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All around the world Christmas is celebrated
by people of every nationality. Share
with us some of those traditions.
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Armenia
Christmas is celebrated on January 19. This is because they believe that Christ's birthday
should be celebrated on the same day as his baptism. Present day January 19 used to be
January 6 in the old Julian calendar. The Armenians prepare for Christmas with a fast.
They eat no animal food for a week and no food at all on the last day before Christmas.
The fast is broken only after the Christmas Eve service, when they return home to a dinner
of rice pilaf. The children then go onto the roofs with handkerchiefs and sing carols.
Adults fill up the handkerchiefs with presents of raisins or fried wheat or sometimes
money. There are also morning services on Christmas Day.
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Australia
As Australia was settled by the British, Christmas customs are
the descendants of the traditional British Christmas. As the weather is warm & no snow
there are no sleigh rides, or Yule logs, or any other comforts against the cold. The main
articles of decoration are the Christmas bell and the Christmas bush. After a hearty
afternoon feast, supper may be a picnic in the countryside or at the beach. One tradition
that is purely Australian began in 1937 by a radio announcer, Norman Banks who saw a
lonely old woman listening to Christmas carols on the radio while a lone candle burned
forlornly in her window. The following Christmas Eve he broadcast a great carol sing by
all who want to join in , from the Alexandra Gardens along the banks of Melbourne's main
river. "Carols by Candlelight" became a joyous annual event and was eventually
broadcast in many other countries around the world. Each year, more than a quarter of a
million people gather to sing carols and join hands at midnight for "Auld Lang
Syne." It is a great showing of community and Christmas spirit that is almost
unequaled anywhere else in the world.
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Austria
Christmas in Austria is a very musical time. Many of the world's greatest carols came from
here. December 6 is the day when St. Nicholas and his grotesque assistant, Krampus, may
pay a visit. But the gifts are brought on Christmas Eve by the Christkind. Sometimes the
Christkind will even help decorate the Christmas tree before the big Christmas Eve supper,
which will probably feature carp as a main course. Dinner on Christmas Day will be roast
goose with all the trimmings.
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Belgium
In Belgium, St. Nicholas pays two visits to each house. On
December 4 he comes to check into the behavior of each child, to find out if they have
been naughty or nice. Then on December 6 he returns with just rewards for all, either
presents or switches, which he leaves in the shoes or small baskets that have been placed
inside near the doorway, where he will easily find them. Just to get on his good side
there are snacks of hay, water and carrots left for his horse or donkey. Christmas Day is
reserved for religious celebrations & Nativity plays sponsored by the churches. They
are often performed in 16th century costumes. In small villages, there are
often three virtuous men chosen to portray the three Wise Men and go throughout the town,
caroling at each doors and receiving small gifts of food.
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Brazil
Christmas comes at the beginning of their summer season. It is a time for boating,
picnicking and other summer festivities. The red and green of Christmas decorations are
provided eucalyptus leaves and brilliant red flowers of many sorts. The
"pesebre", or manger scene is important and there is also a Christmas tree
decorated with candles. On Christmas Eve the "cena", or meal, is set out before
the family goes to Midnight Mass so that the Holy Family can have some if they wish while
everyone is out. A popular menu would include turkey, fish and champagne. Before going to
bed, the children set out their shoes for Papa Noel. On Christmas morning the children fix
breakfast, then get their presents from their shoes and look for gifts that are hidden
around the house. Christmas evening can be spent outdoors in the balmy weather and is a
great time for fireworks. The people of Northern Brazil, as in Mexico, enjoy a version of
the folk play Los Pastores ("The Shepherds.") In the Brazilian version, there
are shepherdesses rather than shepherds and a gypsy who attempts to kidnap the Christ
Child.
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Chile
Chile's gift-bringer is called Viejo Pascuero, or Old Man Christmas. He strongly resembles
Santa Claus and likewise comes drawn by reindeer. However, as chimneys are less than roomy
in this warm climate, he contents himself with climbing in a window. As in all Latin
America, the manger scene is the center of festivities; and following the midnight Mass of
the Rooster, the Christmas Eve meal often includes azuela de ave, a chicken soup filled
with potatoes, onions and corn on the cob; and pan de pasqua, a Christmas bread filled
with candies fruit.
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China
Christians in China celebrate by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and
decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper
chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese Children hang muslin stockings and
await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run)
which means "Christmas Old Man." Since the vast majority of the Chinese people
are not Christian, the main winter festival in China is the Chinese New Year, which takes
place toward the end of January. Now officially called the "Spring Festival," it
is a time when children receive new clothing, eat luxurious meals, receive new toys, and
enjoy firecracker displays. An important aspect of the New Year celebration is the worship
of ancestors. Portraits and paintings of ancestors are brought out and hung in the main
room of the home.
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Costa Rica
Bright, tropical flowers highlight decorations for Christmas. Special trips are made to
gather the wild orchids that bloom in the jungle areas. The manger scene is called a
portal and is decorated with these brilliant flowers and colorful fresh fruit. Wreaths of
cypress leaves and red coffee berries are very popular. The supper after Midnight Mass
will consist of tamales and other local dishes. Children used to leave their shoes out for
the Christ Child to fill, but Santa Claus is relieving Him of this task now.
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Denmark
The Christmas feast, in Denmark, is celebrated at midnight Christmas Eve. Everyone looks
forward to dessert when a special rice pudding is served in which a single almond is
hidden. Whoever finds the almond will have good luck for the coming year. The jolly
bringer of gifts is known as Julemanden and arrives in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, a sack
over his back. He is assisted with his Yuletide chores by elves called Juul Nisse, who are
said to live in attics. Children leave out saucers of milk or rice pudding for them and
are delighted to find the food gone on Christmas morning.
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Ecuador
Christmas Day is a day of colorful procession as the Indians who live and work in the
highlands and mountains dress in their finest and ride their brightly arrayed llamas down
to the ranches where their employers live. They bring gifts of fruit and produce, which
they lay before the image of the Christ Child in the pesebre, or manger scene, which is
set up in the ranch house. Children also bring their gifts and make pretty speeches to the
Holy Infant, asking blessings for their family and their animals. Then there is a fiesta
with much singing and dancing outdoors. The owner of the ranch distributes gifts to all
his employees and their families. The huge meal will consist of roast lamb, baked potatoes
and brown sugar bread. There is always too much to eat, so that the processions that wend
their way into the mountains at the end of the day are as heavily laden with leftovers as
they were with offerings in the morning.
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