How the world marks Christmas
The Christmas season is celebrated in di erent ways around the globe. Here are just some of the ways di erent countries and cultures mark the occasion.
JAPAN
Japan treats the Christmas season as a time of happiness and romance, setting aside its religious beginnings. In some cases, couples treat it more like Valentine’s Day. When it comes to the traditional meal, there’s another bird on the plate instead of turkey: chicken—Kentucky Fried Chicken is more often than not the pièce de résistance at the Christmas dinner table. In fact, it’s so popular, you have to make a reservation to get a bucket on Christmas day.
RUSSIA
Russia, with its history with the Orthodox Catholic Church, features two celebrations: Dec. 25 and Jan. 7. Dinners often feature 12 different dishes in honour of the 12 apostles, and the meals are typically meatless and chock full of bread, honey and vegetables. The big meal on Christmas Day— the one on Jan. 7—usually has meat as its main course. And yes, the Russians have their own Santa, but his name is Ded Moroz, which translates to ‘Grandfather Frost.’
FINLAND
Finnish Christmas in many ways is similar to the North American experience, but it also has its differences. The season kicks off on the first Sunday of December—called First Advent—and sees children count down the days to Christmas Eve with Advent calendars. Dec. 13 is St. Lucia Day, in honour of Saint Lucia, a third-century martyr who brought food to Christians in hiding. Christmas dinner is served between 5 and 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and the meal traditionally includes oven-baked ham, rutabaga casserole, beetroot salad, and other common Nordic foods.
AUSTRALIA
A Christmas without snow? Horrors! But that’s Christmas in Australia. The holiday features a lot of beaches, palm trees and sunshine, and the meals are largely seafood like prawns and lobsters, as well as salads and apple and cranberry sauces. Then there is the carolling, which is a popular tradition thanks to there being no fear of cold noses and frozen voice boxes.
GREAT BRITAIN
Perhaps the biggest difference between a British Christmas and a North American one is Father Christmas replacing Santa Claus. But there are other differences as well. In North America, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, but in Britain children hang theirs at the foot of their beds, hoping it will be filled with treats. We mail our letters to Santa (the postal code is H0H 0H0, after all), but British children often burn their letters so Father Christmas can read their wishes in the smoke.