How do people celebrate Christmas around the World

Christmas in Kenya

This is my 8th Christmas in Africa and even after all this time, it never feels quite like Christmas to me.

In England, Christmas starts in October.  Decorations appear in shops, adverts start on TV and people start shopping for presents. By the time we reach December the country has worked itself into a frenzy. Most of December is dedicated to Christmas parties, carols burst from every shop and of course it’s mid winter, so it’s freezing cold.

In Kenya Christmas falls in the middle of summer, it feels wrong to spend Christmas day lying by a pool and strange to eat a hot Christmas meal when the weather calls for salad. Kenyans appreciate Christmas but don’t celebrate with such gusto. Christmas Day is spent eating Nyama Choma (BBQ) and partying with family and friend. The lack of cold weather and festivity  makes it the one time of year when I really miss being home.

But living abroad is embracing our differences.. Christmas is who you spend it with and not what you do. So here is a quick look at how other countries celebrate Christmas.

A Czech Republic Christmas

Sarka from Plzen Guide

Christmas in the Czech Republic begin already in the middle of November. I mean festive decoration in streets, the preparation of homes and huge choice of all kinds of Christmas goods in shops.

In this time majority of women start to bake small Christmas biscuits as on the picture. We love ginger breads, vanilla rolls, all kind of sweet stuff with jam, coconut and chocolate filling. The whole home smelts and everybody want to taste it.

We usually have a lot of parties before Christmas: kids in kindergarten and schools prepare with teachers special program for their parents, people meet with their colleagues and friends and all restaurants and pubs are full of joy.

People buy presents for their kids, family members and friends, small kids believe that they receive presents from Baby Jesus.

My home City Plzen has big Christmas tree every year. The lightening ceremony attracts especially small kids; we sing Christmas songs and visit traditional Christmas markets.

The BIG day comes on December 24. We have a festive dinner. Traditional Czech dinner is a fish soup and fried carp with potato salad. After the dinner we unpack our presents under the decorated Christmas tree and we eat all these Christmas biscuits.

Many people (I love it too) visit Christmas worship in Midnight.

A Philippine Christmas

Pam from Hey Miss, Adventures! 

The Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration, starting as soon as the -ber months roll around. By then, everyone (mostly radio stations and malls) has the permission to play the most popular Christmas songs. The celebration ends with the Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings, first Sunday of January.

As a predominantly Catholic country, it is a custom to attend the misa de gallo (dawn mass, around 3-4am) or Simbang Gabi (evening mass, around 6-7pm) in the next nine days before Christmas Day. It is said that when you complete all nine mornings, you can make a wish and it will come true.

Around December, establishments and houses will have already started their decorations. Streets, buildings and houses will be lined with Christmas lights and lanterns. In some areas, the government would hold a contest for the best Christmas decorations, often showcasing the nativity scene. Many huge malls will also have a fireworks display a day or two before Christmas.

By midnight of December 24th, the entire family will gather together to share in the Noche Buena (literally, Good Night). Most households will have lechon (roasted pig), ham, fruit salad and all sorts of native Filipino desserts. Friends, family and even neighbors will likely to drop by to greet the family a Merry Christmas.

A German Christmas

Ursula from My life in Flip Flops

In Germany Christmas starts already End of November. Then the first Christmas Markets open. It seems to be a must to go at least once to one of the countless markets, looking for presents, eat some sweets and drink also at least one Gluhwein ( =hot red wine). For most of us it is more than one.

At Christmas Eve everyone gets together with their family. Dressing up, packing the presents and meeting at one of the families places.

Children here don’t believe in Santa Claude, but in the Christkind (Christ Child). After a little bit of talking the Children go, looking for Christ Child if they can see it coming. When coming back the presents lie underneath the Christmas tree. Now everyone unpacks their presents. After trying out new toys or jewelery dinner is served. Traditionally potato salad with sausages. While the children are playing with new toys, the adults drink a bit wine and keep talking.

At Christmas itself we meet again with the whole family and either go out for lunch or stay home eating basically the whole day.

Christmas in Germany is a nice get together with the whole family where you eat as much as possible.

An Australian Christmas

Nithia Thomas at The Trailing Mom

Christmas in Australia is way too different than in any other country. Since it comes in summer, people prefer to go camping or to the beach when the sun shines. Bondi beach in Sydney is one of the popular destinations for Sydney-siders to celebrate Christmas.

But for us, nothing beats the simple yet cozy Christmas celebration at home. In my family, Christmas is a time for feasting and binge-eating traditional foods that we don’t get to eat usually. It is also a time when our friends and families come together to celebrate the joy of the season. Christmas is never complete without making a trip to see the lights and decorations in our neighborhood.

Weeks before Christmas, all cities in Australia will start decorating public spaces and shopping precincts with Christmas displays and Christmas trees. Most of the cities will host huge carols by the Candlelight services. The Christmas windows and Christmas light displays in each city is worth watching.

Christmas markets, Santa’s Photo Booths, Christmas playgrounds and Christmas events make the holiday season a memorable one. Since it coincides with the school holidays, there will be a lot of family fun carnivals and community activities added to the mix.

A German / Canadian Christmas

Oliver Froese blogger at Aciu Travel Tips for Europe

When asked the question, How do you celebrate Christmas in Canada? I often think about how I should answer that.

On Christmas Eve, we sing German Christmas carols and open gifts.

I bake traditional Christmas cookies from my mother’s recipes, like Lebkuchen, Vanillekipferl, and Heidesand.

But one thing we do is a dying tradition, even in Germany

We put candles on our Christmas tree. Yes, real candles. Oh, and yes we light them too. We have special candleholders and candles for the tree that we have brought from Germany. People almost get nervous when we invite them over to light the tree. Until they see it. A Christmas tree lit by candles is the most beautiful thing you will ever see.

We all identify with our heritage in Canada. Whether our family has been here five months or five generations. We all still incorporate holiday traditions from around the world. A meal with neighbours or friends could include foods like Ukrainian cabbages rolls, German Rouladen, and Dutch Kerstbrood.

So how do we celebrate Christmas in Canada?

There is nothing more Canadian than celebrating where we come from and sharing that with others. That is a truly what a Canadian Christmas is.

An English Christmas

Bradley from DreamBigTravelFar

In England, Christmas Day has to be the most celebrated and most highly anticipated day of the year. Sure, I may be in my mid-twenties now, but I still feel like a kid again once December rolls around and you start hearing festive songs on the radio. Some classic ways of celebrating Christmas in the UK involves caroling, listening to the queen’s speech on Christmas Day and heading to mass on Christmas Eve.

 Christmas morning is usually spent unwrapping Christmas presents from under the tree. As well as marveling at the crumbs that Santa and his elves left behind the night before after eating the snacks you left out for them. A big Christmas meal is a key part of the day and you’ll find everyone gathered around the table, pulling crackers, reading corny jokes and wearing paper hats.

Personally, I like to think of Christmas in England as more than just one day. And I think many others feel the same. Christmas Eve and Boxing Day are equally as important for many families, as they are a key time when you head off and meet up with aunts, uncles, grandparents and other relatives. Many of whom you won’t then see again until the following Christmas. Ultimately, this togetherness is in itself a key Christmas tradition in the UK.

Christmas in La Vegas

The Christmas season is a month-long holiday celebration, which starts on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, all the way until Three Kings’ Day on January 6. It’s usually marked by eating turron, a honey and almond confection that comes in the shape of a brick. Turron can be hard and brittle made of almonds or soft, called xixona, and it’s often shared as an afternoon snack. The Spanish also prepare for the national Christmas lottery, El Gordo, the largest lottery game in the world! Ticket prices are expensive, so often schools, businesses, and even whole villages put their money together in hopes they win the jackpot, which is drawn on December 22. On Christmas Eve, we celebrate with a feast dinner together eating roast lamb or even fresh shrimp. Christmas Day is a day spent with the family, but it’s not the most important day for presents: kids and families await January 5, the Eve of Three Kings’ Day. This is when the Magi sneak in the homes and leave presents in each family member’s shoes that they’ve set out the night before. On January 6, the family shares a roscon de reyes, a delicate round cake with a prize inside, like a figurine of one of the Three Kings. The Christmas holiday in Spain is extensive but gives us more time to be festive!

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