Yule Love These 11 Christmas Traditions from Around the World
Christmas in Poland
The Christmas season in Poland is marked by the beginning of Advent. During these weeks leading up to Christmas, many Poles will focus on being peaceful, meditating on the real reason for Christmas and may try to live a bit more simply or give up a favorite food or drink.
Many special church services are held during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Before Christmas, school children often participate in Nativity plays.
Christmas Eve is a very important day. It is a day of fasting and traditionally no food is eaten until the first star appears in the sky. The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve evening and traditionally includes 12 dishes. The meal is traditionally meat-free and the main dish is usually carp, although having a bowl of beetroot soup is a must!
People open gifts after the Christmas dinner and the day is finished by attending Midnight Mass at church.
Christmas in England
In the UK, families often celebrate Christmas together by opening gifts around the Christmas tree. Most villages and towns are decked out with Christmas lights with some having especially impressive light displays, such as the famous one on Oxford Street in London.
Like many other countries, Nativity plays and carol services are very popular at Christmastime. Many churches will also have Carols by Candlelight and Christingle services.
Children believe Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus, leaves presents in their pillowcases or stockings. These are normally hung by the children’s beds or near the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Children write letters to Santa, but toss them in the fireplace instead of mailing them. Then on the night he is expected to visit, they leave out mince pies and brandy for him to enjoy when he stops by.
The main Christmas meal is typically eaten at lunchtime on Christmas Day. The meal usually consists of a roast turkey, vegetables and a dessert of traditional Christmas pudding. The dinner table is decorated with a Christmas cracker for each person as well as flowers and candles.
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Christmas in Russia
In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much as it was banned as a religious holiday in 1929. Instead, New Year’s was made into an important holiday. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, people have been permitted to celebrate Christmas again, but it remains a quieter and smaller holiday than the huge New Year’s celebrations.
Since the Russian Orthodox Church uses the old Julian calendar for holidays, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. Rather than visiting on Christmas, the Russian Grandfather Frost brings gifts to kids on New Year’s and is always accompanied by his granddaughter named Snegurochka.
The main Christmas meal is enjoyed on Christmas Eve and following the meal many people will attend midnight church services.
