Christmas is a widely known holiday throughout the United States, but it is also a holiday celebrated in many other cultures. The tradition of Christmas in the United States is the staple of Santa Claus visiting homes all around the world on Christmas Eve, families gathering around a Christmas tree opening presents in the morning, and enjoying a feast likely consisting of: ham, cranberry sauce, gingerbread, mashed potatoes, casseroles, etc. But how do other cultures celebrate Christmas?
Another widely known holiday around Christmas is Hanukkah, which is celebrated by Jewish communities. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights and eight days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev (the Jewish calendar). The Menorah (candelabra) of Hanukkah consists of eight candles, one lit each night of Hanukkah, and the last candle (sitting higher above the rest) called the Shammash which is lit on the final night of the festival. Hanukkah festivities can include singing songs, playing Dreidel (a four sided spinning top), and eating oil based foods such as latkes (potato pancakes), and sufganiyot (jelly doughnut). Since the 70s, the Chabad Hasidic (a philosophy that focuses on religious and spiritual concepts) movement has initiated public menorah lightings in open public places.
Christmas traditions in Canada are largely similar to those of the U.S., with some influences from the United Kingdom, and newer traditions from other European countries. The traditional meal can include roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and winter vegetables; with mince pies (pastry’s filled mincemeat), plum pudding, and Christmas cake for dessert. The hanging of stockings to be filled by Santa Claus, and decorating Christmas trees is evident; however, through the Canada Post, kids address thousands of letters to Santa Claus each year using the postal code HOH OHO. Canada is a cold, dark place in winter so lights are often put up in public places and residential houses. Many places in Canada have celebrations that include light events such as: the Cavalcade of Lights Festival in Toronto, the Montreal Christmas Fireworks, and the Bright Nights in Stanley Park, Vancouver.
Radio stations play Christmas music as early as October in Jamaica. Jamaicans paint their houses, hang new curtains, and put up Pepper Lights (the name for Christmas lights) on trees. The traditional Jamaican Christmas meal includes ackee (a type of apple), saltfish (dried cod), breadfruit (a fruit in the jackfruit family), fried plantains, boiled bananas, freshly squeezed fruit juice and tea for breakfast; chicken, curried goat, stewed oxtail, rice and gungo peas for dinner. For dessert, sorrel (wine) drink and a Jamaican rum fruit cake along with red wine. Many people attend church Christmas Eve or Christmas morning for a worship service. Or some people go to walk with family and friends in the Christmas Eve Grand Market and shop until 2 or 3 a.m.
Christmas is a mandatory holiday in Mexico, and workers are allowed to have the day off with pay. Christmas in Mexico is filled with over thirty traditions only found in Mexican Christmas. Over nine days in a tradition called Posadas (inn) groups of townspeople go from door to door like the parents of the baby Jesus looked for shelter to pass the night when they arrived at Bethlehem and are called inside homes to participate in the breaking of a candy-filled piñata. Mexican Christmas celebrations start on December 12 with the feast of La Guadalupana (Our Lady of Guadalupe), and end on January 6 with the Feast of the Epiphany.
Christmas occurs during the height of the summer season in Australia (as well as all the Southern Hemisphere). Christmas Day and Boxing day, occurring on December 25-26, are recognized as public holidays in Australia, and workers are eligible to a day off with pay. American traditions like Santa Claus riding on a sleigh, carols, and Christmas cards appear in the middle of summer. A Christmas event in Australia is Carols by Candlelight, an annual concert and charity, benefiting the charity Vision Australia (a non-profit organization for people with blindness or low vision).
In the United Kingdom Christmas decorations are put up in shops and town centers as early as November. Every year Norway donates a giant Christmas tree to the British-which is put up in Trafalgar Square-as a thank you for helping during WWII. Mince pies are traditionally sold during Christmas, and are a popular food for Christmas. The two names: Father Christmas and Santa Claus are interchangeably used by British people. The majority of families open their presents on Christmas Day, but the Royal Family is an exception-they open their gifts on Christmas Eve because of the German tradition introduced by the Hanoverians.
Particularly in Catholic regions of western and southern Germany, the Christkind (Christ Child) is invisible and is never seen by anyone, comes to the homes of families planting gifts under the tree, and rings a bell on his way out to let children know there are gifts under the tree. It is a tradition to decorate a Christmas tree in days leading up to Christmas, or on the morning of Christmas Eve. Protestant Churches offer a late service in the afternoon immediately preceding the Christmas Eve meal and exchanging of gifts.
In Nigeria, Christmas Day is a public holiday always marked by the emptying of towns and cities of Nigerians who have been successful in returning to their ancestral villages. People crowd in the West African markets to buy and transport live chickens, goats, and cows that are for Christmas meals. All Nigerians prepare various meats in large quantities, however dishes in each region can vary. A dish called jollof rice (rice seasoned with multiple seasonings) is served with stews, boiled beans, and fried plantains; and a favored dish in both the north and the south is a pepper soup with: fish, goat, or beef, and may also be served with fufu (pounded yam). Gifts in Nigeria often involve money and the flow of gifts from those fortunate and less fortunate.
Many cultures in many regions of the world celebrate Christmas differently, but some similarly. Looking between America, Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, and Nigeria, and even Hanukkah, everyone has their own way of celebrating Christmas.
