Different Christmas's around the world?

Question

Like America celebrates Christmas and jews clebrate Hanukkah. What does China, Russia, Italy, Japan, Ireland and England.

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celebrate?

Answer 1

most of the western countries (england, ireland, france) do christmas. china has a new year. african countries have kwanza.

btw, it should be "cristmases"; what you have typed would be the possessive of christmas, as if the christmas owned something (i know, you were in a hurry).

Answer 2

ask ur teacher

Answer 3

Christians in China celebrate by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese Children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man.".

Since the vast majority of the Chinese people are not Christian, the main winter festival in China the Chinese New Year which
Hope this Helps I got this from Different websites.

CHINA

takes place toward the end of January. Now officially called the "Spring Festival," it is a time when children receive new clothing, eat luxurious meals, receive new toys, and enjoy firecracker displays. An important aspect of the New Year celebration is the worship of ancestors. Portraits and paintings of ancestors are brought out and hung in the main room of the home.

RUSSIA

St. Nicholas is especially popular in Russia. The legend is 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, but after the communist revolution, the celebration of the feast was suppressed, only to return after the fall of Communism.

Many other religious and folk traditions were suppressed during the communist era. Before the revolution, a figure called Babouschka would bring gifts for the children. Like Italy's La Befana, the story is that Babouschka failed to give food and shelter to the three wise men during their journey to visit the Christ Child. According to tradition, she still roams the countryside searching for the Christ Child and visiting the homes of children during the Christmas season. Babouschka never completely disappeared, and now in the post-communist era, has returned openly. Christmas trees were also banned by the Communist regime and were replaced by "New Year's" trees.

Most Christian Russians belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church, and it is customary to fast until after the first church service on January 6, Christmas Eve. The church in Russia still uses the old Julian calendar, therefore their Christmas celebration is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar that we use.

Christmas Eve dinner is meatless but festive. The most important ingredient is a special porridge called kutya. It is made of wheatberries 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. The kutya is eaten from a common dish to symbolize unity. Some families used to throw a spoonful of kutya up to the ceiling. According to tradition, if the kutya stuck, there would be a plentiful honey harvest. http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/china.html

For many Russians, a return to religion represents a return to their old roots and their old culture. Throughout Russia, after Christmas Eve services, people carrying candles, torches, and homemade lanterns parade around the church, just as their grandparents and great-grandparents did long ago. The Krestny Khod procession is led by the highest-ranking member of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the procession completes its circle around the church, the congregation reenters and they sing several carols and hymns before going home for a late Christmas Eve dinner.http://christmas-world.freeservers.com/russia.html


ITALY

Countless foreigners travel to Italy during the Christmas season, and while they thrill to midnight mass in St. Peter's Square, they often complain that Italy is "not very Christmasy." This is certainly true if you're looking for brightly-lit fir trees, red and green window dressings or plaster reindeer. And although Epiphany, celebrated on January 6th, may actually be a more important holiday than December 25th, the Italians love this season so much that they commemorate it for an entire month, beginning on December 8th.


The period between mid-December and early January was one constant celebration even in pagan Rome. It began with the Saturnalia, a winter solstice festival, and ended with the Roman New Year, the Calends. After Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity, instead of ending the holiday at the New Year, the celebration extended to January 6 when the Three Kings were believed to have reached the infant Jesus, and so the Romans, too, began to exchange presents on the Epiphany.




Today in Italy, Christmas trees are decorated, but the focal point of decoration is the Nativity scene. Italians take great pride in the creation of the manger, created in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City possesses a presepio from Naples that contains figurines carved from wood, dressed in garments of satin, framed with majestic columns, and 30 angels of the Magi trimmed with gold.


Bagpipes are the most common Italian Christmas sound. The zampognari, the shepherds who play the bagpipes, come down from their mountain homes at Christmas time and perform in the market squares. The playing of bagpipes is popular in the regions of Calabria and Abruzzo, and in the piazzas of Rome. The melodies played are adapted from old hill tunes. Modern zampognari wear the traditional outfits of sheepskin vests, leather breeches, and a woolen cloak. The tradition of bagpipes goes back to ancient Roman times. Legend says that the shepherds entertained the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. During the holiday season. Today, the zampognari stop before every shrine to the Madonna and every Nativity scene.


Children in Italy believe in a female version of Santa Claus called La Befana, an old woman who flies on a broom and brings presents. According to Italian legend, Three Wise Men asked La Befana for directions to Bethlehem. La Befana was asked to join them but declined three times. It took an unusually bright light and a band of angels to convince La Befana that she must join the Wise Men, but she was too late. She never found the Christ child and has been searching ever since. On January 6, the Feast of Epiphany, La Befana goes out on her broom to drop off stockings filled with treats to all the sleeping children of Italy. Just as children in America leave milk and cookies for jolly Santa Claus, La Befana collects messages and refreshments throughout the night. Click here for an entertaining book about La Befana.http://www.initaly.com/regions/xmas/xmas.htm


JAPAN

Most Japanese are fairly ignorant about Christmas, just as most North Americans are fairly ignorant about the Japanese New Year holiday. (Our first Christmas we bought a small evergreen arrangement for a tiny "Christmas tree" only to find out later it was a traditional Japanese religious decoration for the New Year!)

But there is a certain kind of Christmas here in Japan. Let me describe it a little.

At the end of November merchandising heralds the onset (onslaught?) of the season. Santa's show up in some advertising and Christmas carols can be heard in stores. (In English!) Also advertisements appear for special Christmas eve and Christmas day hotel & restaurant dinners and shows, generally with a strong romance theme. More and more Christmas lights are going up each year (probably a thousand per cent increase in the seven years we've been here) on stores and at malls, though I've seen few if any on private homes.

Christmas trees (artificial --- there is no live Christmas tree market) however, have begun to appear in the occasional home, and can be bought in big department stores. Santa does not yet appear in person, only as an advertising foil. And the airwaves are not clogged with TV specials.

There are two special Japanese Christmas customs:

First, the Daiku, or Great Nine, which refers to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. This is traditionally performed in many places at Christmas time (though probably as much in conjuction with the New Year), sometimes with huge massed choruses for the famous part with what American Christians sing as a hymn --- Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.

The second custom is the Christmas Cake. Yes, friends, what Christmas would be complete without its Christmas Cake? How have you survived without one so long? Well, it's a blessing to the Japanese bakery industry, that's for sure, because this is not a home project. One buys it. And the Japanese are generally slack jawed when told that America knows no Christmas Cake and it's a Japanese custom.

Christmas is basically overshadowed by New Year's celebrations, sort of the opposite of America. In Japan Christmas is a subsidiary holiday, most treasured by merchants, I think. Christmas day, for example is not a holiday from work. Hence, most churches will have their special Christmas worship services on the nearest Sunday before the 25th and perhaps on Christmas eve.

Most Japanese naturally have a weak understanding of Christmas's religious roots and customs. I remember one Japanese pastor being asked if it's Santa's birthday. Christianity is respected in Japan but hardly known at all, which is not too surprising with less than 1% being Christian. However, many Japanese are interested in American Christmas customs and some Japanese churches take advantage of this to meet new Japanese and introduce them to Christmas, Jesus, and their church. For example, I work with a small (averaging 30 people on a Sunday morning) church in Misato, that has a special Candle Service, two kids meetings, three American Christmas programs, lots of special Christmas decorations and a gift pack handout for all guests during December. Through this they draw an extra 300-400 people to church.

One of the most touching experiences for me is to sit in a Christmas service and think of how some of those listening are hearing the Christmas story for the first time in their lives. That's a pretty special experience. In Japan, Christmas is a wonderful missionary opportunity. And that seems appropriate. After all, the first Christmas was about a missionary who came a truly long way to bring the good news. http://www.cvc.org/christmas/japan.htm

IRELAND

Candles, decorated with greenery, are placed in the windows of Irish homes on Christmas Eve to light the way of the Holy Family as well as any other poor travelers out on such a night. During the British occupation of all of Ireland, three candles were placed in the window at Christmas. One for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Spirit. Fellow Catholics passing by would know that the house was a Catholic home, and that all friends were welcome there to celebrate Christmas. The candles were also an invitation to priests to enter the home, say the Christmas Mass, eat dinner, and spend the night with the family.

After the evening meal, the table is set with bread and milk and the door left unlatched as a symbol of the hospitality that the family is offering to Mary and Jsoeph and the little one to come.

To the Irish, Christmas is a time for religious celebration more than revelry. A manger scene is displayed in most homes and in recent years Christmas trees have gained widespread use.

Christmas dinner in most Irish households is the most elaborate meal of the year. Preparations begin weeks in advance. Plum puddings with a liberal portion of Irish whiskey are always included in the feast. Another favorite is bread pudding, often served with butterscotch sauce.

The real star of the season is the Christmas cake which should be started in October to allow time for proper mellowing.

The Christmas shopping season in Ireland generally begins a week or two before Christmas, but some wait until Christmas Eve to do their shopping. Many Irish people purchase gifts only for members of the immediate family who are living under the same roof. The practice of giving multiple gifts for Christmas is uncommon in rural areas of Ireland. Now that times are more prosperous, there is gift buying through the Internet, too.





St. Stephen's Day is celebrated in Ireland in a different way, but is similar to Boxing Day in that it also has to do with the solicitation of money. Young men in extravagant dress, sometimes wearing masks, parade noisily through the streets in the Wren Boys' Procession. They carry long pole on top of which is attached a holly bush. The bush supposedly contains a captured wren, and for whose sake the young men beg for money. http://christmas-world.freeservers.com/ireland.html


ENGLAND
ENGLAND
"Merry Christmas"





Christmas is Britain's most popular holiday and is characterized by traditions which date back hundreds of years. Many Christmas customs which originated in Britain have been adopted in the United States.

The first ever Christmas card was posted in England in the 1840s, and the practice soon became an established part of the build-up to Christmas. Over a billion Christmas cards are now sent every year in the United Kingdom, many of them sold in aid of charities.

Christmas decorations in general have even earlier origins. Holly, ivy and mistletoe are associated with rituals going back beyond the Dark Ages. (The custom of kissing beneath a sprig of mistletoe is derived from an ancient pagan tradition.) The Christmas tree was popularised by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who introduced one to the Royal Household in 1840. Since 1947, the country of Norway has presented Britain annually with a large Christmas tree which stands in Trafalgar Square in commemoration of Anglo-Norwegian cooperation during the Second World War.

Popular among children at Christmas time are pantomimes: song and dance dramatisations of well-known fairy tales which encourage audience participation.

Carols are often sung on Christmas Eve by groups of singers to their neighbours, and children hang a stocking on the fireplace or at the foot of their bed for Santa Claus (also named Father Christmas) to fill. Presents for the family are placed beneath the Christmas tree.

Christmas Day sees the opening of presents and many families attend Christmas services at church. Christmas dinner consists traditionally of a roast turkey, goose or chicken with stuffing and roast potatoes. This is followed by mince pies and Christmas pudding flaming with brandy, which might contain coins or lucky charms for children. (The pudding is usually prepared weeks beforehand and is customarily stirred by each member of the family as a wish is made.) Later in the day, a Christmas cake may be served - a rich baked fruit cake with marzipan, icing and sugar frosting.

The pulling of Christmas crackers often accompanies food on Christmas Day. Invented by a London baker in 1846, a cracker is a brightly coloured paper tube, twisted at both ends, which contains a party hat, riddle and toy or other trinket. When it is pulled by two people it gives out a crack as its contents are dispersed.

Another traditional feature of Christmas afternoon is the Queen's Christmas Message to the nation, broadcast on radio and television.

The day after Christmas is known in Britain as Boxing Day, which takes its name from a former custom of giving a Christmas Box - a gift of money or food inside a box - to the deliverymen and tradespeople who called regularly during the year. This tradition survives in the custom of tipping the milkman, postman, dustmen and other callers of good service at Christmas time. http://www.californiamall.com/holidaytraditions/traditions-england.htm


Hope all of this Helps