Christmas Around the World

In Hungary, Santa doesn't have anything to do with Christmas, he comes on December 6th and is also called small christmas. On this day Santa makes his rounds among the shops, schools and parades just like he does in other countries. Kids get candy and chocolate in red wrapping.

The Christmas tree is bought a day to a week (or two in some extreme cases) before Christmas eve and stored outside in the cold - all wrapped up, so it will last longer. In some parts of the country people used to hang their trees out of apartment windows, tall buildings, or put them on balconies if they did not have a yard or garden.

On December 24th (Christmas Eve), everything closes around noon or by 3pm at the latest. All public transportation stops as well. People get home by that time, and start putting up the tree (it's rarely done before the 24th!). So the afternoon and early evening is occupied by decorating the tree. Later a big dinner is served after which family members would place the present that they got for each other under the tree.

After the tree is lit, presents are opened and families spend the rest of the evening together. Hungarian Christians often go to midnight mass.

The following two days are national holidays and people usually spend the first day with their immediate families, having a big festive meal that starts around 2pm. The next day is the same, but people usually get together with extended family members or attend Church.

Canadian Christmas
Canada is made up of several different ethnic groups and they all celebrate Christmas with their own traditions. Some of the ways they celebrate Christmas around Canada are: Fishing skills are put to work for the church in Newfoundland. During the week of Christmas, all the daily catch is given to the church so it can be sold to raise money for the church's work. In Vancouver, they illuminate the night with lights and Christmas trees are lit in the homes.  In Montreal, Masses are celebrated in many cathedrals. Old carols are sung at church and in the homes around Nova Scotia.

Christmas in the Middle East
Every Year thousands of Christians from around the world make
pilgrimages to the Holy Land, especially Bethlehem, in the West Bank.
They come to visit the place where, according to the Gospels, it all began.
The Church of the Nativity is believed to stand on the place where Christ was born.
No services are held within the church, but in an adjoining building. Services are held on Christmas Eve and are by invitation only, but the crowds outside can watch via TV. Afterward most venture to the Shepherd's Fields, which (is said) represents the fields where the angels announced the arrival of Christ.
Christmas Midnight Mass in
St. Catherine's Church
Beneath the Church is the grotto of the Nativity. Originally the cave was fairly spacious and formed several recesses. In one of these was the crib. St. Jerome asserts that it was made of "hardened clay." That would indicate a limestone crib hollowed out of the side of the wall and lined with clay.
The whole cave has now been transformed into a crypt chapel. The ceiling is natural, the ground and the walls are made of white Italian marble and decorated with precious ornaments, and many
lamps burn day and night.
The spot where according to ancient tradition Christ was born, is marked with a silver star in a circle of  reddish stone, and above it fifteen silver lamps always burn and surrounding it are the words, "Hic de Maria Virgine, Jesus Christus natus est" (Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary).

Christmas in Italy
Legend says that La Befana, (who leaves goodies in the children's shoes on Epiphany Eve) was the woman who said no to the Wise Men's offer to join them on their journey to see the Christ Child. Wishing she had, she later set out on her own to bring him gifts. But never finding him, she leaves gifts for other children instead. On Christmas Eve it is said that the Christ Child brings small gifts.

As the birthplace of the presepio (Manger scene), it holds the place of honor, and all who come to visit kneel and sing or pray before it.

All through the season, there is much singing and music, with many traditional decorations in and on the streets, stores and homes. Instead of a Christmas tree, a ceppo is used. It is made of wood and looks like a ladder with shelves linking two sides. People place gifts and decorations on the shelves, and a presepio on the bottom shelf. Some will even make  a ceppo for each child in the family.

Shepherds will come in from other villages to play music before the holy shrines and before carpenter's shops in honor of Jesus. Women dressed as La Befana collect for charities.

Children will visit homes prior to Christmas, and read Christmas offerings to receive a reward of money. 24 hours before Christmas, a strict fast is observed. A great meal follows this fast, all though many dishes such as spaghetti an variety of fish, salad, fruits, and sweets are served, no meat is. An "Urn of Fate" is a bowl in which both gifts and empty boxes are put. Then each person picks to see if he or she is "fated" to receive a gift.

Christmas morning is celebrated with a church Mass. Churches usually compete to see who will have the most beautiful presepio, which most often, goes to the Ara Coeli in Rome.

 

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