Christmas has a different meaning to different people around the globe. Some observe age-old traditions of family gathering for a feast, exchanging gifts and attending mass on Christmas Eve. Some celebrate Christmas at other times of the year rather than on December 25. There are people who look forward to it and spend lavishly, while others observe the holiday in a simple way. For some people, this is the time to renew friendships and family ties, sending Christmas cards, letters, emails, voice mails, video greetings, SMS, phone calls or gifts. There are those that wish for special gifts while there are those that pray that they will have something good to eat, even if only on Christmas Day.
Observance of Christmas
Most people around the world look forward to Christmas, observing the holiday traditionally or extraordinarily. There are some though that treat it just like any other day, while some are either too jaded or do a Scrooge-y thing and say, “Bah, humbug!” There are moves to ban Christmas but these are isolated cases, as there is still a large majority that look forward to celebrating it, enjoying it and making full use of the holiday, whatever their culture, their language, their tradition and their religion. Some of the observances are quite unique.
Japan observes several religious traditions and most of them are related to Shinto and Buddhism, although the country practices religious freedom. So as unusual as Christmas may be for most Japanese, they do observe it, with a bucket or two of the colonel’s famous fried chicken for Christmas dinner. This is so popular orders should be placed weeks in advance.
Russia and Ukraine celebrate Christmas Day on the 7th of January as the Orthodox Church still follows the old Julian calendar for their religious celebrations. While most children leave cookies and milk for Mr. Claus, in Ireland it is a tradition to leave a bottle of Guinness and mince pie for jolly ol’ Santa. Streets in Caracas, Venezuela are closed to vehicular traffic on Christmas morning so that people can roller skate to Mass.
Germany’s observance of the Christmas holiday is quite long. The 6th of December is St. Nicholas Day and children leave a boot near the fireplace so that St. Nicholas can fill them with sweets if they are good or with twigs if they are bad.
Most people are used to seeing the traditional Christmas pine tree, fresh or artificial it may be, but in India, they decorate the banana plant or a mango tree for Christmas and many decorate their houses with leaves from the mango tree. Christians in Iraq spend Christmas Eve by gathering their family together and read about the birth of Jesus to children while members hold candles. Afterwards they burn a bonfire of thorn bushes. When the fire dies down, people jump three times on the ashes and wish for good luck.
And speaking of good luck and cheers:
Merry Christmas, Krismasi Njema, Eid Milad Majid, Vrolijk Kerstfeest, Sheng Dan Kuai Le, Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, Mele Kalikimaka, Selamat Natal, Buon Natale, Jeulgaeun krismas doeseyo, Meri Kurisumasu, Selamat Hari Natal, Maligayang Pasko, and Feliz Navidad
to each and every one!
Photo Credit: Merry Christmas in Different Languages
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