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Christmas
Around the World
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! I thought it would be fun to see how Christmas is celebrated
around the world. Enjoy and remember - these are cultures foreign to us
and our "ways of doin' things."
In Russia and the Ukraine, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th.
Special prayers are said and some people fast - up to 39 days. The
fasting ends on January 6th (Christmas Eve) when the first evening star
appears in the sky. And that begins a twelve course supper in honor of
each of the twelve apostles.
In Ireland, the tradition is to leave mince pies and a bottle of
Guinness out for Santa Claus.
In parts of Spain, Portugal, and Italy - the tradition is to set up a
model of Bethlehem...complete with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.
In the Czech Republic, single women stand with their back to the door
and throw one of their shoes over their shoulder. If the shoe lands
with the heel facing the door - she will remain single for the next
year. If the shoe lands with the front part facing the door, it means
she will move out of her parent's house and she should start making
wedding preparations.
For over 40 years Gavle, Sweden (the capital) erected a giant Goat made
of straw to mark the beginning of the holiday season. Every year
vandals do what they can to burn down the Goat before Christmas Day.
Since 1966, the straw Goat has survived until Christmas Day only 10
times. People disguise themselves as Santa Claus or elves to get past
the guardian and ignite the straw monument.
In the capital of Venezuela - Caracas - on Christmas Eve morning the
roads are closed to cars so the people can roller skate to Mass.
According to ancient Norwegian belief - witches and evil spirits would
emerge and steal brooms to ride the skies on Christmas Eve. Therefore,
on Christmas Eve, all of the brooms and similar cleaning implements are
hidden and men fire their shotguns outside their houses to frighten
away these witches.
The people of the Netherlands - who celebrate the holiday on December
6th - wait on the arrival of Sinterklaas and his sidekick, Black Pete.
They come by way of a steamer to leave candy and nuts for good little
boys and girls who have filled their shoes with hay and sugar for his
horse.
In Germany, December 6th is Nikolaustag St. Claus Day. On the eve of
that day, children leave a shoe or boot outside their door and the next
morning candies and/or small toys appear in them for those who have
been good or a Golden Birch (a symbol for spanking) is found next to
the sweets if they were bad.
For many people in Japan, a traditional Christmas Dinner is Kentucky
Fried Chicken (KFC). It is so popular that you need to make a
reservation to eat at a KFC on Christmas Day in this country.
In Ireland, rather than the more traditional foods like we would eat
here in the USA - they eat "kiviak"...a sealskin wrapped around raw auk
and placed under a rock for many months. "Mattak" is whale skin with a
strip of blubber (fat) inside...also served during the celebrations.
In Slovakia, at the beginning of Christmas Eve dinner, the head of the
family takes a spoon full of Loksa (a traditional Christmas dish of
bread, poppy seed filling and water) and throws it up to the ceiling.
The more of this that remains glued to the ceiling...the richer his
crops will be in the following year.
"Geseende Kersfees" (Afrikaans)..."Milud Majid" (Arabic)..."Feliz
Navidad" (Argentine)..."Feliz Natal" (Brazilian)..."Gun Tso Sun Tan'
Gung Haw Sun" (Cantonese-Chinese)..."Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano
Nuevo" (Columbian)..."Hejvaa Joukia" (Finnish)..."Frohliche
Weihnachien" (German)..."Buone Feste Natalizie" (Italian)..."Feliz
Navidad" (Spanish)..."Sawadee Pee Mai" (Thai)..."Nadolig Llawen"
(Welsh).
Wherever you roam...they all say Merry Christmas!!!
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the
furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next
time. Ever Toodles!! MONA
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