By Brian Pham
Many cultures and countries across the world celebrate the holiday season is celebrated differently. Here are a few of the ways that some celebrate their winter!
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the more lively part of their holiday season falls on St. Nicholas Eve and Day (Dec. 5 and 6). Celebrations for St. Nicholas Day begin from the second Saturday of November, which is when Sinterklaas (the person Santa Claus is based on) travels from Spain to various towns on a steamboat with Black Peters, Sinterklaas’ helper “elves,” according to Dutch tradition. Similarly to the American tradition, good children receive presents while bad children are taken back to Spain for a year to be punished.
On the other hand, Christmas is a quiet day of church service and family time. Children listen to stories as “gifts” on Christmas day because they have already received presents on St. Nicolas Day. Santa Claus is called Christmas Man in the Netherlands to avoid confusion with Sinterklaas.
In Finland, Children who believe in Santa stay up late as they wait for him to come and bring them more presents.
Japan
Christmas is a recent phenomenon in Japan as it has only been around for a few decades. Because there are not many Christians in Japan, Christmas does not carry the same religious meaning it does here in the United States. It is not an official holiday in Japan and many companies see it as a working day.
Instead, Christmas is seen as a time to spread happiness and have fun, and Christmas Eve is a romantic opportunity for couples to exchange presents and take walks along the decorated streets. Fried chicken is a popular meal that the Japanese enjoy on Christmas Day due to KFC’s intense Christmas advertising.
To celebrate the new year, there is typically a break between Dec. 30 and Jan. 3. During New Year, families visit Shinto temples to pray for a lucky year. Mochi dishes and traditional New Year foods called osechi ryori are also eaten. Each meal has a different meaning; for example, a dish with prawns means “long life.”
Germany and Austria
In Austria and some parts of Germany, Krampus is St. Nicolas’ counterpart. Krampus is a half-man and half-goat demon who puts naughty children in his sack and takes them back to his lair. On the evening of St. Nicolas Day, men dress up as Krampus and roam the streets to scare children.
Ethiopia
Based on the Ethiopian calendar, Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7 and is called Ganna. Beginning on Nov. 25, Ethiopians take on the “Fast of the Prophets” in which only one vegan meal is eaten a day for 43 days. The day before Ganna, people wake up at 4 a.m and dress in all white to go to mass.
Jamaica
On Jamaica’s Christmas Eve, every town and city has a grand market, which is a cross between a festival and a market. People come out in their best clothes to shop, typically for toys and food, and party.
Jewish Culture
Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday that celebrates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where, according to legend, Jews had risen up against their Greek oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. The centerpiece of this celebration is a menorah that holds nine flames. One candle is lit and it used to light the other candles throughout the holiday. During this holiday a small amount of money or chocolate coins called gelt are given to children, but in more recent years other gifts are given to kids as well.
All in all, many Christmas and holiday traditions across the world value spending time with family and friends. Does your culture celebrate Christmas, and if so, how is Christmas celebrated?
