All the family moments that you want, without all the stuff that you don’t.
Christmas is arguably the most celebrated holiday worldwide. It is celebrated today by more than 2 billion people worldwide, including 93% of Americans. While it is strictly Christian in origin, celebrations and traditions of gift-giving and holiday cheer have been adopted by people from all beliefs and walks of life.
Christmas traditions vary widely by country, though there are a few universal ways to celebrate. Things like Christmas trees, gift giving, and holding special meals are parts of almost all celebrations. But how do these celebrations vary? And where do they come from? To understand the answers to these questions, we first need to learn about the history of the holiday.
Whether or not your personal belief accepts him as the Savior or Son of God, the current academic consensus is that Jesus was a real person born in Roman-ruled Israel. After a lot of controversy and arguing over the true date of Jesus’ birth, in the year 336 CE the day December 25th was chosen, since it coincided with the Roman celebration of the Winter Solstice.
Gift-giving had been a tradition in the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, which took place around the same time. As Christianity became the prominent religion, this practice was tied more to Christmas. It soon became a symbol of the three gifts given to Jesus by the wise men (AKA Magi).
As time progressed, traditions and celebrations evolved. The Protestant Reformation brought Christmas trees to the celebration thanks to 15th century Germany. Because a major part of the holiday observance included church attendance, many songs were written with the express purpose of celebrating the holiday, becoming (or inspiring) today’s Christmas Carols. Similarly, many people worldwide put up displays of the Nativity, which depicts the story of Jesus’ birth.
While Jesus may be the main figure of and reason behind Christmas celebrations, Santa Claus is probably the most famous face of the holiday in nations like the USA. He is not solely a part of American traditions however, and is known by many names around the world.
For example, in many English speaking countries he is also known as Saint Nick, and occasionally Father Christmas or Kris Kringle. In France he is known as Père Noël, and in Russia he’s called Дед Мороз (ded moroz). In Polish he’s known as Święty Mikołaj, and in Turkish he is Noel Baba.
But regardless of his name, beliefs about Santa Claus are all very similar. He is a large man, often depicted as portly, who rides a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer around the world delivering gifts to good children. Some beliefs add that he brings coal to naughty children, and lives in the North Pole where he has magical helpers (often depicted as elves) who help him assemble the toys.
Christmas in the United States has a number of traditions. The most popular traditions include gift-giving and gathering together with family and friends for a feast. While religious views and church attendance make up a very major part of many people’s celebrations, much of the modern music and celebrations in the USA have become much more secular in the public domain.
Most families will have a Christmas tree, and maybe even parties where they get together and play games. During their feast, most families will cook a turkey or a ham as the main dish. In this way, most Christmas meals in the United States are very similar to Thanksgiving celebrations. On Christmas Day there also is a major parade in New York City, though it is not quite as popular as the Thanksgiving parade.
While the celebrations in the United States are great family affairs, the traditions of many European countries are much more deeply developed.
In Germany, for example, St. Nicholas arrives on December 5th to fill children’s boots with nuts and candies. Germany is also famous for its Christmas markets which pop up in town squares and heavily trafficked areas. Germany also has many traditional foods, such as stollen, a fruit filled cake covered in powdered sugar, or lebkuchen, which resembles gingerbread.
In Poland, the main celebration of Christmas takes place on Christmas Eve, or what they call Wigilia. During the day, family members fast as they prepare food for the meal, which begins when the first star appears in the sky. Children watch the sky anxiously for the first star so the meal can begin. The main dish is carp, and no red meat is served. There are many traditional dishes served at the Wigilia feast, including pierogi, borscht, and herring.
Other traditions include Tio de Nadal in Spain, where children fill a log with food and then cover it with a blanket and beat it with sticks while singing a song. After that, they look under the blanket and find a range of treats. In Nordic countries, there are many different traditions surrounding Yule.
Christmas celebrations in Mexico last from December 12th to January 6th, with an additional day on February 2nd. Their celebrations can include elaborate displays, largely including poinsettias, Christmas trees, and Nativity scenes. Poinsettias are especially important, because they come from indigenous celebrations which pre-date Spanish colonization. Originally called Cuetlaxochitl, these flowers appeared mid-Winter and were thought to represent fallen warriors receiving new life.
While Christmas takes place in the Winter for people living in the Northern Hemisphere, in the Southern Hemisphere Christmas is a Summer holiday. This means many families in countries in South America get together for outdoor activities, such as grilling. In Argentina, grilled steaks are a common traditional food. Similarly, in Venezuela many people go outdoors to walk, skate, or bike. This started initially because public transportation was shut down, so people needed to find new ways to get to church for mass. Now it is part of the tradition.
With so many traditions to keep track of, it is sure that your family celebrates Christmas in a unique way. Lalo is a great way to document and share these traditions and memories. Ensure your family traditions are kept sacred and shared with future generations by making a capsule devoted to the holidays.
All the family moments that you want, without all
the stuff that you don’t.
