Christmas is fast approaching. Along with family time, food, and the warm memories associated with the holidays. It’s a wonderful time of year not just for us but for people around the world. Geography and world cultures have always been some of my favorite subjects even when I’m not taking classes that have anything to do with them. So I’d like to share with you a few different ways people abroad celebrate the holidays.
Australia
If you ever wanted to combine summer fun with Christmas, you should consider traveling to everyone’s favorite dual country/continent around December. Like any other country in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas in Australia is during their summer season. Trading snow for warm waters, it’s an opportunity to enjoy the various outdoor activities Australia has to offer whether they live in the coastal regions or further inland. Like other former British colonies, Australia’s Christmas largely reflected British culture. However, in recent years Australia has become much more culturally diverse, with new immigrants adding their traditions to this holiday. Boxing Day on December 26 is a national holiday which gives Australians an extra day off from work.
Fun fact: due to New Zealand’s unique location just west of the International Date Line, Australia celebrates Christmas a day later than their neighbors.
Bahamas
This beautiful archipelago of islands southeast of Florida is not a bad option for a winter vacation either. Christmas trees settle indoors overlooking palm trees outdoors and a traditional Christmas meal includes fruit, ham, and garlic pork. The Bahamas also has a variety of carnivals and other huge celebrations that take place during this time of year. These events inspire beautiful, colorful decorations as well as singing and other kinds of performances. The most notable celebration being the Junkanoo Parade, which takes place in Nassau and other major cities and features performers and dancers in vibrant costumes. They sure know how to throw a party with a lovely atmosphere.
Canada
Our neighbors up north have a lot of similar Christmas traditions as we do, along with Boxing Day which they observe. The idea of a snow white winter wonderland is more widespread across this large country as opposed to just a few parts of the United States. When it snows, you can expect people of all ages to go bob sledding, skiing, and play hockey in addition to other winter sports. Needless to say, Vancouver made excellent and fitting hosts for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
From the northern lights in the territories to the extravagant decorations in major cities such as Montreal and Toronto (home to the Cavalcade of Lights Festival). In Quebec, their Christmas reflects their proud French-influenced culture, most notably the reveillon. Derived from the French word meaning “to awaken”, it is a special dinner event. It is also observed in other French speaking parts of the world such as Belgium, and even other countries such as Portugal and Romania.
Greece
A Christmas feast in the nation of great tales and myths includes roasted lamb and a type of bread known locally as “christopsomo”, which means Christ bread. While Greece hasn’t had as long of a history celebrating Christmas as many other European nations, they have acquired some powerful rituals, such as using a wooden cross covered in basil and dipped in holy water to ward evil spirits away. In Greece, people typically open their presents on January 1st, New Year’s Day as well as St.Basil’s Day. Basil is to the Greek as Saint Nick (Santa Claus) is to use and other nations. There’s not as much information available on Christmas in Olympus, but I’m sure Hades doesn’t notice all the coal he received from thousands of years on the Naughty List.
India
India is a diverse nation in a number of ways: language, culture, religion, and goods produced to name a few. Namely due to the diversity in religion, Christmas is not observed by the entire country (though it is an official government holiday). Like Australia, the Bahamas, and Canada, India was once a British colony, but Britain’s influence wasn’t as lasting in India as it was on those nations. India’s population has roughly 25 million people who identify as Christians.
Their Christian population is larger than the population of Australia but is only amounts to about 2% of they country's total population. For that 2%, their Christmas traditions include singing Christmas carols, remembering the nativity, and children awaiting Christmas Baba, or Santa Claus. The main difference between Christmas Baba and Santa Claus is that Christmas Baba prefers horses over reindeer.
Italy
This unique country in shape, as well as culture, is the birthplace to many patron saints, so it is no surprise that Christmas cheer and tradition runs deep here. It’s not just December 25th that is celebrated, though. On December 8th, Italy observes the Festa dell’Immacolata Concezione, which honors the event when Mary conceived Jesus Christ. While former and present English territories celebrate Boxing Day on December 26th, Italy has Giorno di Santo Stefano (Saint Stephen’s Day), along with Giorno di Santa Lucia on December 13th for Sicily.
While Italy is considered a romantic country any time of year, there is a certain additional beauty when filled with the type of love that is honored in the Christmas season. Just imagine the various churches and chapels filled with holiday cheer and people. Surely amazing.
Lebanon
Lebanon has a great flag, but it’s even greater when you notice that it has a pine tree, just like the typical Christmas tree. While most parts of the world hold high importance to a Christmas dinner, lunch is regarded as the most important meal of the day in a Lebanese Christmas. This usually takes place in a grandparent or eldest son’s home and it is a huge affair in which the entire family involved. The meal includes sheep as a reference to the lamb of god and Jesus Christ. Another tradition they share around the table is the passing of coal. The coal represents everyone's sins and by burning it to start a fire, it eradicates the sin. It seems like a fascinating alternative to roasting chestnuts on an open fire.
Mexico
Christmas south of the border is a tradition just as beloved as it is north of the border. Mexico places a lot of emphasis on the biblical foundations of Christmas. While many of you are familiar with the large spectacles in Mexico like El Dia De Los Muertos, a more fervent degree of devotion and celebration is shown for Christmas. Mexican Christmas celebrations are something I am very familiar with, having participated in these traditions myself as a Mexican American. The nativity scene is always set up before the Christmas tree, and the tree stays up until the Three Wise Men arrive on the night of January 5th, where children leave their shoes underneath.
On the morning of January 6th, some sort of gift is left in or near the shoes, varying from money to food. The Three Wise Men are said to be the ones who provide the gifts for Christmas, which come January 6th instead of December 25th. There is also a legend that tells of an alleged appearance by the Virgin Mary (Lady of Guadalupe or La Guadalupana) in Mexico City in 1531. She called for a temple to be built, and that building to this day is an important Christian pilgrimage site, especially on her feast day on December 12.
Nigeria
Nigeria was once a British colony, but it has kept many of its own cultures alive during and post colonization. The number of Christians in Africa has increased 40 fold in the last 100 years, but Christianity is only slightly more practiced than Islam. One of the parts of Africa where Christmas is certainly a heavily celebrated event is Nigeria. Goats, chickens, and other goods needed to prepare for Christmas can be bought in public markets. However, when Christmas does near, the shopping stops as people have made sure to have made their journeys towards their families’ homes.
Almsgiving is especially important in Nigerian Christmas, which is incredibly uplifting. Nigeria has gone through some difficult times in this nation’s history and for their people to be that stout about giving to the poor is very commendable. However, that does not mean conflict has been completely evaded. Some political and religious strife can occasionally lead to attacks on religious sites. With the more recent tragedies Nigeria has suffered, hopefully, this holiday season can be a more peaceful one.
Russia
A nation we hear a lot about in history and in the news but one with an incredible culture. The land of 11 time zones is home to some cold winters, but that doesn’t stop the Russian people from enjoying their Christmas celebrations. Russia uses a slightly different calendar than we do, meaning Christmas lands on January 7th. The traditional Christmas dinner purposefully has 12 dishes, one for each apostle. These traditions have been observed faithfully and freely since the fall of the Soviet Union. Prior to that, there were some celebrations to commemorate the beginning of the New Year but it was not quite the same.
Singapore
Singapore can be hard to spot on a map or globe. It is less than a fifth of the size of Rhode Island and even smaller than Trinidad and Tobago (soccer fans may recall the nation as USA’s opponent in World Cup Qualifying earlier in November). But as the saying goes, big things come in small packages. Singapore is a very urban and economically developed country, full of many major shopping centers that allow the Singaporean people to complete their Christmas shopping with generally positive results. Aesthetically the decorations are quite impressive as well, like a hidden San Francisco-like gem in Southeastern Asia. Gift exchanges among coworkers on the last day off before Christmas are expected. While we expect much colder temperatures during Christmas time, Singapore’s temperatures are consistent year long so having fun indoors as well as outdoors are great options.
Regardless of your major, profession, or background, I suggest that whenever you have an opportunity, take the chance to learn more about other parts of the world. Both countries that are widely known such as Italy and Canada as well as some lesser known ones like Lebanon and the Bahamas. Thanks to globalization and the melting pot that is the United States (and many other countries including France, Australia, and England), it is becoming easier to do so. Sports, Video Games, Fashion, Movies, and even the members of the UC Davis and other college communities represent several parts of the world. And at the end of the day, we are all a part of the same one. The kind of diversity that should be celebrated.
