My family is big on tradition, which is to say that they’re scared of change, and they’ve embedded this need for consistency in my head by celebrating the holidays the exact same way for as long as I can remember—until last year. Last year we spent it with a different set of relatives who had different traditions to uphold. I was shocked at how contrasting our definitions of the holidays could be despite being in the same family. I couldn’t even imagine how strange it must have been for my friend Sarah, who spent December in Australia, to respond to a suggestion on Christmas morning like, “Hey, let’s go to the beach and fire up the barbie!” Do they build sandmen and have sandball fights afterward?
Christmas, like so many other traditions, has a unique spin on it depending where we find ourselves in the world. One person’s St. Nicholas is another person’s Père Noël. Some feast on turkey; others prefer porridge. And what, if anything, we choose to decorate is definitely a point of contention. Those looking to do what my family did and break free from holiday tradition need only to look across a border or sea for inspiration.
1. Greece
Photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of Christmas in Greece, and he’s also the patron saint of sailors, which could explain why the Greek gift-bringer (Agios Basilis, who gives presents on January 1, St. Basil’s Day) arrives via ship instead of sled. Also, instead of helpful elves, people tell tales of kallikantzeri, little creatures that create problems during the twelve days before the holiday. The night before Christmas is a time for children to walk around the towns singing carols and they’re rewarded with sweets and nuts. Lamb and pork are the main attractions at Christmas dinner, and christopsomo (Christ bread) and kourambiethes, a type of cookie, are served as well.
2. Russia
Photo source: Pot Noodle on flickr (cc)
Christmas in Russia is sometimes celebrated on December 25, but for those who follow the Russian Orthodox Church calendar, it actually falls on January 7. Christians in this country usually attend church on Christmas Eve (January 6) and some people don’t eat until the first star has appeared in the sky that evening. Regardless of when people sit down to eat, the meatless meal centers on kutya, a porridge consisting of grains, honey, and poppy seeds. These ingredients represent hope, well-being, unity, and bounty. The symbolic gift-bringer is Babushka, a grandmotherly figure. What we think of as Christmas traditions, such as giving presents, occur more commonly on New Year’s Day.
3. Japan
Photo source: jmurawski on flickr (cc)
Christmas is not so much a religious holiday in Japan because the Christian population is small (about 1 percent). However, the Japanese have adopted many of the commercial customs that are popular in the U.S., such as decorating their homes with Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, and hosting parties. Many people celebrate on Christmas Eve, which has become more of a romantic holiday (similar to Valentine’s Day) with couples going out to dinner. Christmas cake, a sponge cake with whipped cream and berries, is a traditional treat during this time. Oddly enough, fried chicken is a popular choice for Christmas dinner and restaurants like KFC prepare special chicken meals for the holiday.
4. France
Photo source: TOMOYOSHI on flickr (cc)
French children have not one, but two Christmas figures to answer to when the holidays near. Père Noël fills shoes (not stockings) that are placed near fireplaces with gifts; for those who were more naughty than nice, Père Fouettard is the disciplinarian who tells her counterpart whether the kids deserve gifts or spankings. (In some parts of France, baby Jesus brings the gifts instead of Père Noël.) Most homes put up small nativity scenes and the use of Christmas trees isn’t very common. Instead of a Yule log, the French make a chocolate cake in the shape of a Yule log. This is a component of Christmas Eve dinner (la rveillon), which follows midnight mass. Kids receive gifts on Christmas Day (and sometimes on St. Nicholas’ Day on December 6) and adults give each other presents on the first day of the new year.
