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People celebrate Christmas in various ways around the world, incorporating local culture, traditions, and customs.
Christmas in the United States and Canada
In the United States and Canada, Christmas is celebrated with festive decorations like Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, and Santa Claus displays. In Ukraine, spider web decorations are often used on Christmas trees as they are believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Most workplaces, schools, and organizations close for Christmas, and families gather to exchange gifts, attend church services, and enjoy a special Christmas meal.
Traditional Christmas Meals
- In the United Kingdom, the traditional Christmas dinner includes roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, and popular desserts like Christmas pudding, fruit cake, and mince pies.
- In Poland, many people fast and abstain from meat on Christmas Eve before indulging in a twelve-course meatless meal. Dishes include beetroot soup, pierogi dumplings, fish, and gingerbread.
- In the Philippines, festive dishes like roasted pig (lechón), Christmas ham (hamón), and macaroni salad made with condensed milk are served.
- In Ghana, Christmas dinners often consist of jollof rice, stews, curries, and meats like goat or chicken. In India, Christians may eat duck, roast beef or pork along with different types of cake.
Christmas in Warm Climates
In warm weather locations like Australia, the tropics, and the southern hemisphere, outdoor barbecues, beach parties, and water sports are popular ways to celebrate Christmas. Tropical-themed decorations like palm trees, sand, shells, and surfboards are used instead of traditional winter decorations.
Additional Traditions
- In Greece, some people play cards and gamble on Christmas Eve, as this is believed to bring good luck in the coming year.
- In Japan, Christmas is seen as a romantic holiday similar to Valentine’s Day. Couples often exchange gifts and enjoy special Christmas meals and cakes like fried chicken, strawberry shortcake or sponge cake.
Religious Observances
While celebrations vary worldwide, Christmas usually focuses on merrymaking, family bonding, and goodwill. Many Eastern Orthodox churches observe Christmas in early January. Additional activities on Christmas Day include opening gifts, watching festive movies or specials, singing carols, and attending church services.
The Meaning of Christmas for Christians
For Christians, Christmas marks a deeply spiritual time of year celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. The Bible tells the story of how the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, fulfilling a Messianic prophesy and bringing salvation to humanity.
The word “Christmas” originates from the Old English “Cristes maesse” meaning “the mass or festival of Christ”. For Christians, the holiday signifies God’s love for the world and the coming of the light of Christ as humanity’s redeemer. They believe Jesus was born to die on the cross and save people from sin and darkness.
Therefore, the Christmas season represents a time to commemorate and give thanks for God’s incredible gift. Everything from Christmas carols to Nativity scenes captures Christian beliefs regarding the meaning of this holy day and the baby in the manger worshipped as savior and Lord. Many churches hold special services with manger displays, candles, sermons, and joyful music to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
Whether individual traditions are religious or secular, most Christmas celebrations unite behind ideals of hope, mercy, family unity, and peace on earth during the holiday season.
However you commemorate this festive time of year, we at EconoPass wish you much holiday cheer and merriment!
May your days be filled with the bright light of family, friends, faith, and good fortune.
We hope blessings abound for you now and all through the coming year. From all of us here at EconoPass, we wish you a joyful Christmas season and a wonderfully happy New Year! 😊
