Belgian

The children there believe it is kindly Saint Nicholas who brings them their presents. They also
believe he rides a horse so they leave him hay and carrots and water for the horse just outside
the house on December 6.

Canada/U.S.

Christmas trees are decorated and stockings are hung on the fireplace for Santa Claus to fill
with gifts. Cards and gifts are exchanged with friends and relatives. Children put on pageants
and go caroling.

China

The Christians in China light their homes with beautiful paper lanterns. Santa is called Dun Che
Lao Ren. The children hang stockings just as we do.

CZECHS

They serve a very large and delicious dinner with many courses. Courses are like a appetizer,
followed by soup, then a salad, then maybe the first meat dishes, and so on till the dessert is
served. They serve this meal on Christmas Eve and it does not matter how big the family is,
there is always a place set at the table that is set for the Christ Child.

Denmark

Santa is known as Julemanden and he arrives in a sleigh pulled by reindeer with a sack full of
gifts. Danish children know the elves as Juul Nisse, and believe that they live in the attics of
their homes. Instead of cookies and glasses of milk, they leave rice pudding and saucers of milk
out for them.

England

From England we have acquired several customs. The first is the use of Christmas trees. This
was made popular during the rein of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Prince Albert came
from the country of Germany and missed his native practice of bringing in trees to place on the
tables in the house, therefore one Christmas the royal couple brought a tree inside the Palace
and decorated it with apples and other pretty items.
The second custom is what is known as Boxing Day. It is celebrated the first weekday after
Christmas. What this means is that small wrapped boxes with food and sweets, or small gifts,
or coins are given to anyone who comes calling that day.

Santa is known as Father Christmas, wearing long red robes and had sprigs of holly in his hair.
Instead of mailing out their christmas list, children throw it into the fireplace and Father
Christmas reads the smoke. England is also where the tradition of hanging stockings by the
chimney began, due to the fact that Father Christmas once accidentally dropped some gold
coins on his way down the chimney which got caught in a drying stocking. Another interesting
thing is that instead of opening up their gifts as soon as they wake up, English children wait
until the afternoon.

France

Santa is known as Pere Noel. He is accompanied by Pre Fouettard who keep track of who has
been good or bad for Pere Noel. In some parts of France, Pere Noel brings small gifts in the
beginning of December (Dec 6) and comes back to deliver more on Christmas. In France the
children get to open their gifts on Christmas, but the parents and other adults have to wait
until New Years. In France the children place there shoes by the fire place in hopes that le Pere
Noel/Father Christmas of le Petit Jesus/Little Jesus will place gifts for them. They also have
dinner at midnight on December 24 this is called Le Reveillon. They have a cake called La Buche
de Noel that is served after the dinner.

Tiny clay figures are used in the Christmas Crches, Mangers. These figures are most unique as
they are dressed in what is popular in provincial clothing that year. The figures are Mary,
Joseph, Baby Jesus, the Wise Men, the Shepherds, and Angels.

Italy

It Italy, the main exchange of gift doesn't occur until January 6th, the day traditionally believed
that the Wise Men reached the baby Jesus. Italy has La Befana who brings gifts to for the good
and punishment for the bad. She is the same character as Russia's Babouschka who refused to
give the Wise Men food and shelter. The nativity scene may have first been set up by Saint
Francis of Assisi. This first one was set up in a cave outside of a village and the villagers were so
impressed by the display that now many of the communities compete for the best nativity.

India
Houses are decorated with strings of mango leaves. Lights are place on the window sills and
walls and a star is hung outside. A sweet holiday treat is made called thali and it is brought to
neighbors and friends.

Christmas Traditions in Ghana, South Africa

"Afishapa"

Christmas in Ghana has always been for us one of the most important and joyous religious
festivals. It lasts for many days in all parts of the country. It is the time for beautiful Christmas
music on the streets, on radio, television, and everywhere. As a religious celebration the
churches start preparing many months before December 25th. The preparations are so intense
that one really feels as if the whole country is actually preparing for the birth of the baby Jesus.
Christmas in Ghana is the time when relatives and friends visit each other from town to town
and from village to village in all regions of the country regardless of their Religious Persuasion.
One may see people in cars, buses, and Lorries brightly decorated with Christmas themes
traveling all over the place with the usual Ghanaian Joy. Many people try to at least get home
by Christmas Eve to visit the Ancestral home and to visit with families and friends.

The traditional Christmas Eve Dinner consists either of a specially cooked rice and goat or
chicken stew or soup and is eaten before the Annual Christmas Worship Service and all friends
and relatives as well as strangers are invited. The food consumed at the Christmas Day dinners
may include rice, chicken, goat, lamb, and fruits of various kinds. There may be mangoes,
oranges, pawpaw or cashew fruits. The families always brightly decorate the houses with
beautiful paper ornaments specially made for the occasion. A tree in the center of the
courtyard is also decorated. It may be a mango tree or a guava tree or a cashew tree. Usually
the children and the young people in each family do this. Not only homes but also schools and
neighborhoods are brightly decorated with colorful crepe paper while we look forward to the
Christmas Eve Services at the various churches.

After the service there is usually a joyous procession through the streets led by local bands
and Christmas Revelers which is joined by all. The dancing in the streets may continue till the
wee hours of the morning. The gala mood continues night after night for a long time.

On Christmas Day everyone returns to the church in his or her finest new clothes and the
churches are generally full. At the church we hear again the story of the first Christmas in all
the ethnic languages along with the singing of traditional carols in our own ethnic languages
reminding us of the meaning of the blessed birth of the baby Jesus. After the Christmas service
young people receive special gifts such as special imported chocolate, special cookies, and
special crackers. They are told that the gifts come from Father Christmas, (a carry over from
the colonial days). The young may also receive new clothes and perhaps new shoes or a diary
or a book. Meanwhile, throughout the celebration, everyone is greeted with the special Akan
greeting word, "Afishapa," meaning Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Japan

The Japanese decorate their stores and homes with greens. The only part of Christmas that
they celebrate is the giving of gifts. HOTEIOSHA the priest is like our Santa Claus, and he brings
the children their presents.

Mexico

Mexico calls Christmas Navidad. They celebrate Christmas for nine days with Las Pasdas. It is a
time where people dress as Mary and Joseph, traveling from house to house asking if Mary
may stay the night. They are told the is full. After which the door opens back up and all are
invited in for a party with food, songs, and for the children a Pinata. The Pinata is made of
paper mache and filled with all kinds of goodies. The object is to break it open with your eyes
blindfolded. After which the children all dive for all the goodies they can pick up. On the ninth
night they are told yes there is room for Mary in the stable and all come in for food and after
all go to Church to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

The Netherlands

Santa is known as Sinterklaas, and he came to Sweden originally by boat, setting out on
December 6th from Spain. He makes his gift deliveries by horseback. The children leave their
shoes out, filled with hay and sugar for Sinterklaas' horse. In the morning they find their shoes
filled with candy and nuts. When Sinterklaas appears to the children, he takes the form of their
father or a favorite male relative.

North Pole

Santa and his helpers are getting ready to deliver gifts to the children of the world.

POLAND

From Christmas to New Years the streets are lined with lovely stalls called, JOSELKI, each one is
carefully painted with scenes from the Christmas story. The booths are elaborately decorated
in tinsel and lighted candles.
Spain

The children of Spain leave their shoes on the windowsills filled with straw, carrots, and barley
for the horses of the Wise Men, who they believe reenact their journey to Bethlehem every
year. One of the wise men is called Balthazar, who leaves the children gifts. They call Christmas
Eve Nochebuena, and families gather together to rejoice and share a meal around the Nativity
scene.

Sweden

The Swedish people call Santa tomte, and see him as a gnome who comes out from under the
floor of the house or barn carrying his sack of gifts for them. He rides in a sleigh drawn by a
goat.Santa Lucia day, the oldest daughter wears a wreath of seven candles on her head and
servers a special meal of ham, fish, and rice pudding. God Jul!

On Saint Lucias Day, December 13, in the first light of dawn the oldest daughter of the house
dresses in a white robe and places a ring of candles in her hair. It is then her job to wake the
rest of the family and serve them coffee, buns, and cookies.

JULKAPP is another custom, in Sweden. a present is wrapped in many layers of paper and then
someone knocks on the door to a house and they leave the gift their. The longer it takes for
the present to be opened the better the JULKAPP.

Russia

Russia has someone named Babouschka, who would bring gifts for the children. The tradition
says that she failed to give food and shelter to the three wise men and so she now searches
the countryside searching for the baby Jesus, visiting all children giving gifts as she goes. Santa
was known as Saint Nicholas but today is called Grandfather Frost, wearing a blue outfit
instead of red.

The Russians use to celebrate Christmas with great joy and happiness before the Revaluation
of 1917. They used to stroll up and down the streets with stars on the end of sticks that they
called Stars of Bethlehem. The people went to church services and shared a special meal at
home. After the Revaluation the Soviet Government banned Christmas. What the Russians do
today is celebrate New Years Day with a special tree decorated like we do ours for Christmas
and they have a New Years Day Childrens party. The children join hands and sing songs as they
walk around the tree. They wait for DYET MOROZ Grandfather Frost, and his helper
SYYEGORACHKA The Snow Maiden to bring them their gifts.

Switzerland

Santa Claus is called CHRISTKIND, the Christ Child coming to bring gifts to the children dressed
in all white with a golden crown, He is helped by Saint Nicholas.