at Christmas Eve when everyone is at the table, Angels bring presents which they are leaving near the Christmas tree.
In Denmark, Christmas is celebrated on December 24, which is referred to as Juleaften. An evening meal is eaten with the family consisting of either roast pork, roast duck or roast goose which is eaten with potatoes, red cabbage and plenty of gravy. For dessert rice pudding is served, traditionally with an almond hidden inside, the lucky finder of this almond is entitled to a small gift. After the meal is complete, the family gather around the Christmas tree and sing Christmas songs. Traditionally they would dance around the tree, but due to space constraints of modern homes, this often does not happen. When the singing is complete, traditions varies. In some traditions the family will select one child to hand out the presents other take in turn handing out the presents. They are opened and this is followed by more snacks, candy, chips and sometimes a traditionally Christmas drink called Gløgg.
The Danish somewhat famous for their "Julefrokost", literally meaning "Christmas lunch", which includes various traditional Danish dishes, frequently accompanied by beer and Snaps. These Julefrokoster are popular and held within families, as well as by companies and other social groups. They would traditionally have taken place leading up to Christmas, but due to time constraints and stress during the Christmas month they are nowadays commonly held during November and January (some even have them in summer). The family Julefrokoster however are normally held between Juleaften and New Years Eve.
Another more recent Danish tradition is the concept of TV "Julekalendere", special Christmas-themed TV shows with a daily episode shown on each of the first 24 days of December, thus culminating on "Juleaften". Several TV stations produce their own, most, but not all of which are targeted at child viewers. Some of the "Julekalendere" become extremely popular and go on to be reprised in subsequent years.
Finnish people clean their homes well before Christmas and prepare special treats for the festive holiday season. Fir trees are cut and taken to homes by sleds on Christmas Eve and are decorated beautifully. A sheaf of grain, nuts and seeds are tied on a pole, which is placed in the garden for the birds to feed on. Only after birds eat their dinner, the farmers partake of their Christmas dinner. Christmas dinner traditionally begins with appearance of the first star in the sky. Candles are lit on the Christmas tree, which is decorated using apples and other fruits, candies, paper flags, cotton and tinsel. Just before the Christmas festivities begin, people visit the famous steam baths and dress up in clean clothes for the Christmas dinner, which is usually served at 5 pm to 7pm.
Christmas gifts may be exchanged before or after the dinner. Children do not hang up stockings in Finland but Santa visits the household with about half a dozen Christmas elves to help him distribute the presents. The main traditional dish of the Christmas dinner is boiled codfish (soaked beforehand in a lye solution for a week to soften it) served snowy white and fluffy, roast suckling pig or a roasted fresh ham and vegetables. It is accompanied by allspice, boiled potatoes, and cream sauce. Children go to bed right after dinner while adults chat and drink coffee until about midnight. Christmas Day services begin early at six in the morning and people visit families and reunions are arranged on this day. Star Boys tour the countryside singing Christmas songs and everybody wish each other "Merry Yule."
The Striezelmarkt, Germany's Dresden region, is arguably a worldwide Christmas gift production center which continues for nearly one month. This is the time when Dresden Stollen fruitcake, Pulsnitzer gingerbread, wood carvings from the Erzgebirge Mountains, Dresden Pflaumentoffel, Lusatian indigo print, Silesian ceramics, Bohemian glass, and Meissen porcelain dominate the lives of visitors who come from all over to thoroughly immerse themselves in Christmas.
In some German-speaking communities, particularly in Catholic regions of southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein, as well as in other Catholic regions of Central Europe, the character of Santa is replaced by the Christkind (literally "Christ child"). He brings the presents not on the morning of December 25th, but on the evening of December 24th (Holy Evening or Heiliger Abend). The Christkind is never seen. However, it rings a bell just before it leaves in order to let children know that the Christmas tree and the presents are ready.
It is a tradition to lavishly decorate a Christmas tree in the days directly before Christmas or on the morning of Christmas Eve. On late Christmas Eve the tree is shown to the children and presents are exchanged. In Protestant Churches there is a service in the late afternoon intended to immediately precede the Christmas Eve meal and the exchanging of gifts. This service, called "Christvesper", consists most often of scriptural readings, the Christmas Gospel from Luke 2, a "Krippenspiel" (nativity play), favourite Christmas carols and festive music for organ and choirs. In some regions the tradition of "Quempas singing" is still popular. Some Protestant Churches also celebrate a candlelight service at midnight. Many Catholic Churches also have a first Mass of Christmas on "Heiliger Abend" about 4 p.m. for the children and parents to attend before the families return home for their meal. The crib is a very important part of the celebrations in Catholic areas especially Bavaria
See Saint Nicholas for information about Saint Nicholas Day, a festivity similar to Christmas from which many English and American traditions derive.
In Germany Christmas traditions vary by region. On Saint Nicholas' Day, the 6th of December, Saint Nicholas puts goodies in children's shoes. Sometimes St. Nicholas visits children in kindergartens, schools or at public events. They have to recite a short poem or sing a song in order to get sweets or a small gift. "Knecht Ruprecht" (the servant Ruprecht - dressed in dark clothes with devil-like traits and with a stick or a small whip in the hand) sometimes accompanies St. Nicholas. His duty is to punish those children who haven't behaved during the year. Usually he doesn't have much to do. He merely stands near St. Nicholas as a warning to be good and polite. This festival is for the most part a children's festival. The actual Christmas gift-giving (German: "Bescherung") usually takes place on Christmas Eve. This tradition first began with the Reformation, since Martin Luther was of the opinion that one should put the emphasis on Christ's birth and not on a saint's day and do away with the connotation that gifts have to be earned by good behaviour. The gifts should be seen as a symbol for the gift of God's grace in Christ . In the meanwhile this tradition is also common in predominantly Catholic regions. The Christmas Tree is first put up and decorated on the morning of the 24th. The gifts are then placed under the tree. Often after Christmas Vespers in the church and an evening meal the father usually goes into the room where the tree is standing, lights the candles and rings a little bell. Then the children are allowed to go into the candlelit room. In many families it is still a custom to sing Christmas songs around the tree before opening up the presents. Some families, especially Catholic families, attend a midnight church service after the evening meal and gift-giving. The culinary feast either takes place at supper on Christmas Eve or on the first day of Christmas, and usually involves poultry (typically roast goose). Some families perfer a lighter and simpler meal on Christmas Eve. They eat potato salad and sausages, carp or a hearty soup and eat goose, duck or pork roast on Christmas Day. The gifts may be brought by the Weihnachtsmann (translation, "Christmas man"), who resembles either St. Nicholas or the American Santa Claus, or by the Christkind, a sprite-like child who may or may not represent the baby Jesus. After the gifts are opened the children often stay up as late as they like, often till the early hours of the morning.
Although religious devotion in Ireland today is considerably less than it used to be, there are huge attendances at religious services for Christmas Day, with Midnight Mass a popular choice. Most families get their deceased relatives prayed for at these Masses as it is a time of remembering the dead in Ireland. It is traditional to decorate graves at Christmas with a wreath made of holly and ivy. Even in the most un-devout of homes in Ireland the traditional crib takes centre-piece along with the Christmas tree as part of the family's decorations.
In the secular side of Irish society, Christmas is the biggest event of the year. Almost the entire workforce is finished by lunchtime on Christmas Eve or often a few days beforehand. Christmas Day and St. Stephen's Day are public holidays and many people do not return to work until after New Year's Day. Irish people spend more and more money each year on celebrating Christmas. In 2006, the total amount spent in Ireland to celebrate Christmas was €16 billion, which averages at approximately €4,000 for every single person in the country.
Santa Claus, known in Ireland simply as Santy or Daidí na Nollag in Irish, brings presents to children in Ireland, which are opened on Christmas morning. Family and friends also give each other gifts at Christmas. The traditional Christmas dinner consists of turkey and ham with a selection of vegetables and a variety of potatoes, as potatoes still act as a staple food in Ireland despite the popularization of staples such as rice and pasta. Dessert is a very rich selection of Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, and mince pies with equally rich sauces such as brandy butter.
For a lot of Norwegians, especially families, television is an important part of the earlier hours of Christmas Eve. Many Norwegians do not feel the Christmas spirit until they have watched the Czech-German fairy tale Three Nuts for Cinderella (Norwegian title: Tre nøtter til Askepott) and the Disney Christmas cavalcade.
If children are present (and they have behaved well the last year), "Julenissen" (Santa Claus) pays a visit, otherwise gifts tored under the Christmas tree.
December 25 is a very quiet and relaxed day. Church services are well attended. The old tradition of a very early morning service before breakfast has been replaced in most areas by a service in the later morning. Afterwards many families get together for a large festive meal.
December 26 is also a day of many festivities. Cinemas, night clubs and bars are full, and there are lots of private gatherings and parties, where all kinds of traditional Christmas cookies and sweets are enjoyed. Fatty, tasty dinners are also part of it. The time between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve is called romjul. During this time children in the western parts of Norway dress up with masks and go "Julebukk" - "Christmas goat" - asking for treats, much the same way as in the American Halloween. January 13 (20th day of Christmas, called St. Knuts Day) is the official end of Christmas.
Swedish Christmas celebrations begin with the first of Advent. Saint Lucy's Day (locally known as Luciadagen) is the first major Christmas celebration before Christmas itself. As in many other countries in northern Europe, the Jultomte (or simply Tomte) brings the presents on Christmas Eve, the day generally thought of as Christmas, see Yule. The Jultomte is a version of Santa Claus, except that he doesn't enter the house through the chimney, but knocks on the door and asks "finns det några snälla barn här?" (are there any good children here?)
Christmas is, as everywhere, a holiday of food. Almost all Swedish families celebrate Christmas on December 24 with a Christmas smörgåsbord (julbord). The common part of almost all julbord is the julskinka (baked ham), but there are also other common dishes such as meatballs, pickled herring, square ribs, lutfisk, pork sausage, Janssons frestelse (grated potatoes, onion, anchovy and cream), and rice pudding. The Christmas julbord is served with beer or julmust and snaps, the dishes of the julbord may vary throughout Sweden. Businesses traditionally invite their employees to a julbord dinner or lunch the weeks before Christmas, and people go out privately to restaurants offering julbord during December, as well.
Examples of candies and treats associated with Christmas are toffee, knäck (quite similar to butterscotch), fruit, nuts, figs, chocolate, dates and marzipan. Another Scandinavian speciality is the glögg (mulled and spiced wine with almonds and raisins), which is served hot in small cups.
Television also plays a big role in most families, the Disney Christmas special and Karl Bertil Jonssons julafton (animated short) are regarded by many to be the most important highlights of the Christmas television programming.
After the julbord on Christmas Eve, the presents are distributed, either by Jultomten or a family member, and usually from a sack or from under the Christmas tree where they have been laying all day or for several days. In older days a yule goat was an alternative to Jultomten, nowadays it is used as an ornament, ranging from sizes of 10 cm to huge constructions like the Gävle goat, famous for being vandalized almost every Christmas.
If one has two families to celebrate Christmas with, it is common that one of the families move their celebrations to Christmas Day or the first Saturday before Christmas Eve (commonly referred to as little Christmas Eve).
After Christmas Eve, the Christmas celebrations have more or less come to an end. Some people attend the julottan, an early morning church service on Christmas Day. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are of no big significance to Swedish celebrations. On January 13 (locally known as knutdagen), 20 days after Christmas, the Christmas celebrations come to an end and all Christmas decorations are removed. See: Christmas in Sweden
In the United Kingdom the traditions are quite similar to those of Australia, North America and New Zealand, and all other Commonwealth traditions as they stemmed from the UK. They are also similar to the other countries of Northern and Western Europe. Christmas is very special to many UK citizens, as it is a festival that everyone can enjoy. The Christmas season starts at Advent, where holly wreaths are made with three pink, one pink and one purple candle. However many shops sell Christmas decorations beforehand. It lasts until 6 January (Epiphany), as it is considered bad luck to have Christmas decorations up after this date. On Christmas Eve, presents are supposedly delivered in stockings and under the Christmas tree by Father Christmas, who previously had been something like The Ghost of Christmas Present in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but has now become mainly conflated with Santa Claus. The two names are now used interchangeably and equally known to British people, but Father Christmas tends to be used more often, and some distinctive features still remain. Many families tell their children traditional Christmas stories, about Father Christmas and his reindeer. One tradition is to put out a plate of Carrots (for the reindeer) and Mince pies and sherry for Father Christmas, to help him on his way. On Christmas Day, nearly the whole population has the day off to be with their family and friends, so they can gather around for a traditional Christmas meal, which is mainly a turkey or other meats, along with cranberries, parsnips, roast potatoes, quite like the Sunday roast, followed by a Christmas Pudding. During the meal, Christmas crackers are often pulled containing toys, jokes and a paper hat. Another tradition is Carol singing, where many carols are sung by children on people's doorsteps, and by professional choirs. Other traditions include sending Christmas cards. On the whole, although Christmas has become commercialized, the British Christmas is still very traditional.
In public, most shops have decorations and lights, especially in town centres, where the whole community chips in, even in Indian and Chinese restaurants. Churches and Cathedrals across the country hold masses, with many people, going to midnight mass, or a service on Christmas morning. Even though mainline church attendance has been falling over the decades, many people who don't go to church often think it is still important to go on Christmas, so Church attendance increases significantly. Notably, for Catholics, it is one of the main Holy Days of Obligation.
Christmas in Scotland was traditionally observed very quietly, because the Church of Scotland - a Presbyterian Church - never placed any great emphasis on the Christmas festival, for various reasons. Hogmanay is traditionally the largest celebration in Scotland, because Christmas Day was a normal working day in Scotland until the 1960s and even into the 1970s in some areas. The gift-giving, public holidays and feasting associated with mid-winter were held between the 31 December and 2 January rather than between 24 December and 26 December. However, since the 1980s, and the fading of the Church's influence as well as influences from outside Scotland due to immigration and the media, Christmas and related festivities are now on a par with Hogmanay and "Ne'erday". The capital city of Edinburgh has a traditional German market from late November until Christmas Eve.
Many London and provincial theatres have a tradition of "putting on" a Christmas pantomime for children. The pantomime stories are traditionally based on popular children's stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and Aladdin, rather than being directly concerned with the Christmas story as such, although there is sometimes a link.
Television is widely watched: for many television networks, Christmas Day is the most important day of the year in terms or ratings. Many Britons still watch the Queen's annual Christmas message.
The Celebration of Boxing Day on the day after Christmas Day is a tradition practiced in the UK. It is a bank holiday, and if it happens to fall on a weekend, then a special Bank Holiday Monday will occur.
In Bulgaria, Christmas (Коледа, Koleda or more formally Рождество Христово, Rozhdestvo Hristovo, "Nativity of Jesus") is celebrated on 25 December (unlike in some other Eastern Orthodox countries) and is preceded by Christmas Eve (Бъдни вечер, Badni vecher). Traditionally, Christmas Eve would be the climax of the Nativity Fast, and thus only an odd number of lenten dishes are presented on that evening. On Christmas, however, meat dishes are already allowed and are typically served.
Among the Bulgarian Christmas traditions is koleduvane, which involves boy carolers (коледари, koledari) visiting the neighbouring houses starting at midnight on Christmas Eve, wishing health, wealth and happiness and patting the backs of the people with decorated cornel sticks (сур(о)вачка, sur(o)vachka). Another custom is the baking of a traditional round loaf (пита, pita).
As in other countries, a Christmas tree is typically set up and the entire house is decorated. The local name of Santa Claus is Dyado Koleda (Дядо Коледа, "Grandfather Christmas"), with Dyado Mraz (Дядо Мраз, "Grandfather Frost") being a similar Russian-imported character lacking the Christian connotations and thus popular during the Communist rule. However, it has been largely forgotten after 1989, when Dyado Koleda again returned as the more popular figure.
The festive period in Greece lasts from 25 December (Christmas) to 6 January (Epiphany). Most families set up Christmas trees and shops have decorations and lights. Presents are placed under the Christmas tree and are opened on New Year’s Day. In Greek tradition, Basil’s (of Caesarea) name was given to Father Christmas and is supposed to visit children and give presents on New Year’s Day (when Basil's memory is celebrated), unlike other European traditions, where this person is Saint Nicholas and comes every Christmas. Carol singing is another tradition on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The Christmas meal usually includes lamb or pork and desserts such as kourabies (κουραμπιές) and melomakarona (μελομακάρονα).
The singing of carols is a very important part of Romanian Christmas festivities. On the first day of Christmas, many carolers walk through the streets of the towns and villages, holding a star made of cardboard and paper on which are depicted various scenes from the Bible. Romanian tradition has the smallest children going from house to house, singing carols and reciting poems and legends during the whole Christmas season. The leader of the group carries with him a star made of wood, covered with metal foil and decorated with bells and coloured ribbons. An image of the Nativity is painted on the star's centre, and this piece of handiwork is attached to the end of a broom or other long stick.
The Basque people, who live in Northern Spain and Southern France, have their own traditions at Christmas. The Three Wise Men are popular in the South and Père Noël in the North, but there is also another character which is well known in both sides of the Pyrenees, called Olentzero. Olentzero was a pagan coal worker who went to adore Jesus in Bethlehem. Nowadays, it is said that he brings presents to all good people at Christmas Eve.
Christmas in France is celebrated mainly in a religious manner, though some secular ways of celebrating the holiday also exist. Children put their shoes by the fireplace so Père Noël (Father Christmas or Santa Claus) can give them gifts. Many French families also decorate their homes with Nativity Scenes depicting the birth of Jesus. Many families attend midnight mass. Some people put additional Santons (little saints) in their nativity scenes, which are bought at special Christmas fairs before the holidays.
Christmas is celebrated in Italy similarly to other Western European countries, albeit with a stronger emphasis given by the media to the Christian meaning of the holiday and its celebration by the Roman Catholic Church, also reinforced by the still widespread tradition of setting up the presepe, a tradition initiated by Saint Francis of Assisi. On Christmas Eve ("Vigilia di Natale") dinner traditionally consists of seafood (even though the "feast of the seven fishes" is no longer widespread) and is followed by typical Italian Christmas sweets, such as pandoro, panettone and torrone. On midnight, tradition holds that presents are left for good-behaving children under the family Christmas tree either by Babbo Natale (literally "Father Christmas", the local name of Santa Claus in his common Coca Cola-inspired depiction) or by Gesù Bambino (baby Jesus) himself, and these will be opened on Christmas morning. Adults exchange gifts too, and if no children are present, these may be opened at midnight, after the Christmas Eve dinner, or when coming back home from the Midnight Mass, for those who attend it. Boxing day is also a bank holiday in Italy. The festivities naturally extend to the end of the year and then to the Epifania (Epiphany), which is more commonly called "la Befana", from the name of the benevolent hag who, over the night between the 5th and 6th of January, is said to bring sweets and gifts to good children, and charcoal to bad ones.
The present-giver in children's folklore in The Netherlands and Belgium is a Santa-ish character called Sinterklaas or Sint Nicolaas. Like Father Christmas in Germany, Sinterklaas is often accompanied by a black helper named Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) who punishes disobedient children. Sinterklaas wears a tall bishop's hat and carries a crooked staff. He is said to reside in Spain, and in mid-November he arrives by steamboat, an event which is often acted out in the many coastal communities of the Low Countries. Dutch children leave their shoes out on many nights in the run-up to the actual celebration, to find them filled with small treats in the morning. December 5 (The Netherlands) and December 6 (Belgium) are traditionally recognized as the main gift-giving days of the Low Countries, with December 25 being a lower-key, more religious event.
In recent years, the Dutch and Belgian popular cultures have also incorporated Santa Claus into their traditions, with him and Sinterklaas being recognized as two distinct characters.
Walloons call Sint Nicolaas Saint Nicolas and Zwarte Piet Père Fouettard (Whipping Father).
Large numbers of practicing Christians and others with a Christian background, attend church for Christmas. The Roman Catholic service is on Christmas Eve, while the Protestant churches usually conduct their Christmas service on 25 December. This service is usually kept somewhat simpler than normal services, with more attention on the children and the singing of famous old Christmas hymns. Since the late 20th century, some Protestant churches have held services on Christmas Eve. Due to a decline in church attendance in recent decades, many old churches have closed. However, as large numbers of people continue to attend Christmas church services, the remaining churches are often too small to accommodate all congregants.
In Spain, the Christmas holidays last from December 24 to January 6 and are referred to as "Navidad". Most homes and churches display a Nativity scene. A large family dinner is celebrated on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) and can last until 6 o' clock in the morning. Even though there is still the traditional Misa del Gallo at midnight, few Spaniards continue to follow the old custom of attending. Children will usually receive one or two presents on Christmas Day, brought by "Papá Noel" (Father Noel), which is a non-traditional imitation of the American Santa Claus. On December 31 (Nochevieja,) there is also a large family feast. On January 5, a huge parade (La Cabalgata or cavalcade) welcomes the Three Kings to the city. Children put their shoes in the window on January 5 in hopes that the Three Wise Men deliver them presents.
On Christmas Eve, traditional meals are prepared. In Yoruba, such meals usually include Iyan, (pounded yam) eba or amala, served with peppery stewed vegetables. People find themselves eating this same meal three to four times on that day, as they are offered it at every house they visit; and according to Yorùbá customs, it was considered rude to decline to eat when offered food. Other meals include rice served with chicken stew, which is a bit similar to the Indian curry stew. Some families would include a delicacy called Moin-moin; which is blended black eyed beans, mixed with vegetable oil and diced liver, prawns, chicken, fish and beef. The concoction is then wrapped in large leaves and then steamed until cooked.
Another tradition is that of decorating homes (compounds) and churches with both woven and unwoven palm fronds, Christmas trees and Christmas lights. There are the festive jubilations on the streets, the loud crackling of fireworks and luminous starry fire crackers going off, traditional masquerades on stilts parading about and children milling about displaying their best clothes, or Christmas presents. There are no other celebrations that compare to Christmas festivities in Nigeria, where everyone can personalize their own festival, and one family’s gusto merges with others; both physically and psychologically, creating a universe of fun and bonhomie.