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Traditions
Australia *Carols by Candlelight* “Carols by Candlelight” is a holiday tradition that started in Melbourne in 1938 by radio host Norman Banks. He got the idea after seeing an elderly woman on Christmas Eve sitting by her radio and singing along with the carols being played, her face lit up by candles bedside her bed. Banks realized that there were probably many people who were alone for the holidays and decided to ‘invite’ them to celebrate Christmas together. The first “Carols by Candlelight” was held in Alexandra Gardens and more than 10,000 people showed up to sing, carry candles and share their merriment with others! Since then, “Carols by Candlelight” has become a favorite Christmas tradition. Each year, famous musicians and singers perform the holiday show at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. Tickets for the event sell out quickly, so millions watch the show on television or listen on the radio all across the country and in New Zealand, parts of Asia and other pacific islands. Money raised from this festival goes to Vision Australia, a charity that helps children who are blind or vision-impaired. “Carols by Candlelight” has inspired dozens of similar Christmas song festivals throughout Australia. They are usually held either on Christmas Eve or on the Sunday before Christmas. Most of these events are organized by churches or community groups and are lots of fun for everyone!
Belize A Clean House for Christmas One tradition shared throughout the nation is the custom of cleaning the house from top to bottom for the holidays. Christmas is a special time for visiting family and friends and so everyone wants their home to be fresh and inviting for the visitors. The preparations take weeks, as Belizeans scrub, dust, wash, shine and polish everything in the house. Many families even hang new curtains and put in new flooring (called marley) for the occasion. Each person in the family helps, from grandparents to small children, with the goal of making everything ‘like new.’ This flurry of cleaning is followed by an equally frenzied burst of cooking for the coming company --- everything from spice cakes to roasted meats to coconut ice cream.
Canada Yo, Adrian! It’s Boxing Day In Canada, the day after Christmas is called “Boxing Day,” but it has nothing to do with prize fighting! The name refers to an old English tradition of wealthy families giving boxes of food, wine and other treats to the less fortunate to show compassion during the holiday season. The well-off would give servants the day after Christmas off and send them home with meats, fruit, bread, sweets and money. In modern times, Boxing Day has become a day for stores to hold big sales, especially on Christmas items. Many Canadian families go out on Boxing Day to shop, visit with friends and enjoy the holiday decorations at local malls and shopping centers.
China *Ta Chiu and the Paper Horse* Ta Chiu is a popular Taoist festival in Hong Kong that takes place on December 27th. It’s a celebration of family and ancestors, when people take time to remember their loved ones. Because it is considered a ‘festival of peace’ and comes just two days after Christmas, some families blend the 2 celebrations. At the end of the Ta Chiu festival, a priest reads the names of every person living in that area. After he’s finished reading it, the list is attached to a horse made of paper and then set on fire. The smoke then carries the names up to the heavens, uniting the living with those who have gone on to paradise.
Czech Republic *Waiting for the Golden Pig* An old legend from the Czech Republic says that people should fast on Christmas Eve and not eat anything until Christmas dinner. Children who keep the fast on Christmas Eve will be rewarded for their sacrifice by seeing a vision of the “Golden Pig.” Some say the pig will appear on the dining room wall above the holiday table set with food for the feast, others say it can come to you at any time between dawn and dusk on Christmas. Seeing the Golden Pig is a lucky sign, showing that the child is worthy of praise and good fortune!
France *Santons at the Manger* Santons is a French word that means “little saints” and refers to special nativity figures popular in France. At Christmastime, families set out manger scenes, but in addition to Mary, Joseph, Jesus, angels, the 3 Kings and shepherds, the nativities include ‘santons’ --- small clay figures of everyday people. The ‘little saints’ are dressed in work clothes and sometimes are specially made to resemble members of the family or local leaders. The tradition dates back to the 13^th century, when traders from Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries carved figures of wax or wood and exchanged them along their routes. In 1803, artists and crafters began holding a “Nativity Fair” in the city of Marseilles to sell their santon figures. People loved the idea of different ‘faces’ at the manger, and craftsmen began creating figures representing farmers, hunters, shopkeepers, bakers, fisherman, priests and other town folk as well as French royalty. The Nativity Fair --- and the santon tradition --- continue to this day. Collecting santons has also become very popular. Some older figures are quite valuable because of their age and artistry. Museums routinely display vintage santon figures at Christmastime and offer ‘stories’ for each figure that describes each character’s background and what gifts they brought to the manger. Typical santons include fishermen holding their nets, a housewife preparing the Christmas goose, a farmer carrying a little piglet, the town mayor in his fine clothes and the parish priest blessing the townspeople. There would also be musicians playing instruments and carolers singing with the angels. And of course, the animals gathered at the manger would include dogs, cats, rabbits and birds in addition to the traditional stable creatures.
Ghana *Christmas Beads* In Ghana, a country on Africa’s west coast, Christmas beads are a popular part of the history and culture. Beginning around the15th century, these glass beads were made in Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries and used for trade in Africa. Colorful bead jewelry soon became a status symbol in Ghana and was used to represent a person’s age, social status and beliefs. Families passed their beads down for generations and took pride in their colorful legacy. Ghana craftsmen began producing their own beads, creating an infinite variety of designs, patterns and color combinations. The brightly colored glass bits are called ‘Christmas Beads’ or ‘Beads of Peace’ and are a big part of Ghana’s commerce to this day. They are used to make bracelets, necklaces, belts, headbands and other accessories. Each bead is made individually so no two are exactly alike! They are usually sold by the string and the price depends on the size of the beads and how intricate their designs are. Bead jewelry is still used for trade in some parts of Africa, especially in rural areas. At Christmastime, crafters often use the vibrant beads to make ornaments, garlands and holiday decorations. Beaded candy canes, snowmen and angels are very popular during the holidays. Bead jewelry is also a favorite Christmas gift to make and give to loved ones during the holiday season.
Greece *Forget the Tree – Decorate the Boat* Since Greece is an island nation, the boat is a very important symbol. Many families --- especially in small fishing villages along the coastline --- don’t decorate trees at Christmastime, but instead adorn a boat with bright colored ornaments and lights. The boats are usually made of wood or paper and set up beside the fireplace or near a door that leads outside. Gold coins or other golden objects are put inside the boat to represent riches and good fortune and to remind family members of how lucky they are to appreciate what they have. (In Greece, the custom is to exchange only small presents with family and friends during the Christmas holiday season and instead give large gifts to hospitals, orphanages and charities that help the poor.) Decorating a ‘Christmas ship’ is also becoming more popular in larger cities, where a grand boat glowing with electric lights often replaces the Christmas tree as the town’s main holiday display. Other cities include both a tree and decorated ship in the town square to celebrate the Christmas season.
India Banana Trees and Mango Leaves In some regions of India, instead of evergreens, banana trees are often used as Christmas trees. The trunks are wrapped with lights and tiny ornaments are hung from hooks in the thick, sturdy leaves. Small presents are often placed among the leaves too, to be given out and opened on Christmas morning. To add even more color to the celebration, some people also use the long, shiny, bright green leaves of Mango trees as decorations. They look beautiful during the holiday season, and are eco-friendly!
Kenya *Journey to the Shamba* In Kenya, people who live in cities usually travel to visit relatives living in the country during the Christmas season. Traveling to the shamba (family farm) reminds Kenyans of the 3 Kings following the star to the manger in Bethlehem. The holiday becomes a big family reunion where family members share songs, play games and enjoy a big feast together. A favorite Christmas menu item is pilau, a tasty dish of spiced meat over rice.
Lebanon *New Life Sprouting Up* Lebanon, a country located in the Middle East, has Christmas traditions that date back centuries. One of the most popular customs is the practice of planting beans, lentils and chickpeas in cotton a few weeks before Christmas to use the sprouts as decorations. The seeds are placed in small containers and watered every day. The children watch the tiny plants grow, their excitement about the coming holiday growing with them! By Christmas Eve, some of the green shoots are six inches tall. They are then placed around figures made out of brown paper that represent Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the shepherds, kings and manger animals. The green sprouts give a look of ‘new life’ to the scene and add some color to the display.
New Zealand Maori Traditions in a Kiwi Christmas The Maori are a Polynesian people native to New Zealand and have cultural traditions that go back at least 600 years. European explorers recorded trading with the Maori as early as 1642, and by the 1800’s many new settlers lived among the Maori and identified with them and were known as Pakeha Maori. Maori traditions were also adopted by the newcomers, including celebrations of important holidays. Over time, traditional European traditions were mingled with Maori ways and now the holiday has the flavor of both cultures. Maori designs are often found on Christmas cards, and native foods are included in the holiday dinner alongside roast turkey and stuffing. One of the most popular ways to blend Maori customs into Christmas festivities is the hangi --- an outdoor feast similar to a Hawaiian luau. For the hangi, a large hole is dug into the ground then lined with hot stones. Meat and vegetables are wrapped in leaves (or in modern times, tin foil) and placed on top of the hot rocks, then the hole is covered up to let the food cook. By evening the food will be delicious and ready to eat! A typical hangi menu includes lamb, chicken, pork, corn on the cob, minted peas and roast potatoes. Fresh fruit is a sweet and tasty dessert after this feast!
Samoa *Let’s Play Suipi!* Suipi is a popular card game played among family and friends during holiday celebrations in Samoa. You can play with a standard deck of cards and there are 23 points in a game. It takes 12 points or more to win. Here are the rules to play: 1. Shuffle the deck of cards 2. Place 4 cards face up and deal 10 cards to yourself and to the other player. 3. The player who did NOT deal goes first. If one of the 4 face up cards matches one in your hand, you can place your card on the matching card, or you can put another card on top of a card to add up to 13.(Cards are worth the number showing, and face cards are: Ace = 1, King = 12, Queen = 11 and Jack = 10.) Example if there is a 5 on the table and you are holding an 8, you can put your 8 on top of the 5 to make 13. When a pile of cards totals 13, pick up the cards and set them down in front of you --- scoring comes later! If you can’t play a matching card or put down a card to add up to 13, your turn is over! 4. The dealer gets his turn and does the same. Play a matching card or add to a pile to make 13. Whenever someone picks up a pile, flip a new card from the deck face up so there are always 4 cards showing, and deal out cards so that each player has 10 in their hand until cards run out. 5. When all the cards have been played, points are scored like this: 3 points to the person with the most cards 1 point to whoever has the most spades 1 point for each Ace 1 point for whoever has the 2 of Spades 5 points for the King of Diamonds 4 points for the Queen of Diamonds 3 points for the Jack of Diamonds 2 points for the 10 of Diamonds To get a Suipi, you have to pick up the last card or cards in the round before the next deal. This is worth 1 point each and its also the name of the game. These points are extra. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins!
Ukraine *Legend of the Spider Web* An old Ukrainian legend tells of a widow who was too poor to buy her young children a Christmas tree so she decided to decorate a small evergreen tree that was growing just outside their door. Unable to afford even simple paper decorations, the mother tied a few pinecones and apples onto its branches on Christmas Eve to add a bit of color. She went to sleep sad that when her little ones woke up on Christmas morning they wouldn’t have a grand and elegantly decorated tree to help mark the special day. But to her surprise, her children came running into her room at dawn shouting, “Mother! Come look! It’s too beautiful to describe!” They led her to the window and pointed outside at the little evergreen. Overnight a spider, taking pity on the young mother, spun a silken web all around the tree. The strands hung like beautiful garlands on the evergreen’s branches. Just as the first rays of sunlight fell upon the web, the mother stepped outside and gently touched the tree, shedding a tear of happiness that splashed onto the spider’s lovely handiwork. Suddenly, the web turned into gold and silver and shimmered with a radiant glow. The children agreed that it was the most wondrous sight they had ever seen, and it was the happiest of Christmases. And from that day forward, the widow and her children were never poor or hungry again. And to this day, it is believed that to find a spider web in your house on Christmas Day is a lucky sign, and means you will have health and good fortune you’re whole life through!
Venezuela *Pulling toes and donning roller skates* Christmas is hot and sunny in the South American country of Venezuela, where special church services are held leading up to Christmas begin in the middle of December. And forget about sleds or ice skates, the custom in the capital city of Caracas is to go to these services on roller-skates! Before bedtime, children tie a string to their big toes then hand the cord out the open window. The next morning, roller-skaters on their way to church yank on any strings they happen to see to wake up the sleepyheads!