Popular Christmas Traditions around the World

With the festive season around the corner, how about telling our kids how children around the world celebrate Christmas. In the previous article, we saw how Christmas is celebrated in France, Italy, England, Norway, and the USA. Here we get to know about some more interesting traditions from other countries. 

Here we get to know about some more interesting Christmas traditions from other countries: 

Germany Christmas Tradition: Weeks before Christmas, one can see festive markets being set up. People decorate their homes with fairy lights and festive ornaments in December. The Christmas tree is only put up and decorated on the morning of the 24th of December. Festive Christmas celebrations begin on Christmas Eve. Shops usually close early. The 26th of December is a public holiday and many families spend this day together, going to the Church or on a little excursion.

Iceland Christmas Tradition: Children put their shoes on the windowsill so the ‘Yuletide Lads’, the Santa Claus, fills the shoes with little goodies. Christmas celebrations in Iceland start on the 24th of December, Christmas eve. Families get together and enjoy good food and many visit midnight mass.

Portugal Christmas Tradition: On Christmas eve, houses are decorated and the nativity scene is put up. Children put out their shoes not for Santa but for Baby Jesus. Presents are exchanged after the family has attended a Christmas service on Christmas eve. Lisbon is famous for its huge artificial tree sparkling with thousands of green lights.

Philippines Christmas Tradition: A star-shaped lantern to signify the bright star of Bethlehem is made out of bamboo and paper and hung in all houses. 

Singapore Christmas Tradition: Christmas is much more commercialized here, tiny fairy light decorations are put up around the city. The Gardens on the Bay put up the Christmas Wonderland display which is a beautiful sight to witness. 

Australia Christmas Tradition: It is summertime during Christmas. Churches organize picnics where everybody joins in and sing Christmas carols on the beach. 

Brazil Christmas Tradition: Again there is a tradition of displaying the nativity scene in front of churches. It is believed that Father Christmas comes all the way from Greenland to give presents to children. Christmas trees are decorated during December. The floating Christmas tree in Rio de Janeiro is said to be the largest Christmas tree in the world. ‘Bom Natal’ or ‘Boas Festes’ is how you wish somebody Merry Christmas.

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