Merry Christmas and Happy New Year From Global Experience

S O U T H A M E R I C A

Argentina

Adults usually spend time dancing to Christmas songs while young people indulge themselves in fireworks to celebrate Christmas. Traditional meals include roasted turkey, pork, stuffed tomatoes and mince pies. The drink for the toast is prepared specially with different kinds of fruits chopped and mixed with juice and cider.

E U R O P E

Germany
In Germany the Christmas season starts on the 6th December and many children put a shoe by the fireplace in hopes they will find candy there. The Christmas Eve traditional meal will most likely include pork or some kind of sausages and Christmas Eve is the first time that the children see the decorated tree. The Christmas story is read from the Bible and gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve as well.

Russia

A traditional Russian Christmas involves special prayers and a fast of 39 days until the first star appears in the sky on Christmas Eve (6th January). The star heralds the beginning of a twelve course supper, one course each for the twelve apostels. The traditional food includes fish, beef soup (Borsch), cabbage stuffed with millet and cooked dried fruit. Hay is spread on the floors and tables so that horse feed grows abundantly in the coming year. Russians also make clucking noises so that their hens lay more eggs. Christmas dinner includes goose and suckling pig.

Spain

The festive season starts with the feast of Immaculate Conception on 8th December, which is held annually in front of the great Gothic cathedral in Seville. The ceremony and celebrations on this day are known as 'Los Seises' or the 'Dance of Six'. On Christmas Eve, tiny oil lamps are lit in all houses with the appearance of the stars in the sky. There is a festive Christmas dinner for family members who gather around the Nativity scenes in their homes after the Midnight Mass.

Traditional Spanish Christmas treat is Turron (almond candy). After the dinner, people dance on the streets. The special Christmas dance of Spain is called 'Jota'. On 28th December, there is the feast of the Holy Innocents; young boys light bonfires and one is appointed as the mayor for the day. This person orders all the people of the town to perform civic chores such as sweeping the streets. Spanish children normally receive their gifts on 6th January.

Italy

Italians eat very little on the day of Christmas Eve as they are preparing themselves for the massive meal to be consumed that night. The meal centres on fish, in the Catholic tradition to abstain from meat the night before the major holiday.

Popular offerings include linguini with clam sauce, spaghetti with mussels, grilled lobster, salt cod and shrimp. Families attend midnight mass together and return home for pannetone (fruit cake, which is originally from Milan) and prosecco (sparkling wine).

Italian parents often tell their children that Gesu Bambino (Baby Jesus) brought them presents overnight, the real gift-giving also takes place on the Epiphany, January 6th. Many Italians watch the Pope's Christmas message broadcast live at noon as they prepare for another feast. They eat tacchino (turkey) or fagiano (pheasant). Dessert consists of countless cakes and cookies such as pandoro (golden cake from Verona) and rococco (crips almond rings). For Italians, there is no problem eating to excess on Christmas because the next day is yet another holiday.

Greece

According to Greek tradition, no ships ever leave port without an icon of St. Nicholas on board. On Christmas Eve, small boys go from house to house and sing carols to the drum beatings and tinkling triangles. In return, they receive treats such as dried figs, almonds, walnuts, sweets or small gifts. There are 40 days of fasting and a grand Christmas feast consists of hams, bacons and loafs of Christopsomo (Christ Bread); which has crusts decorated to indicate family's profession, as well as kourambiethes (Greek nut cookie).

Christmas trees are not a popular Christmas symbol in Greece but a shallow wooden bowl with a piece of wire is suspended across the rim is used to symbolise the festive season. From the bowl, a wooden cross is suspended and a sprig of basil from the bowl is wrapped around it. There is little water in the bowl to keep the basil alive and fresh. Mother dips the cross and the basil in the holy water once a day and sprinkles it in each room of the house to keep the mischievous goblins away from the house that appear on Earth during the 12 days of Christmas. People usually share few presents on 1st January. Priests also go from house to house and sprinkle holy water around to get rid of any possible bad spirits hiding there.

A F R I C A

Egypt

As with other Orthodox faiths, they celebrate Christmas in early January. After Egyptian Christians return from church the night of January 6th, they partake in meal of rice and meat. That in itself is not unusual, but the fact that their tradition dictates that they eat no milk or meat from the 25th November until the evening of the 6th January is.

Zimbabwe

Christmas in Zimbabwe is celebrated by the man in the household gives Christmas gifts to his wife and children. The gift of choice is generally clothing and candy. Church is attended on the morning of December 25th and then a meal of meat (possibly goat or ox) and bread, jam, porridge and tea is served. After the meal, people often get together to sing of hymns and play games.

Nigeria

Many people return to their hometown where they grew up, for Christmas. The time is spent with relatives who still live there and friends from childhood have also returned for the holiday. A traditional meal for a Nigerian Christmas is a spicy and hot dish containing vegetables and yams. Families attend church services and give gifts to people who are less fortunate than themselves.

M I D D L E E A S T

Lebanon

Lebanon is one place in the Middle East that hosts a very festive celebration for the holiday season. The streets are bright with holiday lights, Christmas carols are played and sung, and families gather on Christmas Eve for traditional meal of rice, chicken and Kubbeh. People normally visit friends on Christmas morning; normally gathering at their grandparents' home or home of the eldest son's. Coffee, liqeurs and sugared almonds are served to the guests.

Iraq

Christmas in Iraq is quite unusual. On Christmas Eve, children of Christian households read the Nativity story from an Arabic bible in the courtyard while the other family members hold lighted candles. As soon as the story is finished, a bonfire made up of dried thorns is lit in one corner. If the thorns burn to ashes, it signifies good luck and prosperity for the family in the coming year. Whilst the fire is burning, a psalm is sung. Later, everyone jumps over the ashes of the fire three times and makes a wish.

Israel, Holy Land

In the little town of Betlehem (where Christ was born), worshippers on Christmas Eve start at Shepherd Field and then move to the Church of the Nativity. Attendance to the Christmas Eve Mass is by invitation only due to space restrictions, however the service can be seen on screens in Manger Square by thousands of people who are unable to get into the church.

A S I A

China
In China, the Christmas trees are called "Trees of Light" and Santa Claus is known as "Dun Che Lao Ren", which means "Christmas Old Man". Non Christians celebrate the holiday season as the Spring Festival. They pay respect to their honored elders and festivities and feasts ensue. Children receive new clothes and toys, eat delicious food and enjoy firework displays and crackers.

Japan
In Japan, a priest called Hoteiosha acts like Santa Claus and distribute gifts and presents to all children, going door to door. It is said that he has eyes on the back of his head, thus children try to be nice when he is nearby. Japanese Christians do not consider Christmas as a family holiday and do not have turkey or plum pudding. Rather they spend the day doing social work and charity such as helping the sick and the poor. In Sunday schools, programs and events are organised for children on Christmas Eve that last for hours. They may include singing, recitations and Nativity plays.

India
Christmas is an important festival of India. It is celebrated differently in different parts of the country. Christians normally decorate banana or mango trees. There are several old churches in Goa which are fully occupied by locals as well as the foreign tourists during Christmas. One should make an advance booking in Goa Hotels if planning a visit there during Christmas and New Year.