CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
In the Christmas in Summertime thread we have been discussing what it is like to celebrate Christmas in the heat of summer, and how Australians and New Zealanders, in particular, spend Christmas, whilst the citizens of North America and Europe enjoy 'dreaming of a white Christmas'.
Because of the heat, it is inevitable that hot roast Christmas dinners, followed by rich, steaming, Christmas puddings, have yielded to backyard barbeques, or lunches of grilled fish and seafood, accompanied by cool melons, mangoes and berries, nut and cheese platters and followed by trifles, pavlovas or cheesecake. Summertime has also made ridiculous those carols about chestnuts roasting on an open fire, when fire engines race to bushfires, and the only chestnuts in season are likely to be Asian water chestnuts. Or when a coconut and turkish delight treat, called White Christmas, has nothing whatsoever to do with snow at either the North or South Poles. And also, the proximity of Asia with its wide choice of delicious cuisines has heavily influenced food preferences.
However, Australia and New Zealand, like Canada, USA and UK, itself, have large immigrant populations which, wherever they are from, have very diverse customs and traditions, which explains why various traditions are kept up here, including Christmas trees, lavish decorations, sending greeting cards to family and friends, and the yearly televised Carols by candlelight. Warrior4Jesus commented that, because of his mainly German heritage, his family opened Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, much as UK's Royal family still does to this day. Unlike my own mainly British heritage, where presents are exchanged on Christmas morning, after attending an early morning Church service.
Why do we have these traditions, and where are they from? A Polish-born friend of mine talks of setting an extra seat at the Christmas table for the Christ Child, and feasting on fish rather than roast turkey. French-speaking Christians in Canada, Vietnam and France, itself, enjoy La Reveillon after midnight Mass on Dec 24th. And how is Christmas celebrated in the Middle East, where Christ, himself was born, or in predominantly non-Christian societies?
This is your thread to discuss these traditions, when and where they began, why they continued, and why they fell into disuse. Have you heard of a particular custom that you want explained? Maybe we could find out for you. Or can you tell us about Christmas customs and traditions you enjoy, whether it is the consumption of lutefisk, or why my grandmother put silver coins in the Christmas pudding.