2023學年完整公開課版Christmascelebrations

Christmascelebrationsaroundtheworld

ItisinterestingtoseehowdifferentcountriescelebrateChristmas.Weaskedsomeofourfriendstoexplainwhathappensintheircountries.

Thisiswhattheytoldus:

Belgium

OnthesixthofDecemberSinterklaasorSaint-Nicholasiscelebrated,whichisanentirelydifferentholidayfromChristmas.SantaClausinBelgiumiscalleddeKerstmanorlePèreNo?landhedoescomearoundonChristmasdaytobringchildrenpresents.TherearedifferentculturesinBelgium,theNorthernpartbeingVlaanderen(speakingaDutchdialect),theSouthernpartbeingWallonie(speakingaFrenchdialect)andtheEasternpartspeakingGerman.

SmallfamilypresentsaregivenatChristmastoo,underthetree,orinstockingsnearthefire-place,tobefoundinthemorning.Christmasbreakfastisaspecialsweetbreadcalled'cougnou'or'cougnolle'-theshapeissupposedtobelikebabyJesus.SomefamilieswillhaveanotherbigmealonChristmasday.

Brazil

FatherChristmasiscalledPapaiNoel.ManyChristmascustomsaresimilartoUSAorUK.Forthosewhohaveenoughmoney,aspecialChristmasmealwillbechicken,turkey,ham,rice,salad,pork,freshanddriedfruits,oftenwithbeer.Poorerpeoplewillhavechicken,riceandbeansandwillalsodrinkbeerandcoke.FordessertpeopleenjoysomeBraziliansweetsBrigadeiromadeofcondensedmilkandchocolate.BothrichandpoorhaveChristmastrees.Apoorperson'sChristmastreeismadeofplasticorisjustadrytreebranch.Aswedon'thavesnowinBrazil,poorpeopleputcottonovertheirChristmastreebranchtosimulatesnow.Christmastimevariesalotfromsouthtonorthregion.

Finland

FinnishpeoplebelievethatFatherChristmas(SantaClaus)livesinthenorthpartofFinlandcalledKorvatunturi,northoftheArcticCircle.PeoplefromallovertheworldsendletterstoSantaClausinFinland.(ItisonlyfairtosaythatthepeopleofGreenlandsaythatreally,FatherChristmaslivesinGreenland!)Thereisaevenbigtouristthemeparkcalled'ChristmasLand'inthenorthofFinland,neartowheretheysaythatFatherChristmaslives.

EveryonecleanstheirhousesreadyforthethreeholydaysofChristmas-ChristmasEve,ChristmasDay,andBoxingDay.ChristmasEveisveryspecial,whenpeopleeatriceporridgeandasweetsoupmadefromdriedfruits(plums,raisins,apples,pears,apricotsandfigs).It′seateninthemorningoratlunchtime.Theywillthendecorateasprucetreeinthehome.Atmid-day,the'Christmaspeacedeclaration'isbroadcastonradioandTVfromtheFinnishcityofTurkubyitsMayor.Intheevening,atraditionalChristmasdinneriseaten.Themealwillinclude'casseroles'containingliver,rutabaga,carrotandpotato,withcookedhamorturkey.Somefamilieseatliverpate.Rawpickledslightlysaltedsalmon,herringsandsaladcalled"rosolli".Mushroomsaladisalsocommon.Rosolliiscoldsaladmadefrompeeled,cookedanddicedpotatoes,carrots,beetrootanddicedapples,onionsandpickledcucumber.Seasonwithsalt(somepeopleusealsopepper).Whippedcream(+salt,vinegarandbeetrootcolourtomakeitpink)isservedwithrosolli.FoodtraditionsduringtheChristmasperioddependonwhichpartofFinlandpeoplelive.InLaplandandinFinland'sislandstherearedifferentfoods.Otherfoodsincludecookedpeas,differentkindonsalads,roe,coldfish-dishes,pates,othercasserolessuchasbeetrootcasserolewithcheeseorwithbluecheese,sweetandspicedbreads,carelianpies,andcheeses.Gingerbreads,spicedcakes,differentkindofcakesandcookiesandotherstoeatwithcoffeeormilk.Youeattheseat"day-coffee"timeontheChristmaseve(aftertheChristmaspeacedeclarationwhicheverybodywatchesonTV,orbeforegoingtothechurchandgraveyard),intheevening.Christmassmellsincludemulledwine,gingerbreads,spices-cinnamonbeingthemostcommon-Christmastree,burningcandlesandhyacinthe.PoinsettiaandhyacinthearethemostpopularChristmasflowers.OnChristmasevemanygotochurch,ontheafternoonorlateafternoon(timedependsoflocalchurches)-thisisnewtradition.The"real"andoldChristmaschurchisearlyonthemorningofChristmasday.Manygotheretoo.GraveyardsareverybeautifulplacesontheChristmaseve,sincetherearelotofsoftwhitesnowandtheonlylightscomefromcandlespeoplebringtothegravesoflovedones.Ifrelativesareburiedinothergraveyards,thereareplacesingraveyardyoucanlityourcandletorememberthem.Saunaofcourseispartofcelebration.Peoplegotherebeforechurchandgraves,orafterthem.Aftersaunaisthefestivedinner.Thehighmoment!AfterthatcomesSantaClaus(iftherearechildren)orthepresentsthatareundertheChristmastreeareopened.Insomefamilieswheretherearenosmallkids,thepresentsarenotputunderthetree,butcollectedtobigsacks,whicharecarriednearthefrontdoor.Thenafamilymembermightsay,DidIheardsoundofreindeersandbells...OrDidIhearSantaClaus...Whentheygotocheck,therearebigsacksfullofpresentsthere.SoitwasSantaafterall.Thenpeopledrinkcoffeeandeatcakes,cookiesandothersweetthings.Enjoypresentandplaygames.Smallkidsgotobedbutothersstayuplate.Manyfamilieswillvisitcemeteriesandgrave-yardstoplaceacandleontotheburialgravesoffamilymembers.CemeteriesareverybeautifulatChristmas-time.

ChildrenreceivetheirpresentsonChristmasEve,usuallywithafamilymemberdressingasFatherChristmas.Aschildrengrowolder,theycometorealisethat'FatherChristmas'isreallyabiggerbrother,sisterorfamilymember.

France

InFrance,Christmasisalwayscalled'No?l.EveryonehasaChristmastree,sometimesdecoratedintheoldwaywithredribbonsandrealwhitewaxcandles.Firtreesinthegardenareoftendecoratedtoo,withlightsonallnight.

FatherChristmasiscalledPèreNo?l.TheChristmasmealisanimportantfamilygatheringwithgoodmeatandthebestwine.FewpeoplesendChristmascards.MorepeoplesendNewYearcardstowisheveryonegoodluckandjoyfortheNewYear.ThesedaysChristmaslunchisastarteroffoisgras(astrongtastingpatemadefromgooseliver)followedbylunchofseafood-usuallyincludinglobsterandoysters.DecorationsinhousesareminimalbutBritishtraditionsarecatchingonhereandallthebigshopsandtowncentreshaveChrismasdecorationsincludingtrees.

Germany

GermanslovetodecoratetheirhousesatChristmas.Manyhouseswillhavelittlewoodenframesholdingelectriccandlesintheirwindows,andcolouredpicturesofpaperorplasticwhichlookbeautifulfromtheoutsideatnight.Oftentoo,theywillhavean'Adventskranz'-awreathofleaveswithfourcandles.(Advent-meaning'coming'-isthe4weekperiodbeforeChristmas).OneachSundayofAdvent,anothercandleislit.Mosthomeswillalsohavelittlewooden'cribs'-asmallmodelofthestablewhereJesuswasborn,withMary,Joseph,BabyJesus,andanimals.

FatherChristmas-'DerWeihnachtsmann'-bringspresentsinthelateafternoonofChristmasEve(December24th),afterpeoplehavebeentoachurchmeeting.ThepresentsarethenfoundundertheChristmastree.Onepersoninthefamilywillringabellandcalleveryonetocometotheroom.OnChristmasDay,fish(carp)orgoosewillbecooked.

Hungary

SusannaDenes,aHungarianfriendcontributedthefollowing:

SantaClause(Winter-grandfather)(Tel-apoorMikulas)comesonthe6thofDecember.Childrenshouldcleanandputtheirshoesoutsidenexttothedoororwindowbeforetheygotosleep.Nextdaycandiesand/orsmalltoysappearintheminredbags.Forchildren,whodon'tbehavewell,agoldenbirchplacednexttothesweets,asymbolforspanking...(butdon'tworry,itisjustforfun,andnotforactualpunishment.)

On24thofDecember,childrengototheirrelativeortothemovies,becauselittleJesusbringsthetreeandthepresentsthateveningtotheirhouse.Itiscustomarytohangediblethingsonthetree,likegoldenwrappedassortedchocolatesandmeringuesbesidetheglassballs,candles(realorelectrical),andsparklers.

Familiesusuallycookfestivedinnerforthatnight.Anexamplewouldbefreshfishusuallywithriceorpotatoesandhomemadepastriesasdessert.Afterdinner,thetreewouldbeviewedbythechildrenforthefirsttime.Itwasveryexciting.Christmassongsaresungandthenthegiftsunderthetreeareshared.

Olderchildrenattendthemidnightmasswiththeirparents.(Duringcommunism,childrenhadtohideatthebackofthechurch.Teacherscouldhavelosttheirjobsforattendingthemass.Later(inmid1970's)mostoftheCommunistPartyleadersofthetownattendedittoo.)Nextdaythechildrenattacktheediblepartofthetree.Festivefoodisenjoyedonthesecondandthirddaytoo.

Latvia

LatviansbelievethatFatherChristmasbringspresentsoneachofthe12daysofChristmasstartingonChristmasEve.UsuallythepresentsareputunderthefamilyChristmastree.(WhatagoodideatospreadChristmasoutlonger!)ItwasinLatviathatthefirstChristmastreewasdecorated.FormoreinformationseeFirstChristmasTree.

ThespecialLatvianChristmasDaymealiscookedbrownpeaswithbacon(pork)sauce,smallpies,cabbageandsausage.

NewZealand

LoufromDownUnderwrites:Christmasstartsforuswithgiftsunderthetree,tobeopenedChristmasmorning.ThenitsontoaChristmasluncheitherathomeoratone'sparentsplace.Turkeyorchickenwithallthetrimmingsiseaten,thencometeatime,itisaBar-B-Qforfriendsandfamilytogettogether,andhaveafewbeersorwineswiththemeal!!

Portugal

PeopleadheretothetraditionthatFatherChristmasbringspresentstochildrenonChristmasEve.ThepresentsareleftundertheChristmastreeorinshoesbythefireplace.AspecialChristmasmealofsalteddrycod-fishwithboiledpotatoesiseatenatmidnightonChristmasEve.

Romania

Onthe6thDecemberStNicholascomesandputssmallgiftsinchildrenshoesthathavebeenpolishedandplacednearthewindowsandifchildrenhavebeennaughtytheygetalittlestick.UsuallypeopleinthecountrysidegrowtheirownpigswhicharesacrificedforChristmasonthe20thofDecember,andthemeatiscookedindifferentwaysfortheChristmasmeal,likehomemadesmoked/unsmokedsausages.Eachpartofthepigisusedindifferentwaystomakedifferentdishes.Minceismadeandtogetherwithrice,onionsandspicesisusedforthestuffedcabbageorvineleaves,whicharecalled'sarmale'.SopigistraditionalforChristmasmeal.OnChristmasEveusuallychildrengoaroundhousesandsingcarolsandgetfruit,sweetsormoneyinexchange.OnChristmasDayeveryonehasabigfamilymealandvisitrelatives.Inthecountrysidepeopledressasbearsandgoatsandgoandsingspecialtraditionalsongsateachhouseinthevillage.

PeoplefromTransylvaniaservestuffedcabbageonChristmasEve,andnextdayforlunch.Mostlikelythereasonforthatcustomisthatstuffedcabbageisthebestonthesecondandthirddayafteritwascooked.Momscanpreparethefoodadayearlier,leavingmoretimefordecoratingandorganizing.Verypractical.

On25thDecember,thewholefamilyusedtoattendchurchandatestuffedcabbageforlunch.

Russia

InthedaysoftheSovietUnion,Christmaswasnotcelebratedverymuch.NewYearwastheimportanttime-when'FatherFrost'broughtpresentstochildren.WiththefallofCommunism,Christmascanbeopenlycelebrated-eitheronDecember25th;ormoreoftenonJanuary7th.ThisunusualdateisbecausetheRussianOrthodoxchurchusestheold'Julian'calendarforreligiouscelebrationdays.SpecialChristmasfoodincludescakes,piesand'meatdumplings'.

Sweden

ThemostimportantdayisChristmasEve.AspecialChristmasmealiseatenonChristmasEve-ham(pork),herringfish,andbrownbeans-andthisisthetimewhenfamiliesgivepresentstoeachother.ManypeopleattendachurchmeetingearlyonChristmasDay.

UnitedStates

TheUSAissomulti-culturalthatyouwillfindmanydifferentwaysofcelebratingChristmas.AfriendwritesaboutChristmasmeals,"Ourfamily(EasternEuropeanorigin)favorturkeywithtrimmings.Mygrandparentsandtheirrelativespreferredkeilbasi(Polishsausage),cabbagedishes,andsoups.Myhusband'sItalianfamilyinsistedonlasagna!"

Anotherfriendwrote:

Allyearlongchildrenaretoldtobehave,ortheywillgetcoalintheirstocking.OnChristmasEve,theyhanghighlystylizedstockingsonthemantleofthefireplace,thengotobedearlysothattheywillfindpresentsinthemorning.TheyaretoldthatatmidnightSantawillcome,bringingahugebagoftoys.Hewillcomedownthroughthechimney,leavecandyinthestockingsandpresentsundertheChristmastree(anythingfromaPineorFirtoaSpruce),then'plugonenostril'andshootupthroughthechimney.(Thiscomesfromthestory"AVisitFromSt.Nicholas,"whereSt.Nicklaidafinger