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How Christmas is Celebrated around the World 2016/12/24

 

Let’s start by discovering the Christmas celebrations!

In Europe the Christmas markets tradition is really strong: stores and artists display all kinds of products on wooden stands with the shape of little houses built for the occasion. To make the cold more bearable hot chocolate and hot wine with a taste of spices and citruses is drank. Live recreations of the Nativity scene in traditional costumes are also common during the Christmas season.

In Finland the ageless snowy landscape bestows a sensation of Christmas in the air that breathes during the year. In the city of Rovaniemi, in the region of Lapland, at the north of the State, the headquarters of Santa Claus’s Villa is located, around 300 thousand visitors come each year from around the world to visit it.

In Russia, traditionally orthodox country, after a period of fasting for 40 days, Jesus’s birth is symbolized by the first star that appears in the sky the night of the 6th of January. For the occasion 12 dishes are eaten (excluding meat) in honor to Christ’s apostles. The head of the family opens the celebration with a prayer; meanwhile the mother draws with honey a cross on the forehead of those who are present. Bread soaked in honey and minced garlic is eaten, to symbolize the sweetness and bitterness of life. The real Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January.

Whereas in the Far East Christmas has no Christian religious foundation: simply the streets of the biggest cities in China are decorated and also parties are organized where Santa Claus gives gifts to the little ones.

In Japan, congratulatory cards are exchanged which symbolize harmony around the world. There is a Japanese version of Santa Claus called Hoteiosho: who is one of the seven divinities of fortune represented by a Buddhist chubby monk, with a bag filled with gifts and who has eyes behind his head to see how the children behave.

Mexico is a country with strong Christmas traditions.

On the night of Christmas Eve a piñata is organized, a container filled with peanuts, citruses and candy, which is broken by a family member with a blindfold. The piñata represents the sin, who breaks it is faith and the contents are the blessings for those who are free of sin. Gifts are exchanged on the 6th of January, symbolically brought by the Three Wise Men (Wizard Kings).

In all of the United States Christmas is strongly characterized by greatness: trees, lights, shopping, and food. The search for gifts begins on Black Friday (which is the first Friday after Thanks Giving Day) and continues until the 24th of December.

America, being the melting pot of the world, has Christmas traditions of every type that honor each creed of each habitant!

We finish our travels in Australia and South America, where Christmas falls in mid summer and is celebrated on the beach or with outdoor barbecues.

It doesn’t matter how you celebrate Christmas, my wish is that it brings you everything you wish for!

 
Posted in: Curiosities

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