One festival which doesn’t come under any religious disparity would be Christmas. It’s not just a festival, it’s an experience which brings people from all over the world under one big tree and makes them wait for Santa Claus!
Though any festival is best enjoyed in the comfort of your homes and with your loved ones, the wanderlust souls love to explore different places to experience this phenomenon. The places to witness Christmas are umpteen, we bring you our curated list for the same!
Belgium:
The authenticity of Christmas Celebrations easily belongs to Belgium as it’s one of the first which embraced Christmas. The religious connotations may have changed in years but it still is a torch bearer for all that comprises an authentic Christmas and all that it entails. The second Santa, Children putting up shoes filled with carrots, the Christmas village, and the traditional big Christmas dinner tables all set apart Belgium in Christmas Celebrations. Cozy villages built out of wooden chalets and a family-centered Christmas Eve around an overflowing table are traditions dear to many a Belgian heart!
Finland:
The fact which sets apart Finland and makes it one of the most sought Destinations for Christmas is Santa himself. The Finnish believe that Santa Claus lives in the northern part of Finland and people from all over the world send letters to Santa over here!
Christmas Eve is very special and the most important day over Christmas. It’s traditional to eat rice porridge and plum fruit juice for breakfast. Then the tree is bought if not already and is decorated. Christmas days are quiet ones with family and Santa supposedly visits and delivers goodies under the Christmas trees!
USA:
The USA being home to many cultures and traditions, it has a variety of Celebrations as well. Many customs are similar to ones in the UK, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, and Mexico.
People in America like to decorate the outsides of their houses with lights and sometimes even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen, and Reindeer. Some cookies and a glass of milk are often left out as a snack for Santa on Christmas Eve!
In the Southwest USA, there are some special customs which have some similarities to those in parts of Mexico!
Customarily the streets and houses and all around the places are decorated in a stunning way that it’s a sight to behold.
Italy:
One of the most important and unique ways of celebrating Christmas in Italy is the Nativity crib scene. Using a Nativity scene to help tell the Christmas story was made very popular by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 (Assisi is in mid-Italy).
Having Nativity scenes in your own home became popular in the 16th century and it’s still popular today (before that only churches and monasteries had scenes). Nativity scenes are traditionally put out on the 8th of December. But the figure of the baby Jesus isn’t put into the crib/manger until the evening/night of December 24th!
On Christmas Eve they abstain from eating meat & dairy products as they attend the masses and once they return from that they get to eat a special Italian cake named panettone. A big Christmas meal consisting of many fish dishes is another specialty of this region. The Christmas Celebrations start 8 days ahead with multiple masses and prayers at the Churches!
Germany:
Something which sets apart German Celebrations is Advent. Different types of advent calendars are used across German. Christmas trees are a very important part of Celebrations. Mother’s decorate the Christmas trees secretly for the young ones in the family, mostly they are brought in during Christmas Christmas Eve is the main day when they exchange gifts & presents. Germany is famed for its extraordinary Christmas markets. You can find all kinds of Christmas decorations here. The most famous German decorations are glass ornaments. The glass ornaments were originally hand blown glass and were imported in the USA in the 1880s by the Woolworth stores. Over Christmas and the New Year in Germany and Austria, the famous Ski Jumping ‘Four Hills Tournament’ (‘Vierschanzentournee’) is held!
Switzerland:
Though it borrows a lot of traditions from Germany & Austria, Switzerland has its own Christmas traditions as well. Advent calendars & crowns are a part of Celebrations in Switzerland as well. Along with highly decorated Christmas markets, you can find multiple Carol’s & processions all over. The ‘Urnäsch Silvesterkläuse’ processions take place in the Appenzell Ausserrhoden, especially in the villages around Urnäsch. They take place from December 31st to January 13th and date back over 200 years.
Star Singing is also very popular among children. They go carol singing carrying a large star infant of them. The star represents the star that the Wiseman followed when they visited the baby, Jesus. Cookies are the most popular when it comes to delicacies. Each family has their own favorite recipe and traditions!
Austria:
Austria shares many traditions with its neighbor Germany but has a few of their own as well. They have the custom of Advent wreaths. Most towns have Christmas markets from late November. Every town will also have a large Christmas Tree in the town square. In homes, trees are decorated with gold and silver ornaments and stars made from straw. Christmas Celebrations start from Christmas Eve around 4 pm where people gather around Christmas trees and sing Carol’s.
The main Christmas meal is also eaten on Christmas Eve. It’s often ‘Gebackener Karpfen’ (fried carp) as the main course; this is because Christmas Eve was considered a ‘fasting’ day by many Catholics and no meat could be eaten. Turkey & Goose are quite popular and then there is a section of people who go skiing!
England:
In the UK families make it a point to celebrate Christmas together to catch the sheer joy on each other’s faces while opening Christmas gifts. Most villages, towns, and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. Often a famous person switches them on. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they get bigger and better. Thousands of people gather to watch the big ‘switch on’ around the beginning of November. This is one thing you can witness in England. Children believe that Santa Claus leaves gifts for them in stockings which are hung by their bedside or the fireplace. In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It’s normally roast turkey, roast vegetables and ‘all the trimmings‘ which means vegetables like carrots & peas, stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. In Desserts Trifle is most common!