Official Moyea Blog

Christmas again! There will be Christmas songs singing everywhere, Christmas sales all around, and Christmas wishes in your brain. It seems every Christmas is similar. But do you know what things like in different countries at this Christmas time? Let’s see the differences now.

Christmas in Finland

As we all know, Santa Clause is said to live in Korvatunturi (or Lapland), so let’s start with Christmas traditions in Finland.
The Christmas seasons gets started with lots of parties, while the Christmas holidays are a quiet time spent among family. The partying continues on New Year’s Eve. Early in November, locals begin attending pre-Christmas parties with their work colleagues and friends, enjoying hot mulled wine and snacking on Christmas treats. There will be some Christmas Concerts and Markets in Christmas time.
Christmas trees play an important role among Finnish families. Finns buy and take their Christmas trees home on the morning of Christmas Eve (24 December) at the latest and keep them until Epiphany on 6 January. Finns celebrate on Christmas Eve, when families enjoy a Christmas sauna, presents are handed out and the main Christmas meal is served. Apples and other fruits, candies, paper flags, cotton and tinsel are used as decorations, and candles are used for lighting the Christmas tree. The children do not hang up stockings.

The traditional main dish of the dinner is boiled codfish served snowy white and fluffy, with allspice, boiled potatoes, and cream sauce. The dried cod has been soaked for a week in a lye solution, then in clear water to soften it to the right texture. Also on the menu is roast suckling pig or a roasted fresh ham, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.

After dinner the children go to bed while the older people stay up to chat with visitors and drink coffee until about midnight.

Christmas Day services in the churches begin at six in the morning. It is a day for family visits and reunions. In some parts of the country the Star Boys tour the countryside singing Christmas songs. During all these days the people keep wishing each other a "Merry Yule."

Christmas in Australia

Australia has the most special Christmas, since its Christmas is in Summer time.
Australia, though huge in size, has a population of just over 18 million people. It has is of many ethnic groups. Each of these national groups brings the color, customs and festive rituals of the Christmas celebrated in their respective homelands, so the Australians are able to appreciate culturally diverse Christmas celebrations.
However, up until 30 years ago, their Christmas celebrations were heavily influenced by the original Anglo-Celtic influences. The English style of Christmas served as the model for celebrating Christmas. But today, traditional dinners have been replaced with family gatherings in back yards, picnics in parks, gardens and on the beach. For many, it is the occasion to be with friends and relatives, to share love and friendship and not to forget, the exchange of gifts in the traditional manner. For many, it is of course a time to enjoy and consume massive quantities of food. A typical Christmas menu could include seafood, glazed ham, cold chicken, duck or turkey, cold deli meats, pasta, salads galore, desserts of all types, fruit salad, pavlovas, ice-cream plus Christmas edibles of all varieties such as mince pies, fruit cake, shortbread, chocolates etc.
Before Christmas, people are busily planning Christmas break-up parties. Children are writing letters to Santa Claus. Decorations are being bought and set up. Shopping centers and malls are experiencing record breaking crowds. In homes, many of the traditional Christmas rituals are being followed. Many children are helping to decorate the family Christmas tree. But they are by no means of "real" Christmas trees, though some do use gum tree branches. Children are learning Christmas Carols so that they may be sung at festive occasions such as public "Carols by Candlelight" and school concerts. Christmas stockings are being hung in homes. Cards galore are being written and posted. Everyone waits for the happy time!

Christmas in France

Nearly every French home at Christmastime displays a Nativity scene or creche, which serves as the focus for the Christmas celebration. The Christmas tree is not so important in France.
The French make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the buche de Nol, which means “Christmas Log”. The cake, among other food in great abundance is served at the grand feast of the season, which is called le rveillon. Le rveillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal varies according to regional culinary tradition. In Alsace, goose is the main course, in Burgundy it is turkey with chestnuts, and the Parisians feast upon oysters and pat de foie gras.
French children receive gifts from Pere Noel who travels with his stern disciplinarian companion Pre Fouettard. Pre Fouettard reminds Pere Noel of just how each child has behaved during the past year. In some parts of France Pere Noel brings small gifts on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and visits again on Christmas. In other places it is le petit Jsus who brings the gifts. Generally adults wait until New Year’s Day to exchange gifts.

Christmas in Italy

The popularity of the Nativity scene, one of the most beloved and enduring symbols of the holiday season, originated in Italy. St. Francis of Assisi asked a man named Giovanni Vellita of the village of Greccio to create a manger scene. St. Francis performed mass in front of this early Nativity scene, which inspired awe and devotion in all who saw it. The creation of the figures or pastori became an entire genre of folk art.

In Rome, cannon are fired from Castel St. Angelo of Christmas Eve to announce the beginning of the holiday season. A 24-hour fast ends with an elaborate Christmas feast. Small presents are drawn from the Urn of Fate.

The main exchange of gifts takes place on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, the celebration in remembrance of the Magi's visit to the Christ Child. Children anxiously await a visit from La Befana who brings gifts for the good and punishment for the bad. According to legend, the three wise men stopped during their journey and asked an old woman for food and shelter. She refused them and they continued on their way. Within a few hours the woman had a change of heart but the Magi were long gone. La Befana, which means Epiphany, still wonders the earth searching for the Christ Child. She is depicted in various ways: as a fairy queen, a crone, or a witch.

Christmas in Russia

St. Nicholas is especially popular in Russia. Legend saids that the 11th-century Prince Vladimir traveled to Constantinople to be baptized, and returned with stories of miracles performed by St. Nicholas of Myra. Since then many Eastern Orthodox Churches have been named for the saint, and to this day, Nicholas is one of the most common names for Russian boys. The feast of St. Nicholas (December 6) was observed for many centuries. During the communist years St. Nicholas was transformed into Grandfather Frost.

Most Christian Russians belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church, and it is customary to fast until after the first church service on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve dinner is meatless but festive. The most important ingredient is a special porridge called kutya. It is made of wheat berries or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality, and honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness, success, and untroubled rest. A ceremony involving the blessing of the home is frequently observed. A priest visits the home accompanied by boys carrying vessels of holy water, and a little water is sprinkled in each room. The kutya is eaten from a common dish to symbolize unity.

References:

www.the-north-pole.com
http://www.santas.net/