The Christmas Rush, and Christmas traditions from around the globe
“Tis the Season” is more than a phrase, it is a fact. From Black Friday on until the sixth of January, it is Christmas. The only difference between us and the rest of the world is that Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands start this frantic time around December 5, the eve of December 6 and the coming of Sinterklaas. He looks a lot like our Santa except he travels to children’s homes with a bad companion called Zwarte Piet or Black Peter. He is not fooling about the naughty and nice bit; Piet carries switches and coal. Your wooden shoes will be black and nasty if you have not been a good little girl or boy.
Father Christmas of England and Pére Noel of France both walk the runway in a long red gown and a hood trimmed with white fur. It seems the Bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas, can arrive on a horse, by boat, carriage or helicopter. His bishop’s staff is the reason candy canes have a crook in them.
Italy has unique ideas about Santa. They don’t have him. According to legend, Befana, or “Good Witch” was such a good housekeeper that when the Three Wise Men came to her door to ask directions to Bethlehem, she was too busy sweeping to go with them. (I never dust! I could have gone.) After realizing her mistake, Befana now spends her time giving gifts and food to the children. She carries her broom to sweep and to make way for the Christ Child.
And according to the story of Santa, a poor man with three daughters who could not marry without a dowry, the real Santa (the Bishop) gave money to each girl. An unmarried Italian lady is given a coin on Christmas and flips it seven times to see how her love life will be that year.
While only 1% of Japanese people are Christian, they love Christmas and decorate with tons of lights and glitter. They have a Santa-type guy called Hotei-oshe. He is a Buddhist monk who gives gifts. The kids are afraid of him because they believe he has eyes in the back of his head and will see them naughty or nice. As for our Chinese brothers and sisters, they have a bumpy ride. Religions of all kinds are not really approved. But, since the movie, “The Christmas Story,” where the turkey dinner was stolen by the Bumpus’ Hounds, a new food tradition is Chinese food including turkey.
Mexico starts Christmas with a Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12. Then, a custom that we hold dear from Mexico, and into New Mexico, is Las Posadas. It is a parade in honor of the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They stop to ask for shelter, but they are turned down nine times. It represents the nine months in the womb. The night of December 24, there is a Mass at midnight. After the Mass, friends and family celebrate with great food. (Yum, yum! Tamales for me.) Gifts are exchanged on Christmas Day. Luminarias are lit on the Eve of Christmas to find the way of Peace on Earth, or as a guiding path for Las Posadas. The tradition started four hundred years ago is still a treasure of “La Familia.”
The wonderful part of being a citizen of the U.S. is that our ancestors brought with them the lore, legends, food and festivals that raise our spirits in the time when the sun is low. Before the Vikings had heard of this holiday, they were afraid of winter. They celebrated the Solstice, the shortest day of the year (and the time when the days start to get longer, at last!) with huge bonfires. They didn’t have Christmas lights to quell their fear that the sun would not come back. Today we have all this help from stores and catalogs and “The Net.” Even if we are sure the Son will return, it does not hurt to light one little candle. Roaring Mouse with a match in hand, out.