Christmas Practices Around the World

Christmas is a popular celebration around the world. While each family or community has their own customs, there are specific regional practices that are very detailed and differ widely from region to region.

In Italy, from the south of Rome, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner is that of seven fish. All through Italy, the Christmas Eve feasts are traditionally meatless, given that it is a day of abstinences in the Catholic Church. One more fantastic Italian culinary Christmas tradition is that of the Milanese Panattone. A sweet bread laden with raisins, candied fruits and nuts. It is just the thing for breakfast and makes incredible French toast.

Just north of Italy is Germany, where there is an abundant tradition of the outdoor Christmas Markets. In spite of the cold temperatures German families go outside to shop for traditional Christmas goodies and to enjoy regional specific Christmas goodies. This tradition started back to the 14th Century. The markets open at the end of November and stay open up until Christmas Eve.

One German tradition is that of Gluehwein and Stollen. Spiced Wine and the usual German Christmas cake, overloaded with raisins and nuts and coated in a sugar glaze are a time honored Christmas delicacy in German homes.

In Greece, Christmas is celebrated exactly on December 25, not like the celebration of Easter, which goes after the Orthodox calendar. While Christmas in Greece is very significant, it is a much more formal holiday than in the West and therefore there are less extravagant decorations and more centered on the religious nature of the holiday.

In England the custom of Wassailing came from the middle ages. Wassil, a heady mix of honey, ale and spices, is finest when shared among a group. Served in a bowl or huge pewter or wooden mug, it would be passed around the people in the group as a form welcome. Customarily, the bowl would be passed on from house to house celebrate and share a holiday greeting.

In England, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. Conventionally and traditionally a day set aside for the poor, it has presently become a national holiday in England. Back in the 18th century and onwards, the Lord and Lady of the manor would "box" up their leftovers and small gifts to give to the servants of the manor house and tenants on their land. Since most of the household servants and other poorly paid workers would be necessary to work on Christmas Day, Boxing Day was the day to visit their family to give small tokens among tradesmen like the postman or the milkman. Families would often gather around to play board games and share a meal, and enjoying a walk.

In Mexico the celebration of Christmas started on December 16th with the nine days of Las Posadas. Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration, which consist of candle lit processions and bubbly parties. Another great Christmas tradition is the Shepard's play. Professional groups and amateurs put on these plays of the Christmas stories.

In Mexican houses, the foremost Christmas decoration is the Nativity Scene. It is frequently handcrafted and assembled over the course of the season.

In Brazil, the custom of Las Posadas is also generally practiced, it differs only in the Brazilian version of the play, where a shepherdess who is following the star and a gypsy woman who has plans on stealing the figure of the Christ child from the nativity scene.

Brazil has a wide range of cultural history and a lot of their traditions differ widely by region, based upon immigration patterns. The same thing is true for Australia. It is also important to note that both of these multicultural countries experiences summer rather than winter during December. Families celebrate Christmas by dining outdoors and enjoy the rich sunshine and warm temperatures.

In India, though Christians are a small group, Christmas is still celebrated and is a good mixture of British customs from the colonial period and rich regional additions. In several areas banana trees and mango trees are adorned with lights. Greetings are exchanged with neighbors and parties are hosted. In metropolitan areas, hotels and nightclub host office and families parties.

In Japan, there is only a small number of Christians in the country – approximately 1% of the whole population, however Christmas is celebrated nonetheless. For Christians the exchanging gifts with family members are not much practiced but are more centered on sharing good cheer with the poor, especially those who are in the hospital.

Regardless of how the holiday is celebrated, Christmas is about love, compassion, food, and family. The greatest present of the season is togetherness and love among friends and family.