Each December brings an inescapable stream of Christmas music, a wide array of stockings, snow globes and candy canes lining store aisles, and a bright display of twinkling lights decorating every house. Christmas as we know it is a combination of both secular and religious traditions, and this mix of the two is a key contributor to the idea of the “American Christmas.” In other places around the world, however, Christmas has different traditions. While many countries follow the same holiday customs as America, they bring their unique traditions to the holiday as well.
Czech Republic:
Unlike Christmas in America, many Czech people fast on Christmas Eve.
“We don’t eat for the whole day, and if you do this, people say that you’ll see the Golden Pig at the end of the day,” junior and ASSIST student Thanh Van Pham said. “Usually parents use mirror reflections to make a ‘pig’ [which symbolizes good luck] appear on the wall.”
After a day of fasting, everyone typically goes to dinner where they feast on carp and potato salad.
“We usually buy the carp [live] and put them in the bathtub before, and we leave them there until dinner,” Pham said.
Additionally, Czech children believe that baby Jesus, instead of Santa Claus, delivers their presents, and they open them on Christmas Eve.
“We have a Christmas tree and put presents under the tree,” Pham said. “Parents say to their children that baby Jesus brought them, because we don’t have Santa.”
South Africa:
Because Christmas in South Africa takes place in the summer, many of the classic Christmas traditions involving the snow are impractical.
“[In South Africa in the summer], the days are long and the nights are short, so all the celebrations that involve decorating things with Christmas lights didn’t happen,” Science Teacher Elmarie Mortimer, who grew up in South Africa, said. “Also, the whole idea of sitting around a fire and drinking hot chocolate didn’t make sense.”
Due to European influence, the typical South African Christmas meal includes Christmas crackers and trifles, both British foods.
Additionally, December 26, Boxing Day, is a national holiday.
“On Boxing Day, everybody goes to the beach; it’s always jam-packed,” Mortimer said. “We would always watch the cricket match, and there would be barbecues and celebrations.”
Ukraine:
Ukrainian Christmas is celebrated on January 7 since the Orthodox church, the main church of Ukraine, follows the Julian calendar.
“On the table, you are supposed to have 12 dishes [which symbolize Jesus’ 12 disciples],” junior Valya Willard said.
Typical foods to find at a Ukrainian Christmas dinner include kutya (a porridge consisting of boiled wheat, poppy seeds and honey), red borscht and sauerkraut.
“Later that night, kids go around the neighborhood collecting candies and singing songs like ‘Carol of The Bells,’” Willard said.
However, Willard’s favorite holiday tradition is celebrating the New Year with family, much like Americans do.
“All the family gets around one table and eats food until the midnight,” Willard said. “Around midnight people come out to the main square of the city and meet New Year together.”
