Choose a country in Europe and research their Christmas
traditions. You may use the website on my blog to do this. Write a five to seven
sentence paragraph sharing what you found about your chosen country. Spelling
and grammar counts, your post will not be published until all spelling and
grammar are correct.
France
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas France uses a nativity crib figures to decorate there houses. They have other figures such as a Butcher, a Baker, a Policeman and a Priest. In French Merry Christmas is 'Joyeux Noël".
Yule Logs made out of Cherry Wood are often burned is French homes. The log is carried into the home on Christmas Eve and is sprinkled with red wine to make the log smell nice when it is burning. There is a custom that the log and candles are left burning all night with some food and drinks left out in case Mary and the baby Jesus come past during the night.
Ireland celebrates Christmas sort of like the United Kingdom and the United States. Christmas in Ireland lasts from Christmas Eve until the Epiphany on January 6th. Some people put large thick candles on their largest window sill in their house on Christmas Eve and let it burn all day to show a light for Joseph and Mary. In Irish, Christmas means "Nollaig", Santa Claus is called "San Nioclas" or "Daidi da Nollag", and Merry Christmas is "Nollaig Shona Dhuit." A very important holiday in Ireland is the day after Christmas and it is Boxing Day. Boxing Day is held on St. Stephen's Day. I can't believe all of the different traditions that are held in Ireland on Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis is the christmas tradition for Polands. Straw or hay, a reminder of Christ’s birth in a stable, is placed under a white linen tablecloth, which symbolizes Mary’s veil, which became the Baby’s swaddling cloth. The mother of the family places a lighted candle in the window to welcome the Christ Child. An extra place is set for any stranger who happens to pass by. After sunset, the youngest child is sent to watch for the first star. At the end of supper, Father Christmas, known as The Starman accompanied by singing Starboys, pays a visit. He brings rewards to good children from Starland, and scolds the naughty ones, who eventually get their reward, too.
ReplyDeleteMost families in the UK (United Kingdom) have 1 or 2 Christmas trees. It is a family activity to decorate the tree. Other decorations are also used such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe. Nativity plays and Carol services are also popular in the UK. Santa is also known as Father Christmas. Children often leave Father Christmas mince pies and brandy.
ReplyDeleteIn Italy one of the most important ways to celebrate Christmas is by having a nativity crib in their home. One custom about Christmas in Italy is that all the children go out singing and playing songs in shepherds pipes, wearing shepherd sandals and hats. On Christmas Eve the Italians can only eat dinner after midnight mass. Then comes the main Christmas meal. For this meal the Italians bake a Christmas cake, which is like a dry fruity sponge cake. On epiphany night, which is also important to the Italians, the children believe that the presents they get are given from a old lady called " Befana". Befana fills the stockings that the children put up on their fireplace. The day of Christmas 'Babbo Natale' (Santa Claus) might bring them some small gifts, but the main day for present giving is on Epiphany.
ReplyDeleteIn Spain it is a very festive and religious time on Christmas. On Christmas Eve as the stars come out, tiny oil lamps are lit in every house. People walk around with torches and play music on the streets. After Midnight people have dinner then go to mass. On Christmas day kids get some presents but they get the most presents on January 7. This is when the kids put shoes on windowsills and kings put presents in them.
ReplyDeleteChristmas in the U.K
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas people usually have a Christmas tree in their house. The whole family usually decorates the tree, this is because in the United Kingdom families are very close together.
Christmas Trees were first known the UK by the husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert. In to England Prince Albert wanted to celebrate Christmas in England thinking it would be a good idea. Along with most families Holly, Mistletoe and Ivy are used to decorate homes sometimes.
In Britain most churches sing many carols and services.There tradition is the same as ours.Children sometimes leave out mince pies.
The drought carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke.
Merry Christmas is said in many different ways in the United Kingdom.There are lots of things eaten here on Christmas afternoon too.
Megan Connelly People in Ireland celebrate Christmas in much the same way the people of the united states do. Christmas for the catholic lasts from Christmas Eve to January 6th . In Ireland Santa clause is known as 'San Nicolas'. A tradition in Ireland, St. Stephen's Day, is when a young men and women dress in homemade costumes and go from house to house carrying a pole with a holly tied onto it, while they walk around singing a rhyme with accompanied of music. On the Sunday nearest the Epiphany is Women's Christmas, where the women take off and the men do all the cleaning and housework. Christmas foods in Ireland are round cakes. One cake is usually made by each member in the family.
ReplyDeleteChristmas In Germany
ReplyDeleteIn Germany they celebrate Advent. On Christmas Eve a lot occurs. Germany's people also get Christmas trees. If a family has children then while they were sleeping the parents would decorate the tree. Also on Christmas Eve they would exchange gifts. This is when Santa Claus or Father Christmas delivers the presents. On Dec. 6th St. Nick would put small presents in the children shoes for example: chocolates. In Germany they say' Frohe Weihnacht' instead of Merry Christmas.
The country I picked is Germany. There are a few different kinds of Advent calenders in German homes. The Christmas tree is a very big part of tradition in Germany. Germany is well known for Christmas markets. Germany does not necessarily celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day, they celebrate on Christmas Eve. "Frohe Weihnacht" is German for Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteCHRISTMAS IN ITALY!
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important ways of celebrating Christmas in Italy is the Nativity Crib Scene. Every Italian has or should have a nativity scene in their homes. One old Italian tradition is that the children go out to carol, singing and playing songs on shepherds pipes, wearing shepherd sandals and hats. On Christmas eve no food is eaten until midnight mass is over. In Italy happy/merry Christmas in said “Buno Natale”. Epiphany is also important in Italy. On Epiphany night, children believe that an old lady called “La Befana” brings presents for them. Children set out stockings or their shoes for her to fill presents with. On Christmas day “Babbo Natale” (Santa Claus) might bring them small gifts. The children open there gifts and enjoy an Italian tradition the seven fishes as they open there gifts.
On December 5 in the evening children wait for Saint Nicholas (Svaty Mikulas) to come. Saint Nicholas is accompanied by an angel or two and one or more devils. Nick asks the children if they've been good all year and asks to sing a song or recite a poem, and gives them a basket of presents. The basket contains a small present. The main presents are opened during the evening on Christmas eve.
ReplyDeleteIn Czech Merry Christmas is 'Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce'.
Christmas in France
ReplyDeleteIn France they say Merry Christmas `Joyeux Noel`. Santa Claus is called Pere Noel and he is also known as Father Christmas. Yule logs made out of cherry wood are often burned in French homes. The wood is brought into the home on Christmas Eve and sprinkled with wine to make it smell nice. The Christmas Feast known as Reveillon is eaten on Christmas Eve. It is enjoyed after celebrating midnight church services. The feast includes roast turkey and chestnuts, goose, lobster, oysters and many kinds of cheeses. After dinner they eat 13 different types of desserts made of fruits, nuts, and pastries. The Epiphany is also celebrated in France on January 6th.
December 5,2012 Dylan DeLange
The country I've chosen to research about is England. Christmas traditions in England are quite like Christmas traditions in America. All though they are similar there are some differences such as, They don't call their gift giver Santa, they call him Father Christmas. On Christmas day The family enjoys a feast of turkey with chestnut stuffing, roast goose with currants, or roast beef and 'Yorkshire' pudding. Brussels sprouts are likely to be the vegetables. The day after Christmas is called 'Boxing Day' where the families bring boxes to church. These boxes are filled with donations to the poor.
ReplyDeleteIreland has similar Christmas traditions that we celebrate here in the United States and in the United Kingdom. However, they celebrate Christmas from Christmas Eve, December 24th until the feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. This feast is also called "Little Christmas." The Irish also put a tall, thick candle in the biggest window in the house and light it after sunset on Christmas Eve to welcome Mary and Joseph. Another important day of celebration in Ireland is the day after Christmas day, St. Stephen's Day, also called Boxing Day. On this day they celebrate by playing football games and having horse races. While Ireland has some different Christmas traditions then us here in the United States, we share one common and most important tradition, celebrating the birth of Jesus.
ReplyDeleteWow! I can’t believe its Christmas time already? I bet you think that all countries celebrate Christmas like the Catholics in the United States. I am here to tell you about how a country in Europe celebrates Christmas. Today we will be focusing on the Christmas traditions in Poland. Like Catholics in the United States, the Christmas season begins on Advent for the Poles. During the season of Advent the Poles do a lot of cleaning and preparing for Jesus. When Christmas Eve rolls around the corner the Poles gather at the table for a feast. Like most of the European countries, the Poles fast and do not eat meat at the feast. Instead the Pole’s feast consists of Barszcz which is beetroot stew, Uszka which is mushroom ravioli, and Porgies. The feast begins when the first star rises up in the sky. The Poles must be starving! I was shocked to find out that the children in Poland receive their presents on Christmas Eve! 'Swiety Mikolaj' or Saint Nicholas comes down the chimney and gives the children in Poland their gifts on Christmas Eve. The Christmas season ends with a Mass celebrating Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. As you can see the Christmas traditions in Poland are very unique.
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Holland - Even though in the Netherlands St. Nicholas Day is December 6, the real celebrations occur on the 5th for the people of Holland. Like we the Americans have a jolly man in a red suit named Santa Claus, the people of Holland have a generous gift-giver called Sinterklaas, whom travels to cities and towns in the Netherlands with his servant known as Zwarte Piet (also called Black Peter) in his red bishop’s robes. When Zwarte Piet and Sinterklaas reach the shore with their boat, a great clamor of bells ring, declaring that they have finally arrived. Leading the procession into town on a horse white as snow is Sinterklaas. When he, or if he even does, make a special visitation to Amsterdam, Sinterklaas meets the Queen in the Palace. Also on the 5th, young Dutch children, excited for the arrival of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet, leave their footwear outside in hope of nice gifts. They believe strongly that if they leave some hay and carrots for the kind present-deliverers’ horse, Sinterklaas will sneak some sweets into their shoes and clogs. But for the naughty kids, it’s a different story. Legend says that Zwarte Piet, or Black Peter, will chase them wildly with a stick, just like we are told that Santa will leave coal in our stockings if we are bad! These kids have great fun eating pastries and their leftover candies from their clogs on this day!
ReplyDelete-Ashley Dolt
Sweden’s Christmas season begins with St. Lucia's Day or St. Lucy's Day on December 13th.Today this holiday is celebrated by girls dressing up like Lucy. One girl is chosen as a national Lucy and visits hospitals while singing a song about Lucy and handing out biscuits made of ginger snaps.
ReplyDeleteIn Sweden Christmas Eve is very important and a large feast is prepared, then eaten. This meal is most often a buffet, eaten at lunchtime. Dishes served may be cold meats including turkey, roast beef and 'julskinka' (a Christmas ham) cheeses, liver pate, salads, pickles and multiple types of bread and butter or mayonnaise. Also there is meatballs, 'prinskorv' (sausages), 'koldomar' (meat stuffed cabbage rolls), jellied pigs' feet, lutfisk (a dried cod served with a thick white sauce) and 'revbenspjäll' (oven-roasted pork ribs). Vegetables like potatoes and red cabbage will also be eaten. Another potato dish is 'Janssons Frestelse' (matchstick potatoes layered with cream, onion and anchovies that is baked to a golden brown. Also 'dopp i grytan' which is bread that is dipped in the broth and juices that are left over after boiling the ham.Sweet pastries are usually the dessert. After you are done eating you have 'glogg' (sweet mulled wine and some coffee)
On Christmas Eve presents are exchanged. Early on Christmas morning people go to church. To guard the Christmas tree families have goats made of straw. Presents may be brought by Santa called 'Jultomten' or gnomes or elves called 'Nissar' or 'Tomte'. 'God Jul' means Merry Christmas in Swedish.
People who live in Latvia believe that Santa Claus ( or Ziemassvētku vecītis, which means Christmas old man ) brings presents for every one of the twelve days of Christmas, starting on Christmas Eve. Latvia is also supposedly the home of the very first Christmas Tree. The first and earliest recorded event of using a Christmas Tree during the holidays is in the town of Riga, the capital of Latvia. In Latvian, the native language, Merry/Happy Christmas is 'Priecïgus Ziemassvºtkus'.
ReplyDeleteSweden’s Christmas season begins with St. Lucia's Day or St. Lucy's Day on December 13th.Today this holiday is celebrated by girls dressing up like Lucy. One girl is chosen as a national Lucy and visits hospitals while singing a song about Lucy and handing out biscuits made of ginger snaps.
ReplyDeleteIn Sweden Christmas Eve is very important and a large feast is prepared, then eaten. This meal is most often a buffet, eaten at lunchtime. Dishes served may be cold meats including turkey, roast beef and 'julskinka' (a Christmas ham) cheeses, liver pate, salads, pickles and multiple types of bread and butter or mayonnaise. Also there is meatballs, 'prinskorv' (sausages), 'koldomar' (meat stuffed cabbage rolls), jellied pigs' feet, lutfisk (a dried cod served with a thick white sauce) and 'revbenspjäll' (oven-roasted pork ribs). Vegetables like potatoes and red cabbage will also be eaten. Another potato dish is 'Janssons Frestelse' (matchstick potatoes layered with cream, onion and anchovies that is baked to a golden brown. Also 'dopp i grytan' which is bread that is dipped in the broth and juices that are left over after boiling the ham.Sweet pastries are usually the dessert. After you are done eating you have 'glogg' (sweet mulled wine and some coffee)
On Christmas Eve presents are exchanged. Early on Christmas morning people go to church. To guard the Christmas tree families have goats made of straw. Presents may be brought by Santa called 'Jultomten' or gnomes or elves called 'Nissar' or 'Tomte'. 'God Jul' means Merry Christmas in Swedish.
People in Ireland have a Christmas similiar to our Christmas, but they have their own traditions as well. Some people put a large candle on the largest window sill the family can find on Christmas Eve morning. The candle is used as a welcoming to Mary and Joseph. The day after Christmas, known as boxing day or St. Stephen's day. Tradtional food for Christmas in Ireland is round cake.
ReplyDeleteI am going to talk about how people celebrate Christmas in Italy. Well the people thier put a Nativity crib scene. This helps tell the Christmas story which was made in 1223 by Saint Francis of Assis. Now Italian families have a Nativity crib in their homes. On Christmas Eve you can not eat until after Midnight Mass. Thats when the Christmas dinner is eaten. Thier they eat panettone kind of a dry friuty sponge cake. They all have a good time
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Greece
ReplyDeleteOn Christmas Eve, children, especially boys, often go out singing carols in the streets. They play drums and triangles as they sing. If the children sing well, they might be given money, nuts, or candy. Christmas Trees are becoming more popular in Greece, but they aren't traditional. Instead most houses will have a shallow wooden bowl. Some water is kept in the bowl to keep it alive and fresh. Once a day, someone, usually the mother of the family, dips the cross into some holy water and uses it to sprinkle water in each room of the house. This is believed to keep the bad spirits away. The bad spirits are meant to appear only during the 12-day period from Christmas to the Epiphany (January 6th). Having a fire burning through the twelve days of Christmas is also meant to keep the bad spirits away. Every December, in Aristotelous Square in the city of Thessaloniki a huge Christmas tree and three masted sailing ship are put up. It's a popular tourist attraction. Going to a Midnight Mass Service is very important for most Greeks. After the service people can go home and end their Advent fast. The main Christmas meal is often Lamb or pork, roasted in an oven or over an open spit. It's often served with a spinach and cheese pie and various salads and vegetables. In Greece, presents are often brought to children by Saint Basil on January 1st.
Christmas is often known as 'Yule'in Iceland.Yule is also a New Years tradition. The celebrations in Iceland start on Yule eve at 6:00 pm. After they eat their meal which includes 'Hangikjot', a leg of roast lamb. Sometimes 'Rjupa' (Rock Ptarmigan a sea bird) is also eaten. Another Yule meal speciality is 'Laufabrauo' or leaf bread children open their presents. Laufabrauo is made out of thin layers or dough cut into delicate patterns and fried. Each family often has their own patterns for the Laufabrauo. and that is CDhristmas in Iceland!
ReplyDeleteA big part of the Christmas celebration in Germany is Advent. Christmas trees are important and they were first used during the Middle Ages. Christmas Eve is the main day when Germans exchange presents with their families. The legend of the glass Christmas Pickle is famous in Germany. The Numbreg Christkind offically opens Christmas market on the Friday before Advent starts. Before Christmas, the girl chosen by Germany has over 150 offical duties including visiting hospitals, old age homes, and children's nurseries. Also she has to give television interviews and visit other cities. Santa Claus or Father Christmas brings the presents on December 24th. December 6th is the feast of Saint Nicholas and Der Nikolaus brings small gifts such as sweets and chocolates to the children. He usually comes between the nights of December 5th and December 6th. Carpor and goose are often served for the main Christmas meal. Stollen is a popular fruited yeast bread that is eaten at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Greece
ReplyDeleteOn Christmas Eve, boys often go out and sing carols in the streets. They play drums and triangles as they sing. If the children sing well, they might be given special treats such as money, nuts, and sweets. Christmas trees were not always popular in Greece; they are becoming more popular not but they aren't traditional. The traditional house ornament in Greece is a shallow wooden bowl with wire and basil strung over it. Some water is kept in the bowl to keep it alive and fresh. Once a day, the mother of the family, dips a cross into some holy water and uses it to sprinkle water in each room of the house. This is believed to keep the bad spirits away. The bad spirits are meant to appear only during the 12-day period from Christmas to the Epiphany. Having a fire burning through the twelve days of Christmas is also meant to keep the bad spirits away. Most families keep this tradition- rather than putting up a Christmas tree.
Every December, in Aristotelous Square in the city of Thessaloniki a huge Christmas tree and three masted sailing ship are put up. It is a tourist attraction. Going to the Midnight Mass Service is very important for most Greeks because they are very religious. After the service people go home and end their Advent fast. The main Christmas meal is often pork, roasted in an oven or over an open spit. It's often served with spinach and cheese pie and various salads and vegetables. In Greece, presents are often brought to children by Saint Basil on January 1st.
If I could visit any country to celebrate Christmas I would chose Norway. It is because their Christmas is just like ours. We both decorate a tree, receive presents,both have Santa Claus or 'Julenissen' in Norway. People in Norway also carol like us. They sing different songs in groups. But instead, carollers like dress up as the individuals from the first Christmas or the Nativity. Those are some reasons why I would like to visit Norway for Christmas. -Sean C.
ReplyDeleteThe children of Czech Rupblic are excited for Saint Nicholas to arrive. When Saint Nicholas arrives at their house,he asks them if they have been good this year. He also asks them if they could sing him a song or recite a poem. After they recite a poem or sing to him, he gives him a basket full of presents. The basket is like a stocking. The kids usually open their presents on Christmas Eve. This is how Czech people say "Happy Chrstmas","Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce." Some people would fast and hope to see the vision of "the golden pig'on there wall. That meant the sign of good luck. Then "Little Jesus" brings presents to put underneath the Christmas tree. When he is about to leave, he rings a bell. But the kids have to eat dinner first. Religious people either go to church at midnight or Christmas Day.
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Germany
ReplyDelete'Frohe Weihnacht' which means Happy/Merry Christmas! Advent is one of the biggest celebrations in Germany for Christmas. In different types and different ways in German homes there are several Advent calendars. Not only do they have calendars they also have many traditional traditions such as the making of cards, which fifty percent are made out of Fir tree branches with 24 boxes that happen to be decorated or they may have bags that happen to hang down off the wreath with little gifts in it. These cards were used in many countries. But wreaths and calendars are not the only traditional types there are ones like the four candles surrounded by a ring of fir branches which were used in church these are called Advent Khans. Christmas Trees are very important in Germany. A lot of Germany’s traditions happen to be the same as ours.
Christmas in Germany
ReplyDeleteOne big part of Germany’s Christmas is Advent. Christmas trees in Germany are also important. If there young children in the family, the tree will be secretly decorated by the mother of the family. In the evening of Christmas Eve the family will read from the Bible, and sing some songs like O Tannenbaum. The one day Germans exchange presents is Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day Santa Claus or Father Christmas comes to put presents out. Some parts of Germany the children write letters to The Christ Child asking for presents. On the nights between the 5th and 6th day of December St. Nicholas walks around putting presents in shoes of children who put their shoes out the previous evening.
In Portugal, there are many traditions that are followed at Christmastime. The traditional Christmas meal of codfish, green vegetables and boiled potatoes is eaten on Christmas Eve. After eating the Christmas meal, the people of Portugal go to mass. During the mass an image of baby Jesus is brought out for everyone to kiss. The baby is then placed in the nativity scene. While at mass, parents have someone place the baby Jesus in their nativity scenes at home and put the presents under the tree. After mass, families go back to their homes and are happy to see baby Jesus in the nativity scene and presents under the tree. Children are usually allowed to open a couple presents on Christmas Eve and open the rest on Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteFrance has many Christmas traditions. One of them is making and eating 13 different desserts made from fruit, nuts, and pastries. Another tradition is eating the Christmas meal after midnight mass. The name for Santa Claus is Pere Noel. The French burn Yule logs on Christmas Eve night and leave food and drink in case Mary and baby Jesus come by during the night. And one last tradition is decorating the house with a Nativity. by Doug Perks
ReplyDeleteToday is Christmas Eve in the Czech Republic. The children wait for "little baby Jesus" to leave them presents under the tree during dinner. After the presents arrive a bell rings. Sometimes they fast all day until dinner. They hope to see the "Golden Pig" on the wall before dinner. This means they will have good luck the whole next year. Then some people go to mass at midnight.
ReplyDeleteItalian traditions in Italy are based heavily on the religion of
ReplyDeleteChristianity. Christmas starts eight days before Christmas and lasts
till after the Feast of Epiphany. Musical salutes are made at the shrine
of the Virgin Mary and songs are played at the homes of carpenters in
honor of St. Joseph. Eight days before Christmas, a special Novena of
prayers and church services begin. It all ends on Christmas Day. On
December 23rd, sometimes earlier, children dressed as shepherds with
sandals, leggings tied with crossing thongs, and wearing shepherds’
hats, go from house to house playing songs on shepherds’ pipes and
giving recitations. They receive money to buy Christmas treats.
In Denmark most people start up their Christmas spirit by attending church about mid-day (4:00) to listen to the Christmas story. Then they usually eat their dinner on a fancy decorated table. Most families eat "ris a la mande" (a special kind of rice pudding, made of milk, rice, vanilla, almonds and whipped cream)for dessert. In Denmark, children believe that their presents are brought by the 'Julemanden' (which means 'Christmas Man'). He looks very similar to Santa Claus and also travels with a sleigh and reindeer. Most of denmarks traditions are like America's traditions.
ReplyDeleteIn Ireland they celebrate Christmas by dressing up in homemade costumes going from house to house carrying a long pole with a holly bush tied to the top of it. They do this in Ireland because it reminds them of the wren that was killed and carried around in a holly bush, this is a very old tradition. The wren is one of the smallest birds in Ireland and it is sometimes called 'king of all birds'. The traditional food for Christmas in Ireland is a round cake full of caraway seeds ,and turkey or spiced beef served hot or cold. Christmas in Ireland is 'Nollaig', Santa Claus in Ireland is known as 'San Nicolas'. The day after Christmas in Ireland is St. Stephen's Day also called Boxing Day, the feast it is very important to Ireland. The Epiphany in Ireland is known as 'Nollaig na mBean' or Women's Christmas traditionally the women get the day off and the men do all housework and cooking.
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Portugal
ReplyDeleteIn Portugal Father Christmas brings presents to children on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day. Some people say the Baby Jesus brings the presents. Before leaving for Mass, parents secretly put the Baby Jesus in the Nativity in their house and the gifts are put under the tree. The Baby Jesus will amazingly be in his manger when the family returns from Mass. After Christmas Eve Mass, people come home and open their gifts, the children check the manager first for the Baby Jesus. If he is there, there will be gifts. The families share a great meal together. Today the main course is usually Turkey, but in the past it was goat or lamb. The eating last through the night and into the early morning! Merry Christmas is Feliz Natal or Boas Festas in Portuguese.
Nicholas Ferreira
On Christmas Eve, children run in the street singing carols as people play drums and triangles. They usually carry a boat decorated with nuts that are painted gold. Carrying a boat is a old tradition for the Greece Islands, unlike Christmas Trees in the United States. Another tradition they have is that most houses have a shallow wooden bowl. It has a piece of wire that runs across the rim, and they believe it is supposed to keep the bad spirits away. In Aristotelous Square in the city of Thessaloniki, which is Greece's largest city, a Christmas tree and three misted sailing ships are put up. It's a popular tourist attraction. A traditional table decoration are loaves of christopsomo, which is known as the bread of Christ. Going to a Midnight Mass Service is very important for most Greeks. After the service, people can go home and end their Advent fast.
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Ireland
ReplyDeleteIn Ireland Christmas is celebrated almost exactly as it is in the United States and the United Kingdom, but they also have many of their own traditions. For the Catholics in Ireland Christmas lasts from Christmas Eve to the Epiphany on January 6th, which is commonly called, Little Christmas by many Irish people. In some Irish homes, people put a tall, thick candle on the largest windowsill in the house on sunset on the night of Christmas Eve. This candle, which represents Mary and Joseph, is left burning all night. There are many different ways to say the vocabulary words of Christmas in many different places, in Ireland Christmas is Nollaig, Santa Claus is known as San Nioclas Saint Nicholas or Daidí na Nollag which is Father Christmas and Happy or Merry Christmas is Nollaig Shona Dhuit.
Christmas in Croatia
ReplyDeleteWhen Croatians wish you a merry Christmas, they will say ‘Sretan Bozic’. On December 13, St. Lucy’s Day, the mother of a family will let wheat grains that she planted in a dish to germinate. On Dec. 24, the sprouts have grown to be 8 inches tall, and they are also tied with a red, white, and blue ribbon which represents the Croatian trobojnic. A feast is held for the 3 kings on Jan. 6. In Croatia, kids do not receive gifts from Santa Clause, but they do receive gifts from saints. For example, if you live in central or northern Croatia, you receive gifts from Saint Nicholas and if you live in north-eastern or southern Croatia, you receive gifts from St. Lucy. In Croatia, Christmas is about having feast and remembering the history of Croatian Christmas instead of our way which is about giving and receiving presents to and from people we love. Their main gift giving day is Dec. 6, St. Nicholas day, and Christmas day is a spiritual time for Croatians.
by:Andrew Guy
The people of Czech Republic celebrate Christmas very differently from the way we celebrate. St Nicholas is accompanied by one or more angels and one or more devils. The children are asked to recite a poem or sing a song. This is completely different from the way we celebrate.The people of Czech Republic celebrate on December 5th.
ReplyDeleteThe holiday season starts with Advent in Hungary, too. Advent wreaths can be seen in stores, schools, offices, and in almost every home. This time of year is the preparation for Christmas. Candles are decorated with red and gold ribbons are a symbol of life and brightness. Most children get Advent calendars with a small gift or chocolate for every day counting up to Christmas. Lights and decoration often stay inside the houses, streets and houses are not as bright and happily decorated there as they are in the US. Also, the people of Hungary never decorate a tree before the Holy night of Christmas. Christmas trees can be seen during advent only in stores symbolizing holiday shopping.
ReplyDeleteMost families decorate the tree together, but some families keep the older tradition that the tree should be a surprise for children who even believe it was bought by angels. Gifts lay around the tree with small labels saying the name of someone in the family.
German
ReplyDeleteOne big part of Christmas celebrations in Germany is Advent. Several different kinds of calendars are used in German homes. As well as the traditional one made of card that is used in many countries, there are ones made out of fir tree branches with 24 boxes or bags hanging from it. Each box or bag has a little present in it. Another type is called a 'Advent Kranz' and is a ring of fir branches that has 4 candles on it. these are kind of like the Advent candles sometimes used at mass. and one candle is lit at the beginning of each week.
Christmas in Germany. A big part of Germany's Christmas is Advent, but there are many different calendars are used in their homes. Christmas trees are also very important and were first used in the middle ages. the most important or famous tree ornaments are glass ornaments. Some children write letters to the Christkind (The Christ Child) asking for gifts. the envelopes are sealed with sugar that is glued on, then they put their letters on the windowsill during or before Advent. Christmas Eve is when family and friends exchange gifts. Santa Claus or Father Christmas brings the presents on December 24th (Christmas Eve) and on December 6th Saint Nicholas Day Saint Nicholas brings small gifts
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Poland
ReplyDeleteIn Poland they celebrate Advent. Sometimes people don't eat their favorite food during that period of time and they go to church very often. People try to remember the real reasons for Christmas. They have a tradition of the'roraty' which are special masses deticated to Mary for recieving the good news from Gabriel. Many people clean and decorate during Advent for Christmas. Most in Poland are very catholic. Christmas Eve is very important to them. After the first star has been seen in the sky they celebrate a meal called Wigilia on Christmas Eve.