Christmas Around the World

How People Celebrate Christmas Around the World

christmas around the world ornament

Christmas for those of us in the Americas celebrate Christmas on December 25th and generally in colder weather. For many of us, this means the beauty of glistening snow on the ground.

Snowmen and snow angels are in abundance and can be seen at many houses during this time of year. But not everyone has winter weather during their Christmas celebration.

Use the links below to see how people celebrate Christmas in their area or scroll through the page to read all the different ways to celebrate X-Mas.

Africa	Antarctica
Asia	Australia
Europe	North America
South America

Christmas Around the World - Africa

In Africa, Christmas begins by people gathering to sing Christmas carols from the Congo on down to South Africa. Christmas in Africa is less commercial than in the Americas or Europe. Their focus is more on the giving and religious celebration. The most important part of their worship services is giving a gift in honor of Jesus Christ. Each person will lay a gift on a raised platform as their gift of love.

Although many celebrate Christmas on December 25th, the Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on January 7th as they follow a different calendar.

Kwanzaa is not celebrated in Africa as this is a celebration for African-Americans and is celebrated in the Americas only. Kwanzaa, which is not a replacement for celebrating Christmas, occurs between December 26th and January 1st.

Christmas Around the World - Antarctica

On December 25th in Antarctica it is summertime. Since this continent is on the South Pole, directly opposite of Santa’s house, the season is summer. Even though it’s summer this place is still cold. Christmas in Antarctica mainly celebrated by people working in the various research centers or by tourists.

At McMurdo Station, the largest on the continent with about 1,200 people, they have to sign up ahead of time for the Christmas dinner celebration. Imagine that, having to make reservations for a Christmas buffet. Celebration activities include signing Christmas carols, parties and some outdoor activities.

Christmas Around the World - Asia

asian christmas ornaments

Asia, the largest of the 7 continents, has several large countries where the Christmas celebrations vary. In main China, December 25th is not an official holiday however Christians in China often celebrate Christmas unofficially and privately.

In Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea, all these countries declare December 25th as a public holiday and people celebrate Christmas openly and often with a lot of the same traditions as in America. South Korea is the East Asian country to recognize Christmas as a public holiday.

Although in Japan Christmas is also not a declared public holiday it is celebrated by many with enthusiasm and glee. Santa Claus is a celebrated and accepted figure of their Christmas celebrations. The first officially record Christmas celebration in Japan dates back to 1552 although it is believed that the first celebration was actually much earlier in 1549 when Saint Francis Xavier came to Japan to start missionary work. Although Christmas is widely celebrated in Japan, New Year’s Eve is a much more celebrated and honored holiday.

Although Israel is in Asia, and the home of Bethlehem where Jesus was born, most do not celebrate Christmas on December 25th. Instead they celebrate Hanukkah which begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. It is an 8 day celebration and begins generally sometime in December, but can be late November. For 2008, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 21st and ends at nightfall on December 29th.

Christmas Around the World - Australia

Australia also celebrates Christmas on December 25th, but for them they are in the heat of their summer season. School is coming to an end and the summer vacation, and Christmas, is just around the corner. You can find many people in Australia shopping for their Christmas gifts in shorts and summer shirts.

Santa often arrives in town to visit with the children on surf boards and Bermuda shorts. The first official Christmas in Australia was celebrated on December 25th 1788 at Sydney Cove by Reverend Johnson. One long celebrated tradition in Australia is “Carols by Candlelight”. This tradition, started in 1937, is held in Melbourne every year on Christmas Eve where thousands of people gather to sing their favorite Christmas Carol.

People in Australia celebrate Christmas before those of us in America. Due to the time difference, when we are busy tucking in the kids on Christmas Eve, the kids in Australia have already opened up all their Christmas gifts. Australia’s time is a full day ahead of ours, so they get a visit from Santa well before we do.

Christmas Around the World – Europe

Christmas Around the World in Central Europe

horse and sled

Europe comprises of many different cultures and countries yet Christmas celebrations have many similarities. In Central Europe, which is mainly Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, December 24th. The celebration includes a fasting day up until the big Christmas dinner.

After dinner presents are opened which were delivered by “Christkind”, or little Jesus. The Christmas celebration ends with a traditional midnight mass. Other traditional Christmas celebrations include a Christmas tree, mistletoe and Christmas carols.

Christmas Around the World in Eastern Europe

The customs of Eastern Europe Slavic countries have included Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost. Much like Santa Claus, Grandfather Frost delivers his presents while the children are asleep, but rather than going down the chimney, he enters through the front door. He travels with the Snow Maiden, who is believed to be his granddaughter with golden hair. Similar to the tradition in America, children leave food for Grandfather Frost so he does not get hungry when delivering the presents. The dates in which people celebrate Christmas across Eastern Europe vary. For instance, the Armenians celebrate on January 6th and Georgians and Russians celebrate on January 7th.

Christmas Around the World in Northern Europe

Much like Eastern Europe, Christmas is celebrated on different days of the year. In the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany, Christmas is celebrated on December 5th. On the evening of this day, Sinterklaas comes to visit and gives presents to the good little boys and girls. He arrives on a white horse and has many little helpers called “Zwarte Pieten” (black Peters). On December 24th, people in Denmark celebrate Christmas and this holiday is called Juleaften. The traditions include an evening meal with rice pudding for dessert. In one of the puddings an almond is hidden and the lucky one who finds the almond gets a little gift.

Celebrations in Germany vary by region but have many similarities to traditional Christmas in the Americas. On December 6th, Saint Nichols’ Day, kids may receive a visit from St. Nicholas bearing a small present. The children must recite a poem or sing a song in order to receive a gift. On December 24th, Christmas Eve, “Christkind” visits a leaves presents for the children while they are sleeping. In some areas, parents will wake their children at midnight to have them some see the shining Christmas tree and the presents that were brought.

Christmas Around the World – North America

North America includes Mexico, the United States and Canada. If you are like me from the United States, then this may not feel like Christmas Around the World. But even between the US, Canada and Mexico, there are some differences in how we celebrate Christmas.

The traditions in the United States and Canada are very similar when it comes to celebrating Christmas. There is the traditional Christmas tree, decorated and all lit up, Christmas carols and of course the traditional gift giving and a visit from Santa Claus. Santa Claus was first known as Sintaklass when he was first introduced in the states back in the 1860s. Since that time he has been a common and well loved Christmas tradition for North America. Although Christmas can seem very commercialized in both Canada and the United States, many hold the celebration of Christ’s birth very sacred and know the true meaning of giving during this holiday season.

Christmas Eve for many is a time for gathering around the fireplace and Christmas tree. Many attend evening mass in celebration of Christ’s birth. Some households will open gifts on this evening that are from family members and friends. However, Santa’s gifts are delivered on Christmas Eve while the children are sleeping.

In Mexico, this time of year is a celebration of the Nativity. Their main celebration is the “Las Posadas” which is nine days before the 24th. This celebration is a reenactment of Joseph and Mary seeking shelter. Each person in the neighborhood hosts the reenactment starting on December 16th and ending on the 24th. The person that is hosting become the innkeepers and the neighbors are “Los Peregrinos” (or Pilgrims) who ask for shelter by singing a simple chant. Once the innkeepers grant shelter, everyone kneels around the nativity and say the Rosary.

Christmas Around the World – South America

nativity scene

In South America, Christmas is considered a very religious holiday. The main focus is on the “presepio”, or manger. There are elaborate displays with landscapes and small figures to represent the manger. These displays can include the wise men, shepherds, and of course Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Although Santa Claus is not well known in many regions, there is gift giving and celebrations.

In Brazil, Santa is known as Papa Noel and in Ecuador children write their letters to “Christ-child” asking for their gifts. They place shoes in their windows in which the Christ-child leaves toys as he passes by on Christmas Eve.

Check out these Crafts of Christmas Around the World. Here you will find out how to make a paper lantern from China, an Advent Wreath from Germany and more crafts from around the world.

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