Take Inspiration From How Christmas Is Celebrated Around The World
In a time when many of us are opting to create our own Christmas traditions, finding inspiration from around the globe to sprinkle into your own life could be just the festive magic you’re looking for.
After all, this is a celebration that happens in so many places internationally, why would you not want to invoke Christmas spirit in new (to you) ways that could even revive the holiday if you’ve been feeling a bit miserly in recent years?
Plus, you can brag about being cultured, a little Christmas gift to yourself.
How Christmas is celebrated in places around the world
Ježíšek in Prague at Christmas
Prague City Adventures explains: “I have lived with Santa Claus visiting on Christmas Eve night since I could understand what a holiday was. No such fat jolly person visits here. Instead the gifts are brought by Ježíšek, or baby Jesus.
They went on to explain that though this sounds religious, Prague is largely atheist and this is real Christmas magic in action, adding: “Ježíšek is magic. He is the bringer of toys and fun though I suspect he also brings new underwear, something parents claim you need, and no one wants for Christmas.
“Under the Communist regime there was an attempt to replace Ježíšek with a Santa like figure known as Děda Mráz (Grandfather Frost) but he never had as big of a following as baby Jesus.”
Ježíšek also drops off gifts during Christmas dinner and rings a bell to let the family know that he’s finished, which I can only imagine results in a stampede of children racing to unwrap their presents.
Christmas Eve feast in Brazil
According to World Holiday Traditions: “Following [Christmas Eve mass], families gather for a traditional Christmas Eve dinner, typically served around 10 PM. The meal is a festive spread that reflects Brazil’s diverse culinary heritage.
“It usually includes roasted turkey, ham, various salads, and fresh tropical fruits. A signature dish is rice cooked with raisins, accompanied by farofa—seasoned manioc flour that adds a distinctive flavour and texture to the meal.”
Yum.
KFC in Japan
Japan Rail Pass says: “Every Christmas, an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families get their holiday meal from none other than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Somehow this tradition is one of the most sacred and one that really embodies the Japanese Christmas spirit.
“The demand is so high that people start placing their orders for the special Christmas menu six weeks in advance. And the wait in line on Christmas day is so long that it takes hours for people to get their meal. In short, doing Christmas the Japanese way means a visit to the Colonel!”
KFC is closed on Christmas Day in the UK but you could definitely make your own at home...
Visiting ancestors in Finland
On Christmas Eve in Finland, cemeteries across the country are lit up with candles placed by people paying their respects to ancestors.
Speaking to This Is Finland, Risto Lehto, who manages six cemeteries run by the Parish Union of Helsinki said: “As many as three-quarters of Finnish families visit a cemetery at Christmas, mostly on Christmas Eve, and we even have to make special traffic arrangements to accommodate the crowds.”
For those who don’t have a loved one buried in the cemetery, there is a space for lighting candles in memorium for loved ones. A quiet moment of reflection before the chaos of the big day itself.