Christmas Celebrations Around The World
Christmas Celebrations Around the World!
Every culture that celebrates Christmas has its own festive traditions, much like many of us within our own families. Whether that be a specific dish or symbolic gift, the differing Christmas celebrations around the world are fascinating! Traditions can mean something different to everyone; sometimes, they give us a much needed sense of familiarity and comfort during an otherwise hectic season but others may find them restrictive or repetitive. It is often the meaning behind a tradition that sets the president for how people feel about it. As Christmas is a time for high spirits and good deeds, it is no surprise some festivities have been passed down through many generations.
Scandinavian countries have quite the repertoire when it comes to celebrating Christmas, with many of us in the UK now turning to Nordic design for decorative inspiration. The aesthetic of a Scandi Christmas appeals to the masses, but what are the not so well-known aspects of their celebrations? In Sweden, Norway and Finland the celebration of St. Lucia’s day marks a special part of the Christmas season. The festival of St. Lucia (or St. Lucy) begins with a procession led by a designee of the saint followed by girls dressed in white and wearing lighted wreath headpieces and boys dressed in pyjama-like white outfits. The event marks the beginning of the Christmas season and aims to bring hope and light to the darkest time of year. To commemorate St. Lucia within their own homes, families dress the eldest daughter in white and serve coffee and an array of baked goods: such as, saffron bread and ginger biscuits. This modern festival of light combines both elements of Pagan and Christian traditions stemming from the religious history of the Norse and is said to be one of the most uplifting times in the Nordic calendar.
Further South in Europe we encounter the Austrian Krampus Festival. During the first week of December, people dress as the folkloric creature Krampus and take part in a parade called the Krampuslauf (literally translating to Krampus run). The largest of these events in Austria is held in Munich where over 300 people dressed as the half-goat half-demon perform in front of thousands. The origin of Krampus is that he is the devilish counterpart of St. Nicholas and punishes children for misbehaving at christmastime. The lore explains that Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with presents left in shoes and stockings, whereas Krampus threatens to beat the bad with birch sticks - carrying away the worst offenders in a woven basket on his back. Nowadays the Krampus are more concerned with spreading festive cheer as they parade the streets merrily dancing and posing for selfies with watchers. The event attracts many spectators and participants alike as it keeps the culture of Norse folklore alive and encourages people from all over the globe to celebrate. So much so, the annual parades are now spreading across the world with some even cropping up in American cities.
The next tradition may come as a surprise to many but in Japan it is widely agreed that KFC is the perfect treat for Christmas day. It is rumoured that this tradition was born when a foreign customer bought a KFC for Christmas lunch as they couldn’t find anywhere to buy a turkey. KFC then adopted this as a marketing strategy for the campaigns in Japan using the slogan ‘Kentucky is Christmas’ and so the fried chicken tradition was made popular. Another reason for this seemingly random ritual is that Japan doesn’t have a Christian majority, therefore Christmas is not an official holiday. Residents can’t spend copious amounts of time cooking extravagant meals and instead opt for a low-maintenance, quick way to eat. It is reported that almost a third of KFC’s yearly sales take place on this day so there’s no wonder it’s advised to order your chicken in advance!
Moving over to Mexico, the Advent season prompts the revival of Las Pastorelas which are traditional Mexican folk plays performed during the festive months. The plays often recount the journey of a group of shepherds and shepherdesses to visit newborn baby Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The story details the temptations they faced on their voyage, put in their path by Luzbel (the Devil) and how they overcame the trials to make it to see their saviour. The Pastorelas are one of Mexico’s oldest traditions as they originated in Medieval Europe as religious dramas and brought to the “new world” by Spanish Missionaries. They are still performed to this day and are a true marker that Christmas is nearing.
Lastly, we look at Poland’s tradition of sharing the Oplatek wafer. The wafer gets passed among the people at the table along with their well wishes for each other. This ritual is a way of saying ‘I love you’ to those around the dinner table and is to be done out in the open so you express your care in front of others. The wafer is usually a small rectangle embossed with a festive scene such as the Nativity and is very similar to the bread wafer used in Holy Communion. The gesture of sharing (especially food) has long been one of the best ways to show you value someone so it is unsurprising that this tradition has been passed down through the generations. As it is such a meaningful tradition, it is easy to see why the wafer-sharing has also spread to tables across Lithuania, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
It is clear that there are many different ways to celebrate the festive season but they all highlight the importance of coming together and spreading light during this time. Christmas is a joyous event so whatever way you choose to spend it, make sure you remember to remain present and spread kindness - especially to those you feel may need it most (otherwise you might have to deal with the wrath of Krampus)!
Happy Holidays from all of us here at Vandu!!
