What does Christmas mean to you? Maybe it's your whole family gathering around the fireplace while a decorated tree glitters in the background. Christmas traditions vary greatly from continent to continent, but you don't have to travel the world to experience them. Below are some international Christmas traditions that you may want to adopt at home. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in other countries here!
On Christmas Eve in Bulgaria there must always be an odd number of dishes on the table. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church recommends 13 dishes – all vegetarian – and the odd number represents good luck. Vegetables such as stuffed peppers, but also fruit and walnuts are usually on the table on Christmas Eve. There is also a pitka (a round bread) with a coin inside and custom says that whoever finds the coin will be lucky. After eating, you should not clear the plates immediately, as it is customary for the hosts to leave the table as it is overnight. This is intended to provide nourishment for the spirits of ancestors who come to visit before Christmas morning.
Christmas Eve may be vegetarian, but on Christmas Day a large feast is served with a main dish of meat, usually pork. AExchange of giftson Christmas morning is very common in Bulgarian families. Santa Claus, who visits the children on December 25th and brings gifts, is called Djado Koleda, which means Grandfather Christmas. The Koledari, the Christmas singers, go from house to house through the villages. These groups typically consist of young men in traditional costumes, which vary from region to region. The Koledari performances, which begin at midnight on Christmas Eve, are carefully prepared. This tradition is said to protect against evil spirits. The Koledari are rewarded with food for their services.
How is Christmas celebrated in Venezuela?
In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, crowds of city dwellers make their way to mass on roller skates every year on Christmas morning. The tradition has become so well established that many city streets are closed to traffic starting at 8 a.m. so that the skating community can get to church safely. It is even said that children sleep with one lace of their skates tied around their toe, while the other dangles out the window so that their friends can wake them up with a friendly tug on the lace.
Christmas traditions and customs – festive sauna in Finland
Many houses in Finland are equipped with their own sauna and at Christmas time this cozy place becomes a sacred place associated with long-dead ancestors. On Christmas Eve, it is customary to strip naked and take a long and respectful bath in the sauna, which is also said to be the home of the legendary sauna elf. After the sauna, the Finns head off to the evening festivities.
Christmas in other cultures: Shoes with carrots in the Netherlands
Every year in the days leading up to December 25th, Dutch children eagerly place their shoes in front of the fire in the hope that Sinterklaas will wear them at nightwith small giftsand fills with treats. Traditionally, carrots are left in the shoes for Sinterklaa's loyal horse, a gray horse named Amerigo. Naughty children used to get a potato instead of a gift, but potato punishment is no longer considered an appropriate deterrent tactic.
Christmas traditions worldwide – KFC chicken in Japan
This tradition has only recently been celebrated and is very popular in Japan. Although Christmas isn't exactly a big holiday in Japan, some people celebrate the holiday with a feast consisting of nothing more than buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken. The brand even offers Christmas-themed buckets to celebrate this tradition.
Christmas in other countries: This is how Americans celebrate
This tradition has its origins in Germany. A glass cucumber tree decoration is hidden in a Christmas tree. Someone hides the tree ornament deep in the branches of the tree and the person who discovers the cucumber at some point during the holiday season receives an additional gift or good luck for the coming year.
Christmas customs in different countries – Poland
The traditional Christmas meal in Poland is Wigilia. The Wigilia, which takes place on Christmas Eve, is derived from the Latin word “to watch”. Families in Poland believe that what happens during the Wigilia celebrations predicts the coming year.
How the Italians celebrate
Italian families celebrate Christmas Eve with the Feast of the Seven Fishes andeat during the holidaysLentils to ensure luck and wealth for the coming year. The children in Italy receive gifts from La Befana at Christmas, but this happens on the eve of January 5th. According to popular belief, an old woman visits all the children of Italy to fill their stockings with sweets and leave them gifts if they have been good.
Broom and mop in Norway
You may have already hidden your brooms and mops when you don't feel like cleaning, but in Norway they take them out for a Christmas tradition. Norwegian folklore advises hiding brooms and mops on Christmas night to prevent evil spirits who return to earth on Christmas from taking the cleaning tools and flying through the sky with them.
Christmas in other countries – surfing in Australia
In Australia, Christmas means surfing and lots of it. Then people celebrate summer while we are freezing here in Germany. Santa Claus arrives at the beach on a surfboard instead of a sleigh and after catching a few waves, people celebrate with a Christmas barbecue.
