Bright Horizons is a community of various cultures, customs, traditions and religious festivals. Our pupils come from all around the world, so we also learn about, for example, Hanukkah and the Chinese New Year. During this time of holidays, our pupils did some research into how various cultures celebrate the holidays. Here's what Tilda discovered about Christmas traditions...
China
In China, only about one percent of people are Christians, so most people only know a few things about Christmas. In these big cities there are Christmas Trees, lights and other decorations on the streets and in department stores. Santa Claus is called 'Shengdan Laoren' (old Christmas Man) and has grottos in shops like in Europe and America. In Chinese Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Sheng Dan Kuai Le or 圣诞快乐' in Mandarin and 'Seng Dan Fai Lok or 聖誕快樂' in Cantonese.
Germany
Several different types of Advent calendars are used in German homes. As well as the traditional one made of card that are used in many countries, there are ones made out of a wreath of Fir tree branches with 24 decorated boxes or bags hanging from it with presents inside. Christmas Trees are very important in Germany. They were first used in Germany during the late Middle Ages.
Hungary
The main Christmas meal, which is also eaten on Christmas Eve, consists of fish (often fish soup called 'Halászlé' which is made with carp or other freshwater fish) and a special kind of poppy bread/cake called 'Beigli' is a popular dessert. St. Nicholas also visits Hungary on the 6th December. In Hungary he is known as 'Mikulás'. Children leave out shoes or boots on a windowsill to be filled with goodies! Presents might also be brought by Télapó (Old Winter Man). In Hungarian Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Boldog karácsonyt' (Happy Christmas) or 'Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket' (pleasant Christmas holidays).
India
Compared to other religious festivals, Christmas is quite a small festival in India, due to the number of people who are Christians (about 2.3%) compared to people who belong to other religions. Midnight mass is a very important service for Christians in India, especially Catholics. The whole family will walk to the mass and this will be followed by a massive feast of different delicacies, and the giving and receiving of presents. Many different languages are spoken in India. In Hindi Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Śubh krisamas' (शुभ क्रिसमस); in Bengali 'shubho bôṛodin' (শুভ বড়দিন); in Tamil it's 'kiṟistumas vāḻttukkaḷ' (கிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்); in Konkani it's 'Khushal Borit Natala'; in Punjabi it's 'karisama te nawāṃ sāla khušayāṃwālā hewe' (ਕਰਿਸਮ ਤੇ ਨਵਾੰ ਸਾਲ ਖੁਸ਼ਿਯਾੰਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ). Instead of having traditional Christmas Trees, a banana or mango tree is decorated (or whatever tree people can find to decorate!).
Italy
One of the most important ways of celebrating Christmas in Italy is the Nativity crib scene. Using a Nativity scene to help tell the Christmas story was made very popular by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 (Assisi is in mid-Italy). A lot of Italian families have a Nativity scene in their homes. On Christmas Eve, it's common that no meat (and also sometimes no dairy) is eaten. Often a light seafood meal is eaten and then people go to the Midnight Mass service. The types of fish and how they are served vary between different regions in Italy. Common types of fish eaten in the feast include Baccala (salted Cod), Clams, Calamari, Sardines and Eel.
South Korea
Unlike Japan, Christmas is an official public holiday in South Korea - so people have the day off work and school! But they go back on the 26th. There's a longer official winter break in the New Year. Presents are exchanged and a popular present is money! Giving actual gifts has become more popular, but giving money is still very common. Santa Claus can also be seen around Korea but he might be wearing red or blue! Happy/Merry Christmas in Korean is 'Meri krismas' (메리 크리스마스) or 'seongtanjeol jal bonaeyo' (성탄절 잘 보내요) or 'Jeulgaeun krismas doeseyo' (즐거운 크리스마스 되세요).
Switzerland
Christmas in Switzerland shares many of the customs from its neighbors Germany and Austria. But it has many traditions of its own! Advent calendars and crowns are both popular. Christmas markets are very popular in towns and cities where you can buy all kinds of Christmas foods and decorations. The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve and popular foods include a Christmas ham and scalloped potatoes with melted cheese and milk baked into it. Dessert is often a walnut cake and Christmas cookies. In Switzerland St Nicholas is known as 'Samichlaus' and he might visit you on 6th December. You might also be fortunate enough to have some presents from the baby Jesus (or Father Christmas) on the 25th and on Epiphany (6th January) you might be visited by the Befana (in South Switzerland) and/or the Three Kings (in the rest of Switzerland). And in the Canton of Jura, it might be 'Tante Arie' (a figure like Befana who's based on a real Countess from the 12th and 13th centuries). That's a lot of present bringers!
Spain
Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena. In the days before Nochebuena, children might take part in 'piden el aguinaldo' where they go and sing carols around their neighbors hoping to get some money! Most families eat their main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve before the service. The traditional Spanish Christmas dinner was 'Pavo Trufado de Navidad' which is Turkey stuffed with truffles or 'Pularda asada' (a roasted young hen), although they are not commonly eaten now. Popular desserts and sweets include 'mazapán' (made of almonds, sugar and eggs), 'turrón' (made of honey and toasted almonds) and 'polvorones' (made of flour, butter and sugar).
UK
In the UK (or Great Britain and Northern Ireland), families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each other open their presents! Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularized the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Thousands of people go to watch the big 'switch on' around the beginning of November. In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It's normally roast turkey, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means vegetables like carrots & peas, stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. It's often served with cranberry sauce and bread sauce.
Ukraine
Christmas in Ukraine is now officially celebrated on the 25th of December. Previously, Christmas had traditionally been celebrated on the 7th of January as many of Ukraine's Orthodox churches had historic connections with the Russian Orthodox church, which celebrates Christmas on the 7th January. The change of calendar has also moved St Nicholas's Day to December 6th. Many children in Ukraine will get gifts from St Nicholas (known as Svyatyi Mykolai) on St Nicholas's Eve (now the 5th). Some children also might get presents from Did Moroz / Дід Мороз (Grandfather Frost) on New Year's Eve. In Ukrainian Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Веселого Різдва' Veseloho Rizdva (Merry Christmas). The main Christmas meal, called 'Sviata Vecheria' (or Holy Supper) is eaten on Christmas Eve which is known as Sviatyi Vechir (Святий вечір) or Sviatvechir (Святвечір) "Holy Evening".
Croatia
In Croatia, preparations for Christmas start on 25th November which is St Catherine's day.
As well as St Catherine's day, other saints days are celebrated in Advent in Croatia. On the 4th December it's St Barbara's Day; on the 6th December it's St Nicholas's Day and on 13th December it's St Lucia's/Lucy's day. On St Nicholas's Eve (5th), children clean their shoes/boots and leave them in the window. They hope that St Nicholas will leave them chocolates and small presents in their boot. If children have been naughty, Krampus (a big monster with horns who sometimes travels with St Nicholas!) leaves them golden twigs to remind them to behave. In Croatian Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Sretan Božić'. The main Christmas Day is often turkey, goose or duck.
(resource: https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/ )
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