Christmas Around The World!

[David In Indy]

Are you curious how people celebrate Christmas and the holidays in other countries? Do you sometimes wonder what some of our fellow Bettermost members in other countries do during the Christmas season? I found a very interesting website that explains these Christmas and holiday customs in other countries. It lists several dozen different countries and fairly detailed information about the customs in other lands.

Enjoy!!! 


http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/index.shtml

[Penthesilea]

Ehem .... David, dear .... maybe a link would come handy .... 

[Kelda]

Ehem .... David, dear .... maybe a link would come handy .... 

 

[Penthesilea]

I thought this might be the appropriate thread to tell about Christmas/Holiday season in Germany. I've told some of this stuff already last year, so skip what you already know.

For me, the holiday season begins Nov, 11th. This is the day of St. Martin. He was first a Roman soldier, later the Bishop of Tours and famous for cutting his cloak in half with his sword during a snowstorm. He gave half of the cloak to a beggar and thus saved him from dying of the cold.

In the evening of the 11th there are processions. A man on a horse, dressed up as St. Martin leads the way and the children from the village follow him with their lanterns and sing songs about St. Martin and about their lanterns. At the end of the procession, the kids are given a piece of pastry resembeling a man (St. Martin of course). But our village gives out pastries which are formed like pretzels  (but made of a different, sweet dough - and yes, we are obsessed with pretzels  )

Different lanterns (pic from the internet):




My younger ones with their lanterns (I got the idea with the smiley face from dellaluvia  ):

[Penthesilea]

In Advent season every school, kindergarten and sports club has its own Advent/Christmas festivity. Sometimes they're small festivities, only for the teachers and children, sometimes bigger ones where parents, grandparents and other relatives are also invited. Last week was the Advent festivity of my son's kindergarten.

Everything was festively decorated and illuminated; there was a small stage where the children sang and recited poems. The three to six year old ones are sooo cute  .










On Dec. 6th will be Nikolaus (St. Niklaaas). I'll tell about it then and post some pics.

[Dagi]

My younger ones with their lanterns (I got the idea with the smiley face from dellaluvia  ):

  nice idea, but it looks more like Halloween now. 

[Penthesilea]

nice idea, but it looks more like Halloween now. 

  Oh well, you can't have everything.

[David In Indy]

It looks like I forgot to provide the link to the website. Sorry about that! I edited my original post and it's up there now!!

[David In Indy]

Thanks for all that information about the holiday season in Germany Chrissi! They also celebrate St. Martin's Day in Holland. Melissa told me about it. Except over there they spell it St. Maarten. It sounds very cute and it looks a bit like Halloween, but not quite.

[Kd5000]

Well David, do they have different unique customs in Indiana for Christmas that aren't found elsewhere.

Along the lower Mississippi River, they have been lighting enormous bonfires on Christmas eve since the 1700's. Some of them are built like log cabins, much artistic expressions.  They locals work  on them for at least a month.  I've only seen the lighting of the bonfires it on the news. I hear the crowd can get a bit rowdy as there is much "merriment." 

From Wikipedia.org.

Every year over one hundred 30 foot plus tall bonfire structures are built of wood, firecrackers, and occasionally bamboo along the Mississippi River levee near the town of Lutcher, Louisiana. These bonfires are laced with kerosene or lighter fluid, then all are ignited simultaneously at 7 p.m. US Central Standard Time to welcome the arrival of Papa Noel on Christmas Eve.

The bonfires have been explained as long ago before the Levee's were built, to help friends of the family find the inlets or slips coming off the river to the homes of those they wanted to visit on Christmas Eve. But more likely a good way to encourage the children to help keep the inlet clear of the continuous build-up of washed up debris and driftwood.

Today, each family or street of families comes together and starts building usually the Thanksgiving break from school. They have limits now as to size and construction due to mishaps in the past. But Christmas Eve if its not a “Cajun Snowstorm” is enjoyed with a bonfire, pot of gumbo, fireworks, and a lawn-chair. All are welcome to join the merriment, now even special sternwheelers, paddleboats, or riverboats offer bonfire cruises down the Mississippi River.