Christmas Traditions Around the World

Europe

Germany: Advent calendars and Christmas markets

Germany is closely associated with the Advent calendar, a tradition of marking the days from December 1 to 24 with small doors or gifts, and with Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) selling mulled wine, gingerbread, ornaments and crafts. Many German families open gifts on the evening of Christmas Eve. On December 6, children traditionally put out a boot or shoe for St. Nicholas to fill with small treats.

Borrow it: make an Advent calendar, visit a local Christmas market and set out shoes on December 5.

Sweden: St. Lucia and the Julbord

On December 13, Swedes celebrate St. Lucia's Day with processions of children in white gowns, one wearing a crown of candles, singing and serving saffron buns (lussekatter). A Christmas smorgasbord known as the julbord includes ham, herring, meatballs and sweets. The straw Yule goat is a traditional ornament, and a giant straw goat is erected each year in the city of Gävle.

Borrow it: bake saffron buns on December 13 and light a candle at breakfast.

Iceland: the Yule Book Flood

Icelanders give books on Christmas Eve and spend the evening reading, often with chocolate. The practice is known as Jólabókaflóð, or the Yule Book Flood. Iceland's folklore also includes thirteen Yule Lads, mischievous characters who visit children on the thirteen nights before Christmas, leaving gifts in shoes placed on windowsills.

Borrow it: exchange books on Christmas Eve and read together with hot chocolate.

Poland: Wigilia

Polish families celebrate Christmas Eve with a meal called Wigilia, which begins when the first star appears in the sky. Traditionally there are twelve meatless dishes, often including carp, barszcz (beet soup) with dumplings and poppy-seed desserts. A place is often left empty for an unexpected guest, and relatives share opłatek, a thin wafer, exchanging wishes.

Borrow it: set an extra place at the table and share good wishes before dinner.

Italy: La Befana and Nativity scenes

In Italy, a kindly witch called La Befana is said to deliver gifts to children on the night before Epiphany, January 5 to 6. Nativity scenes, or presepi, are widely displayed and can be elaborate, with figures made by local artisans. In some Italian-American families, a Christmas Eve meal known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a cherished tradition.

Borrow it: build a small Nativity or winter village scene and celebrate Epiphany with a small gift.

The United Kingdom: crackers, pudding and Boxing Day

Christmas crackers, paper tubes that bang when pulled and contain a hat, a joke and a small gift, are a staple of British tables. Christmas pudding, a rich steamed fruit pudding, is often flamed with brandy. December 26 is Boxing Day, a public holiday associated with sport, leftovers and visiting.

Borrow it: put crackers on the table, wear paper hats and tell the jokes aloud.

Spain (Catalonia): the Caga Tió

In Catalonia, children care for a log called the Caga Tió, covering it with a blanket and feeding it. On Christmas, they beat it with sticks while singing a song, and it "delivers" small treats. A figure called the caganer, a squatting figure, appears in some Nativity scenes.

Borrow it: make a log character and hide treats under a blanket for the children to find.

Norway: hiding the brooms

According to old folklore, witches and spirits come out on Christmas Eve, so Norwegians have traditionally hidden their brooms. Today the practice is mostly a playful nod to the past.

Borrow it: hide household brooms for a laugh on Christmas Eve.

The Americas

Mexico: Las Posadas and Nochebuena

From December 16 to 24, communities hold Las Posadas, processions reenacting Mary and Joseph's search for lodging, with songs, food and piñatas. Christmas Eve, Nochebuena, is celebrated with a late family meal and church services. The poinsettia, native to Mexico, is known as the Nochebuena flower.

Borrow it: host a posada party with a piñata and warm punch.

Venezuela: roller-skating to church

In Caracas, some people traditionally roller-skate to early-morning Christmas masses, and roads are sometimes closed to traffic. The custom is a fun example of local color, though practices vary and participation has changed over time.

Borrow it: plan a family skate or an early-morning walk.

Canada and the United States: stockings and tree lighting

Stockings, trees and Santa are widely shared. Many American communities hold tree-lighting ceremonies, parades and neighborhood light displays, and many families open gifts on Christmas morning. Regional traditions include tamales in parts of the American Southwest, oyster stew in some coastal families and Hanukkah-and-Christmas combined celebrations in interfaith households.

Borrow it: drive around to see lights with cocoa in the car.

Asia, Africa and Oceania

The Philippines: Simbang Gabi and parols

Filipino Christmas begins early, with Simbang Gabi, a series of nine dawn masses from December 16 to 24, followed by rice cakes and hot drinks. Star-shaped lanterns called parols decorate homes and streets, and a famous Giant Lantern Festival is held in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Borrow it: make a paper parol and hang it in a window.

Japan: Christmas cake and fried chicken

Christmas in Japan is a secular celebration for most people. A strawberry shortcake is the traditional Christmas cake, and a fast-food chicken dinner has become a popular meal after a successful advertising campaign in the 1970s. Christmas Eve is often a romantic evening for couples.

Borrow it: bake a strawberry shortcake on Christmas Eve.

Ethiopia: Ganna

Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas, known as Ganna, on January 7. People attend church services, wear white shamma garments and often play a hockey-like game also called ganna.

Borrow it: learn about the tradition, and consider sharing a meal with Ethiopian friends or at a local restaurant.

Australia and New Zealand: summer Christmas

In the southern hemisphere, Christmas falls in summer. Families have barbecues, seafood, beach trips and cricket in the backyard. Carols by Candlelight events are held outdoors in many cities.

Borrow it: hold a picnic or a barbecue if you live in a warm place, or imagine a "Christmas in July" gathering.

More customs worth knowing

In Finland, many families visit a sauna on Christmas Eve, and the Christmas peace is declared in the city of Turku. In Ukraine, a traditional meal known as Sviata Vecheria includes twelve meatless dishes, and many families use a didukh, a sheaf of wheat, as a decoration. In Greece, boats are decorated as a symbol of the sea, and in many regions children sing carols called kalanda. In South Africa, many families celebrate outdoors, with a braai and a summer feeling.

How to add a tradition to your family

Pick one custom that fits your family, not five. Start small, and make it consistent: do it at the same time each year. Learn about its meaning, and, where it comes from a living culture, treat it with respect and credit. Ask friends or neighbors from that culture to share their experience. Involve children in preparing food or decorations. Take photos, and write down what you did so that you remember it. A tradition begins as a single experiment and becomes a tradition when you repeat it.