CHRISTMAS
AROUND THE WORLD
G'day folks,
Merry Christmas to you all. Ever wonder what other nationalities do at this time of the year?
Christmas as we know it today is a Victorian invention of
the 1860s. Probably the most celebrated holiday in the world. Our modern
Christmas is a product of hundreds of years of both secular and religious
traditions from around the globe. Today, discover the origins of Christmas traditions
from around the world, like the Yule log, caroling and how Christmas is
celebrated “Down Under.”
Sweden: ‘God Jul!’
Most
people in Scandinavian countries honor St. Lucia (also known as St. Lucy) each
year on December 13. The celebration of St. Lucia Day began in Sweden, but had
spread to Denmark and Finland by the mid-19th century.
In these countries, the holiday is considered the beginning
of the Christmas season and, as such, is sometimes
referred to as “little Yule.” Traditionally, the oldest daughter in each family
rises early and wakes each of her family members, dressed in a long, white gown
with a red sash, and wearing a crown made of twigs with nine lighted candles.
For the day, she is called “Lussi” or “Lussibruden (Lucy bride).” The family
then eats breakfast in a room lighted with candles.
Any shooting or
fishing done on St. Lucia Day was done by torchlight, and people brightly
illuminated their homes. At night, men, women, and children would carry torches
in a parade. The night would end when everyone threw their torches onto a large
pile of straw, creating a huge bonfire. In Finland today, one girl is chosen to
serve as the national Lucia and she is honored in a parade in which she is
surrounded by torchbearers.
Light is a main theme of St. Lucia Day, as her name, which
is derived from the Latin word lux, means light. Her feast day is
celebrated near the shortest day of the year, when the sun’s light again begins
to strengthen. Lucia lived in Syracuse during the fourth century when
persecution of Christians was common. Unfortunately, most of her story has been
lost over the years. According to one common legend, Lucia lost her eyes while
being tortured by a Diocletian for her Christian beliefs. Others say she may
have plucked her own eyes out to protest the poor treatment of Christians.
Lucia is the patron saint of the blind.
Finland: ‘Hyvää Joulua!’
Many
Finns visit the sauna on Christmas Eve. Families gather and listen to the
national “Peace of Christmas” radio broadcast. It is customary to visit the
gravesites of departed family members.
Norway: ‘Gledelig Jul!’
Norway is
the birthplace of the Yule log. The ancient Norse used the Yule log in their
celebration of the return of the sun at winter solstice. “Yule” came from the
Norse word hweol, meaning wheel. The Norse believed that the sun was a
great wheel of fire that rolled towards and then away from the earth. Ever
wonder why the family fireplace is such a central part of the typical Christmas
scene? This tradition dates back to the Norse Yule log. It is probably also
responsible for the popularity of log-shaped cheese, cakes, and desserts during
the holidays.
Germany: ‘Froehliche Weihnachten!’
Decorating
evergreen trees had always been a part of the German winter solstice tradition.
The first “Christmas trees” explicitly decorated and named after the Christian
holiday, appeared in Strasbourg, in Alsace in the beginning of the 17th
century. After 1750, Christmas trees began showing up in other parts of Germany,
and even more so after 1771, when Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited Strasbourg
and promptly included a Christmas tree is his novel, The Suffering of Young
Werther. In the 1820s, the first German immigrants decorated Christmas
trees in Pennsylvania.
After Germany’s Prince Albert married Queen Victoria,
he introduced the Christmas tree tradition to England. In 1848, the first
American newspaper carried a picture of a Christmas tree and the custom spread
to nearly every home in just a few years.
Mexico: ‘Feliz Navidad!’
In 1828,
the American minister to Mexico,
Joel R. Poinsett, brought a red-and-green plant from Mexico to America. As its
colouring seemed perfect for the new holiday, the plants, which were called poinsettias
after Poinsett, began appearing in greenhouses as early as 1830. In 1870, New York stores
began to sell them at Christmas. By 1900, they were a universal symbol of the
holiday.
In
Mexico, papier mache sculptures called pinatas are filled with candy and coins
and hung from the ceiling. Children then take turns hitting the pinata until it
breaks, sending a shower of treats to the floor. Children race to gather as
much of of the loot as they can.
England: ‘Merry Christmas!’
An
Englishman named John Calcott Horsley helped to popularize the tradition of
sending Christmas greeting cards when he began producing small cards featuring
festive scenes and a pre-written holiday greeting in the late 1830s. Newly
efficient post offices in England and the United States made the cards nearly
overnight sensations. At about the same time, similar cards were being made by
R.H. Pease, the first American card maker, in Albany, New York, and Louis
Prang, a German who immigrated to America in 1850.
Plum pudding is an English dish dating back to the Middle Ages. Suet, flour, sugar, raisins, nuts, and spices are tied loosely in cloth and boiled until the ingredients are “plum,” meaning they have enlarged enough to fill the cloth. It is then unwrapped, sliced like cake, and topped with cream.
Caroling also began in England. Wandering musicians would travel from town to town visiting castles and homes of the rich. In return for their performance, the musicians hoped to receive a hot meal or money.
In the United States and England, children hang stockings on their bedpost or near a fireplace on Christmas Eve, hoping that it will be filled with treats while they sleep. In Scandinavia, similar-minded children leave their shoes on the hearth. This tradition can be traced to legends about Saint Nicholas. One legend tells of three poor sisters who could not marry because they had no money for a dowry. To save them from being sold by their father, St. Nick left each of the three sisters gifts of gold coins. One went down the chimney and landed in a pair of shoes that had been left on the hearth. Another went into a window and into a pair of stockings left hanging by the fire to dry.
France: ‘Joyeux Noël!’
In
France, Christmas is called Noel. This comes from the French phrase les
bonnes nouvelles, which means “the good news” and refers to the gospel.
In
southern France, some people burn a log in their homes from Christmas Eve until
New Year’s Day. This stems from an ancient tradition in which farmers would use
part of the log to ensure good luck for the next year’s harvest.
Italy: ‘Buon Natale!’
Italians
call Chrismas Il Natale, meaning “the birthday.”
Australia
In
Australia, the holiday comes in the middle of summer and it’s not unusual for
some parts of Australia to hit 100 degrees Farenheit on Christmas day.
During
the warm and sunny Australian Christmas season, beach time and outdoor
barbecues are common. Traditional Christmas day celebrations include family
gatherings, exchanging gifts and either a hot meal with ham, turkey, pork or
seafood or barbeques.
Ukraine: ‘Srozhdestvom Kristovym!’
Ukrainians
prepare a traditional twelve-course meal. A family’s youngest child watches
through the window for the evening star to appear, a signal that the feast can
begin.
Canada
Most
Canadian Christmas traditions are very similar to those practiced in the United
States. In the far north of the country, the Eskimos celebrate a winter
festival called sinck tuck, which features parties with dancing and the
exchanging of gifts.
Greece: ‘Kala Christouyenna!’
In
Greece, many people believe in kallikantzeri, goblins that appear to
cause mischief during the 12 days of Christmas. Gifts are usually exchanged on
January 1, St. Basil’s Day.
Central America
A manger
scene is the primary decoration in most southern European, Central American,
and South American nations. St. Francis of Assisi created the first living
nativity in 1224 to help explain the birth of Jesus to his followers.
Jamestown, Virginia
According
to reports by Captain John Smith,
the first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in his 1607 Jamestown
settlement. Nog comes from the word grog, which refers to any drink made with
rum.
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Clancy's comment: Merry Christmas, and thank you to all those who agreed to be interviewed on my blog this year. Many thanks also to all of you who follow this blog.
What am I doing on this day? Well, I'm doing what I did last year. I'm helping out at a community Christmas lunch for all those who have no one to share Christmas. It's hard work but very satisfying.
Love ya work!
I'm ...
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