When you think of Christmas, you think of lights, trees, snow, Santa, and whatever you or others do on Christmas day. Christmas is observed as a public holiday in over 160 countries. But here in America, we mostly just see the Christmas around us; putting out a tray of cookies and milk for Santa, finding presents under the tree, and spending the day with family. But have you ever thought about what the other countries do on the most popular holiday in the world?
Obviously, these other countries have a white Christmas, right? Some countries, contrary to common assumptions, don’t experience a snowy Christmas. In lots of countries, their Christmas is in the dead of summer. Some being New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa. In these countries, a common sighting during Christmas would be people swimming at the beach with Santa hats on. That’s how they do it in the countries in the southern hemisphere. The seasons are flipped while the date of Christmas stays the same. But that is just a taste of what other countries do during this holiday.
Spain: Navidad In Spain, Santa Claus isn’t typically a acknowleged during Christmas. So who delivers presents? Kids believe that their presents are delivered by the Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men). Spanish children typically wait twelve days to receive their presents on January 6th, which marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas. A big tradition on the evening of January 5th is the Three Kings Parade. The Three Wise Men ride on decorative and intricate floats as they travel through the streets.
Then, there is El Gordo de la Primitiva, often simpily called El Gordo (The Fat Lottery) is a popular Christmas event in Spain. Millions of Spaniards will pick up multiple or one lottery ticket everywhere during this time of the year. On the morning of December 22nd, officials broadcast the winning lottery numbers. Two children pick wooden balls out of two giant rolling drums. This will decide who wins the money for the lottery.
The traditional Spanish foods during Christmas are seafood, roast lamb, or suckling pig. A common sweet is Turrón, a type of nougat made with almonds. You can find these foods everywhere during Christmas time. On January 6th, it is customary to eat Rascón de Reyes, which is a sweetened dough decorated with glazed fruits. Spain has so many unique traditions, but it has some of the same values as an American Christmas. Family gets together, food is eaten, and everyone celebrates this amazing holiday.
Germany: Weihnachten
Christmas trees are one of the most important parts of Christmas in Germany. Usually, the mother of the family will secretly decorate the tree if there are children in the family. There are two days of Christmas in Germany. The 25th and the 26th. Christmas Eve, however, is a hectic but exciting day in Germany. The tree is brought into the house, and the final decorations are set. The evening is really when the festivities start. Some families read the Bible, and others sing songs. On Christmas day, kids write letters for what they want for Christmas and put them on their window sill.
The markets in Germany are one of the coolest parts of the day. The markets give out Christmas foods and decorations. All of these markets are decorated with beautiful lights and colorful ornaments, making a wonderful Christmas scene.
Japan: クリスマス
Christmas in Japan is a celebration, but not a celebration of religious beliefs. Since the main religions of Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism, they don’t have religious connections to Christmas. It is intended to be a celebration of spreading happiness. It isn’t a national holiday, but with U.S. citizens coming into Japan, sending Christmas cards, and just the pure fame of the holiday, Japanese Christmas has grown in popularity. Due to the lack of turkey in Japan, the most common Christmas food is KFC fried chicken. It is easily the busiest time of year for KFC in Japan, because people all over the country wait in line for their delicious fried chicken.
People who celebrate Christmas usually celebrate it as a family, but in Japan, it is more common to celebrate the holiday as a couple. You will see two partners walking the festive streets and eating dinner together, instead of family gatherings.
Mexico: Navidad
For lots of Mexicans, December 12th to January 6th is a long and festive period all about celebrating Christmas. From the 16th to the 24th, Mexicans celebrate a nine-day festival called Las Posadas (Inns or Lodging). Each night, children march through the streets dressed as angels and ask for lodging. The houses normally will decline to give lodging. However, they often offer a drink called ponche, which is a fruit punch made with cinnamon, fruits like pears and apples, and sugar. The march keeps going until a home allows the kids to enter. Then, the celebration continues. There are common traditions that happen during this time. Usually, there is a big feast, a fun piñata game, and beautiful fireworks. All around Mexico, you can find intricate nativity scenes and lots of Christmas lights.
On Christmas Eve, churches will hold parades with colorful floats and designs. On the actual day of Christmas, you will hear singing, there will be lots of dancing, feasts, and lots of fireworks.
Although there are many different traditions and ways to celebrate Christmas, some countries like Israel, Egypt, and Mongolia mostly don’t even celebrate it. Not every country has Christian beliefs or ties, so it leads to them not celebrating Christmas.
There are so many places in the world with different cultures, people, beliefs, and traditions. Christmas is the same way. America is 1 out of 195 countries, and there are so many different stories and celebrations that happen every year that Americans haven’t even heard of. So when you think about Christmas, know that there are many more decorations, traditions, families, and ways to celebrate that don’t just happen in America.
