Worldwide Celebrations That We May Not Know About
The festive spirit of Christmas has a variety of celebrations around the world. All traditions have some meanings that make them different from each other.
The Woman Post | Ana Victoria Servigna
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From stories, religion, food, or even Christmas characters, each country has its special folklore in which the holidays reflect the culture. The Christmas tradition around the world continues to be diversity, family, evergreens, and hope.
However, globalization has an impact on Christmas celebrations and certain aspects of other cultures can be acquired through communication channels such as television and cinema. Discovering the origins of Christmas in other countries with interesting facts can arouse curiosity about what makes us different and unique.
God Jul! in Swedish
Scandinavian countries have very similar ways of celebrating Christmas, this by honoring St Lucia each year of December 13th. In Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, this holiday is considered the beginning of the Christmas season and sometimes is referred to as "little Yule." For the day, the oldest daughter of the family wakes up early and is dressed up in a long white gown with a red sash and a crown with nine candles, and she is called "Lussi" for the day. Then the family eats breakfast in a room lighted with candles.
¡Feliz Navidad! in Spanish
Catholicism has a huge influence on Christmas traditions in almost all Latin American countries. Generally, it begins on December 16th and includes religious rituals such as masses that commemorate the events leading up to Jesus's birth. The night of December 24 is called "Noche Buena" and the family usually has dinner and waits until midnight to continue celebrating with all family members.
Joyeux Noël! in French
"Noel" is how French people called Christmas, and it comes from the phrase "les bonnes nouvelles" which means "the good news" and refers to the gospel. As a part of an ancient tradition in southern France, some people burn a log from Christmas until New Year's Eve in their homes to ensure good luck for the next year to come.
Also read: EACH RELIGION CELEBRATES SPECIAL TRADITIONS ON THESE HOLIDAYS
Maligayang Pasko! in Filipino
The city of San Fernando is the capital of Christmas in the Philippines thanks to its impactful decoration with a glowing "parol of star" ornament. During this season, groups of children go house to house singing carols to spread the spirit of celebration. They usually have customized musical instruments. Households are expected to give them a small amount of money in return.
The United States and Canada
Decorating a tree and exchanging presents, are the most common traditions that the United States export to other countries. However, in both US and Canada, traditions go beyond Christmas, thanks to its multicultural society. Celebrations like Hanukkah also take place in many families during this season.
Austria and Krampus Tradition
Besides the popular figure of Santa Claus, Austria has a less festive day of Christmas with an evil character named Krampus, who children are afraid of. Each year people dress up in their Krampus costumes and terrify people in Hollabrunns Market Square.
Australia: Summer Christmas
Christmas in Australia is linked to the summer holidays. Therefore, some celebration events take place on the beach with Santa dressed up with a summer version of his traditional outfit. They like to have barbecues outdoors and sing carol songs, instead of staying at home.
Each celebration represents society and how Christmas is perceived. Hence, its relevance seems to be globally equal in the majority of countries of the world.
