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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Christmas Around the World
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To Christians all over the world, December 25 is an important day of the year. It's Christmas, the anniversary of Jesus Christ's birth. Nobody is sure of the exact date of Christ's birth. December 25 was chosen for a good reason. Long ago, people held festivals in late December hoping that winter would end. They built bonfires, had feasts, and exchanged gifts. Since people already celebrated at this time of year, church officials thought this would be a good time to observe Christ's birth.
Not every one celebrates Christmas the same way. Some people observe Christmas on a date other than December 25. In some countries, people honor Christmas-related holidays such as Saint Nicholas Day or Saint Lucia Day, too.
In certain parts of the world, festivities last through January 6 or even longer. January 6 is the Epiphany, or Three Kings' Day. This is when the Three Kings brought gifts to Jesus, and the date some people exchange gift. The period from December 25 through January 6 is the twelve days of Christmas. Here is how some countries celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ:
Great Britain - Greeting: Happy Christmas or Merry Christmas. British people wear crowns while they eat Christmas dinner. They find them beside their dinner plates, inside a brightly colored tube called a Christmas cracker. When the cracker's ends are pulled, it makes a popping sound. Then people open it to find a toy, their fortune, a riddle, and the crown. Christmas dinner ends with flaming plum pudding for dessert. The pudding contains a lucky charm or coin for every child at the table.
France - Greeting: Joyeuz Noel (pronounced joy-yooh no-el) which means "Joyous Christmas." How would you like to eat thirteen desserts on Christmas Eve? In southern France, you would. People serve a dessert to honor Jesus and one for each of his apostles. One of these desserts is a Yule log. It's a cake that represents a log that some French people burn in their homes from Christmas Day until New Year's Day for good luck. In certain parts of France, people cook their Christmas dinner over a Yule log.
Germany - Greeting: Frohliche Weihnachten (pronounced frue-LISH-eh vi-NACH-ten) which means Merry Christmas. Every day from December 1 through December 24, German children find a surprise hidden inside their Advent calendars. Advent calendars contain flaps or doors that mark these dates. Each day, children lift a flap or open a door to see what treat lies beneath it. Some Advent calendars are so elaborate that they contain tiny drawers, boxes, or cloth bags.
Greece - Greeting: Kala Christouyena, (pronounced kah-LAH chris-TOE-yen-uh) which means "Merry Christmas. Some Greek people believe that mischievous goblins visit their homes between Christmas and January 6. The ghosts might break dishes, turn out lights, or knock over chairs. To keep the ghosts away, people sprinkle their homes with holy water. On Christmas Day, Greek children go from house to house singing Christmas carols. They play drums, harmonicas, and triangles. Sometimes people give them candy, cookies, or coins.
Lebanon - Greeting: Meelad Majeed (pronounced mee-LAHD mah-JEED) which means "Birth Glorious." About a month before Christmas, Lebanese children plant wheat grains, lentils, or bean seeds in small dishes. As Christmas nears, the seeds sprout shoots from 3 to 6 inches. Children use these shoots to decorate their family's home and the manger scene, which is usually beneath the Christmas tree. The manger scene does not include Baby Jesus until December 25. Lebanese families place him in the manger at midnight on Christmas Eve. That's when bells ring throughout Lebanon to announce the anniversary of Christ's birth.
Mexico - Greeting: Feliz Navidad, pronounced feh-LEES nah-VEE-dad) which means "Happy Nativity." Mexican children begin their Christmas celebration nine days before Christmas with the festival of Posadas. Posada means "shelter" or "inn." Each evening, groups of people enact the journey of Mary and Joseph. They knock on neighbors' doors until they find a family that lets them inside and pretends to be innkeepers. Then they have a party. On Christmas Eve they receive a visit from Santa Claus, who brings gifts. On the evening of January 5, the Three Kings arrive on their camels with more presents. Children put their shoes or boxes filled with hay by their beds so the camels can have a snack.
Nigeria - Greeting: Eku Odun Ebi Jesu, (pronounced EH-koo oh-DONE eh-BEE hay-SUE) which means "Happy Celebration on the birth of Jesus Christ." Nigerian people light sparklers and dress in costume at Christmastime. Then they walk from house to house and act out the Christmas story for their neighbors. Often they receive money, which they donate to their church. Nigerians decorate palm trees at Christmas instead of evergreen trees. They hang palm branches inside and outside their homes. Nigerians consider palm branches a sign of peace and a symbol of Christmas.
Poland - Greeting: Wesolych Swiat, (pronounced veh-SO-wig shi-vi-ANT) which means Merry Christmas. The greeting is in Polish. You might find spiders or a spider's web on a Polish Christmas tree. A legend says that a spider wove a blanket for Baby Jesus. So Polish people consider spiders to be symbols of prosperity and good luck at Christmas. Polish people also decorate their trees with candy, fruit, nuts, and homemade decorations made from eggs. On Christmas Eve, Polish families set an extra place at their table in case an unexpected guest arrives. They place straw on their table, too, to remind them of the stable where Jesus was born.
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