Christmas In Europe
Europe
Central Europe
In countries of Central Europe (for this purpose, roughly defined as the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, and possibly other places) the main celebration date for the general public is Christmas Eve (December 24th). The day is usually a fasting day; in some places children are told they'll see a golden pig if they hold fast until dinner. When the evening comes preparation of Christmas Dinner starts. Traditions concerning dinner vary from region to region, for example in the Czech Republic the prevailing meal is fried carp with potato salad and fish soup. However, in some places the tradition is porridge with mushrooms (a modest dish), and elsewhere the dinner is exceptionally rich, with up to 12 dishes.
What's common is that people usually stay in close family circle. Staying alone during Christmas Eve is considered very sad, and many families "bring home" their grandparents at least for Christmas.
After the dinner comes the time for gifts. Tradition varies with region, commonly gifts are attributed to Christkind (Little Jesus) or their real originators (e.g. parents). Children usually find their gifts under the Christmas Tree, with name stickers. An interesting example of complicated history of the region is the "fight" between Christmas beings. During communism, when slavic countries of Central Europe were under Soviet influence, communist authorities strongly pushed Russian traditional Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost") in the place of Christkind. Little Jesus won. Now Santa Claus is attacking, by means of advertising and Hollywood film production.
Many people, Christians as well as people with just a Christian background, go to Roman Catholic churches for Midnight Mass. It's not uncommon to go to a church only one time a year, for this Christmas Mass.
Other attributes of Christmas include Christmas trees, mistletoe, Christmas garlands, Bethlehem Cribs.
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Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, Christmas is celebrated mainly on December 24, or Christmas Eve - tedr den (pron. "Shtiedree den", means "open-handed day") when the gifts are given in the evening. However, the December 25 and 26 are also free days. According to tradition, gifts are brought by Jeek (pron. "Yezheeshek"), or "little Jesus". Many very old Christmas traditions are followed, mostly for fun. People are taught not to eat anything on Christmas Eve until a ceremonial dinner is served, in order to be able to see a "golden pig". The gifts are displayed under the Christmas tree (usually a spruce or pine), and people open them after the dinner.
Other Czech Christmas traditions involve predictions for the future. Apples are always cut crosswise; if a star appears in the core, the next year will be successful, while a cross suggests a bad year. Girls throw shoes over the their shoulders; if the toe points to the door, the girl will get married. Another tradition requires pouring a little molten lead into water and guessing a message from the shapes that appear when it hardens.
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Poland
Main article: Christmas customs in Poland
In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of fasting, then of feasting. The feast begins with the appearance of the first star, and is followed by the exchange of gifts. The following day is often spent visiting friends. Poland is a land of intriguing traditions, superstitions, and legends. Its people have always combined religion and family closeness at Christmas time. Gift giving plays only a minor role in the rituals, emphasis being placed instead on making special foods and decorations. Traditionally, Advent is an important season in the Polish year, with special church services, known as Roraty, being held every morning at 6am. The four Sundays of Advent are said to represent the 4,000 years of waiting for Christ. During Advent and, in some homes, on Christmas Eve, bee's wax is poured on water, and fortunes are told from the shapes, which emerge. Special tasks carried out during Advent are the baking of the Christmas piernik or honey cake, and the making of Christmas decorations. Pierniki are made in a great variety of shapes, including hearts, animals and St Nicholas figures. Traditional decorations include the pajaki or spiders, which are handmade mobiles, stars and decorated eggshells. Beautifully lit Christmas trees are placed in all public arenas, outside churches and in homes. Traditionally the trees are decorated with shiny apples, walnuts, beautifully wrapped chocolate shapes and many homemade decorations and candles. On the top of the tree is a star or a glittering top piece. In many homes, sparklers are hung on the branches of the trees giving it a magical air. Sometimes the trees are left standing until February 2nd, the feast day of St Mary of the Candle of Lightning. During Advent, the Gwiadorzy or star carriers, used to begin wandering through the towns and villages and this would continue until Epiphany. Some of the Gwiadorzy sang carols; others recited verses or put on Szopki or puppet show, or herody or nativity scenes. The last two customs are developments from traditional manger scenes or Jaselka or crib. One tradition unique to Poland is the sharing the "oplatek," a thin wafer into which is pressed a holy picture. People once carried these oplatek from house to house to wish their neighbors a Merry Christmas. Nowadays, the bread is mostly shared with members of the family and immediate neighbors. As each person shares pieces of the wafer with another person, they are supposed to forgive any hurts that have occurred over the past year and to wish the other person all the happiness in the coming year.
On Christmas Eve, so important is the first star of the night that it has been given the affectionate name of "little star" or Gwiazdka, in remembrance of the Star of Bethlehem. On that night, all watch the sky anxiously, hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star!" The moment the star appears, people start eating. Families unite for the most carefully planned meal of the year, Wigilia, the Christmas supper. The Wigilia derives its name from the Latin word vigilare, which means to watch or keep vigil.
According to tradition, bits of hay have been spread beneath the tablecloth as a reminder that Christ was born in a manger. An even number of people must be seated around the table or tradition states someone may die in the coming year. Wigilia is a family feast and it's considered bad luck to entertain a guest on this sacred night. In some places an empty place setting is left at the table for the Baby Jesus or a wanderer who can come in need. The meal begins with the breaking of the Oplatek. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. Tere should be 12 meals- symbol of 12 apostles. Poppy seed cake, beet soup, prune dumplings, carp, herrings and noodles with poppy seed are universally Polish Christmas foods. Often there is compote of dry fruits. The remainder of the evening is given to stories and songs around the Christmas tree. It is decorated with nuts, apples and ornaments made from eggshells, coloured paper, straw, and hand blown glass baubles. In areas of the country, children are taught that "The Little Star" brings the gifts. As presents are wrapped, carolers may walk from house to house, receiving treats along the way. In Poland, an elaborate tradition called Wigilia is celebrated. Beginning on Christmas Eve, a strict 24-hour fast is observed which ends with a huge Christmas feast. In honour of the star of Bethlehem, the meal cannot begin until the first star of night appears. Though Christmas is Poland is officially known as Boze Narodzenie, it is most often referred to as Gwiazdka, which means, "Little star." Once the star appears, a special rice wafer blessed by the parish priest called oplatek, is broken into pieces and shared by all. Finally the meal can begin. The feast consists of twelve courses, one for each Apostle. The table is always set with one extra seat in case a stranger or the Holy Spirit should appear to share the meal.
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Slovakia
Christmas in Slovakia is largely a celebration of family, food, and religious observation. It is a christian holiday which starts on December 24th and is followed by two more days of Christmas. Christmas is celebrated mainly on December 24th, or Christmas Eve - tedr den (pron. "Shtiedree dien", means "open-handed day") when the gifts are given in the evening. However, the December 25 and 26 are also free days. According to tradition, gifts are brought by Jeiko (pron. "Yezheeshko"), or "baby Jesus". Parents usually put the gifts under the christmas tree before dinner and kids are surprised when they find them there after dinner. They think, baby Jesus brought the presents while they had dinner. Dinner is usually soup (sauerkraut sup, lentil..) fried fish, potato salad, cookies, fruit... Different parts of Slovakia have different customs. It's popular here to build the monumental wooden Bethlehem in the glory of Jesus's birth. See: Christmas in Slovakia
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Eastern Europe
Since the 1880s, the Christmas customs of Eastern European Slavic countries have included a similar character known as Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"). According to legend, he travels in a magical troika - a decorated sleigh drawn by three horses. With his young, blond assistant Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden, said to be his granddaughter) at his side, he visits homes and gives gifts to good children. He only delivers presents to children while they are asleep, and unlike Santa, he does not travel down chimneys, coming instead to the front door of children's homes. It is traditional for children to leave food for Ded Moroz just as American and British children do.
This Ded Moroz is not identified nor in any way associated with St. Nicholas of Myra, who is very widely revered in Eastern Europe more for his clerical and charitable works as a Bishop. In all likelihood, Ded Moroz is actually a Slavic interpretation of the American Santa Claus or some similar figure, any connection to the original saint long since disappeared.
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Romania
Further information: Christmas customs in Romania
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Russia
In Eastern Europe, Slavic countries have the tradition of Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"). He is accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka ("Snowmaiden"). According to legend, he travels in a magical troika, a decorated sleigh drawn by three horses, and delivers gifts to children. He is thought to descend more from Santa Claus than from Saint Nicholas.
Christmas celebration in Russia is on the 7th of January (which corresponds to December 25 in the Julian Calendar). The tradition of celebrating Christmas has been revived since 1992, after decades of suppression by the communist government. It is centered on the Christmas Eve "Holy Supper", which consists of twelve servings, one to honor each of Jesus' apostles. The Russian traditions were largely kept alive by shifting some of them, including the visit by gift-giving "Grandfather Frost" and his "Snowmaiden", to New Year's Day. Many current Russian Christmas customs, including their Christmas tree, or "yolka", were brought by Peter the Great, after his western travels in the late 18th century.
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Northern Europe
In Germany and the Netherlands, the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th resembles the Christmas of the English-speaking world. Sinterklaas, from whom the English and American Santa evolved, is based on the real Saint Nicholas, and brings presents on the evening of December 6 to every child who has been good. He wears a red bishop's dress with a red mitre, rides a white horse over the rooftops, and is assisted by many mischievous helpers called 'zwarte Pieten' (black Peters). In some parts of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the frightening Knecht Ruprecht also appears, to the chagrin of many children.
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German-speaking areas of Europe
The Striezelmarkt, Germany's oldest Christmas Market, boasting the specialities of the Dresden region, is arguably a worldwide Christmas gift production center which continues for nearly one month. This is the time when Dresden Stollen fruitcake, Pulsnitzer gingerbread, wood carvings from the Erzgebirge Mountains, Dresden Pflaumentoffel, Lusatian indigo print, Silesian ceramics, Bohemian glass, and Meissen porcelain dominate the lives of visitors who come from all over to thoroughly immerse themselves in Christmas.
Knecht Ruprecht ("Black Peter") is a companion of Father Christmas in many different German speaking areas of Europe.
In some German-speaking communities (particularly in southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein), the character of Santa is replaced by the Christkind (literally "Christ child"). He or Father Christmas brings the presents not on the morning of December 25th, but on the evening of December 24th. A knock on the door heralds Father Christmas's arrival; someone dressed in a red suit and white beard enters with a sack and a stick, supposedly for punishing the children if they have been bad. He asks how well-behaved the children have been, and they have to say a poem or sing a song. For families who lack a suitable figure, or to confuse suspicious children, Father Christmases can be hired to come to homes and play the part. The Christkind, by contrast, is never seen. However, it rings a bell just before it leaves in order to let children know that the Christmas tree and the presents are ready.
It is a tradition to lavishly decorate a Christmas tree in the days preceding Christmas, and late Christmas Eve, for the tree to be unveiled and presents to be exchanged. In Protestant Christian churches, there is often a service in the late afternoon, intended to immediately precede this - this service often caters to families with children.
See Saint Nicholas for information about Saint Nicholas Day, a festivity similar to Christmas from which many English and American traditions derive.
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Germany
Main article: German Christmas traditions
In Germany, Christmas traditions vary by region. Following Saint Nicholas Day, (December 6) which is mostly for children, the actual Christmas gift-giving usually takes place on the night of Christmas eve, with gifts put under the Christmas tree after a simple meal. The culinary feast typically takes place at lunch on Dec. 25, and usually involves poultry (typically roast goose). The gifts may be brought by the Weihnachtsmann, who resembles St. Nicholas, or by the Christkind, a sprite-like child who may or may not represent the baby Jesus. Commercially, the Striezelmarkt is arguably a worldwide Christmas gift production center, boasting the specialities of the Dresden region, from ceramics and prints to various delicacies which are shipped worldwide.
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Ireland
Christmas in Ireland is largely a religious observation with church services playing a major role in the celebration of Christmas. The Irish people display the Spirit of Christmas with generosity to the street vendors and the less fortunate around the time of Christ's birth. In the countryside, cottages are freshly white washed in preparation for the Holy Season. Christmas Day is largely reserved for family gatherings. Beginning on St. Stephen's Day, the 26th of December, through January 6th, "Christmas Week" is spent visiting and entertaining friends for food, a bit of drink and crac (fun).
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The Krampus
Another Christmas tale of Germany is of the Krampus. The Krampus is a monster who punishes bad children on Christmas Eve, as "Saint Nicholas" delivers presents to the deserving. The Krampus is a monster that has an extra long tongue, and is seven feet tall. He carries a whip, and has a very active sexual drive. He also carries a wicker basket that he uses to carry bad children to his lair. There has not been a Krampus since the Pope cast him into purgatory. Families use the story of the Krampus to scare the children into being good.
In Austria today, people dressed as Krampuses will run down the streets and beat the "bad" out of those whom they see fit.
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The Netherlands and Belgium
Sinterklaasavond (St. Nicholas evening) remains more important in the Netherlands than Christmas, although in recent years, the Dutch have started to celebrate Christmas Eve with Santa as well. This sparks minor controversy each year over when it is "appropriate" to start celebrating Christmas, with shopkeepers preferring to start the lucrative Christmas season immediately after Sinterklaasavond (sometimes putting up decorations even earlier) while others argue that the "foreign" and "commercial" Christmas impinges too much on the traditional Sinterklaas celebrations. Considering the ancestry of Santa Claus, it has truly been said that Sinterklaas is in competition with himself here.
The present-giver in children's folklore in The Netherlands and Belgium is a Santa-ish character called Sinterklaas or Sint Nicolaas. Like Father Christmas in Germany, Sinterklaas is often accompanied by a black helper named Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) who punishes disobedient children. Sinterklaas wears a tall bishop's hat and carries a crooked staff. He is said to reside in Spain, and in mid-November he arrives by steamboat, an event which is often acted out in the many coastal communities of the Low Countries. Dutch children leave their shoes out on many nights in the run-up to the actual celebration, to find them filled with small treats in the morning. December 5 (The Netherlands) and December 6 (Belgium) are traditionally recognized as the main gift-giving days of the Low Countries, with December 25 being a lower-key, more religious event.
In recent years Dutch and Belgian cultures have also incorporated Santa Claus into their traditions, with him and Sinterklaas being recognized as two distinct characters.
Walloons call Sint Nicolaas Saint Nicolas and Zwarte Piet Pre Fouettard (Whipping Father).
Christians and a large amount of people having a christian background go to church with Christmas. The Roman-catholic service is on Christmas eve, the protestant churches in the Netherlands have their christmas service on 25 december. This service is normally kept somewhat simpler compared to normal services, with more attention to the children and the singing of famous old christmas hymns. Since the end of the 20th centuries, some protestant churches also have services on christmas eve. Due to the high amount of church abandoning during the last few centuries, a lot of old churches have been closed. However, the amount of people that want to visit a church service with christmas seems to be as large as several years ago. Therefore, the remaining churches become too small to accommodate all the attendants with christmas.
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Sweden
Swedish Christmas celebrations begin with the first of Advent. Saint Lucy Day (locally known as Luciadagen) is the first major Christmas celebration before Christmas itself. As in many other countries in northern Europe, Santa Claus brings the presents on Christmas Eve, the day generally thought of as Christmas.
Christmas is as everywhere a holiday of food, almost all Swedish families celebrate Christmas on December 24 with a Christmas smrgsbord (julbord). The common part of almost all julbord is the julskinka (baked ham), but there are also other common dishes such as meatballs, pickled herring, square ribs, lutfisk, pork sausage, Janssons frestelse (grated potatoes, onion, anchovy and cream), and rice pudding. The Christmas julbord is served with beer or julmust (somewhat similar to root beer) and snaps, the dishes of the julbord may vary throughout Sweden. Businesses traditionally invite their employees to a julbord dinner or lunch the weeks before Christmas, and people go out privately to restaurants offering julbord during December, as well.
Examples of candies and treats associated with Christmas are toffee, knck (quite similar to butterscotch), fruit, nuts, figs, chocolate, dates and marzipan. Another Scandinavian speciality is the glgg (mulled and spiced wine with almonds and raisins), which is served hot in small cups.
After the julbord on Christmas Eve, the presents are distributed, either by Father Christmas or from under the Christmas tree.
Television plays a big role in most families, the Disney Christmas special and Karl Bertil Jonssons julafton (animated short) are regarded by many to be the most important highlights of the Christmas television programming.
Christmas presents are exchanged on Christmas Eve by Santa Claus, who usually does not bring the presents himself, but reads the labels of the presents that have been laying under the Christmas tree all day and hands them out. An alternative to this is just to hand out the presents without a Santa. In older days a yule goat was an alternative to Santa, nowadays it is used as an ornament, ranging from sizes of 10 cm to huge constructions like the Gvle goat, famous for being vandalized almost every christmas.
If one has two families to celebrate Christmas with, it is common that one of the families move their celebrations to Christmas Day or the first Saturday before Christmas Eve (commonly referred to as little Christmas Eve).
After Christmas Eve, the Christmas celebrations have more or less come to an end. Some people attend the julottan, an early morning church service on Christmas Day. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are of no big significance to Swedish celebrations.
On January 13 (locally known as knutdagen), 20 days after Christmas, the Christmas celebrations come to an end and all Christmas decorations are removed.
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Norway
The big day in Norway, as in most of Northern Europe, is December 24. Although it is legally a regular workday until 16:00 [1], most stores close early. The main Christmas meal is served in the evening. Common main dishes include pork rib, "pinnekjtt" (pieces of lamb rib steamed over birch branches), and in some western areas burned sheep's head. Many people also eat "lutefisk" or fresh, poached cod. Rice porridge is also popular (but most commonly served the day after rather than for the main Christmas dinner), an almond is often hidden in the porridge, and the person who finds it wins a treat or small gift. In many families, where the parents grew up with different traditions, two different main dishes are served to please everyone.
For a lot of Norwegians, especially families, television is an important part of the earlier hours of Christmas Eve. Many Norwegians do not feel the christmas spirit until they have watched the Czech fairy tale Tri orky pro Popelku (Norwegian title: Tre ntter til Askepott) and the Disney christmas cavalcade.
If children are present (and they have behaved well the last year), "Julenissen" (Santa Claus) pays a visit, otherwise gifts are stored under the Christmas tree and then distributed by the youngest present. Many people also attend church, even if they are not regular churchgoers.
December 25 is a very quiet and relaxed day, before the festivities take off on December 26. Cinemas, night clubs and bars are full, and there are lots of private gatherings and parties, where all kinds of traditional Christmas cookies and sweets are enjoyed. Fatty, tasty dinners are also part of it. The time between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve is called romjul. During this time children in the western parts of Norway dress up with masks and go "Julebukk" - "Christmas bucks" - asking for treats, much the same way as in the American Halloween. January 13 (20th day of Christmas, called St. Knuts Day) is the official end of Christmas.
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Finland
Main article: Joulupukki
Joulupukki is the Finnish name for Santa Claus. The name Joulupukki literally means Yule Goat or Christmas Goat. This name is likely to come from an old Finnish tradition, where people dressed in goat hides called nuuttipukkis used to circulate in homes after Christmas eating leftover food.
Today Joulupukki looks and behaves mostly like his American version, but there are differences. Joulupukki's workshop is situated, not in the North Pole or Greenland, but in Korvatunturi, Lapland, Finland. He does not sneak in through the chimney during the night, but knocks on the front door during Christmas eve. When he comes in, his first words usually are: "Onkos tll kilttej lapsia?" (Are there (any) nice children here?)
He wears usually red, warm clothes and uses a walking stick. He goes to people's homes with a sleigh driven by a number of reindeer, of which one is called Petteri Punakuono (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer). Joulupukki has a wife, Joulumuori (Christmas Lady), who knows how to make very delicious Christmas porridge, riisipuuro (rice porridge).
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Southern Europe
Modern traditions combine with holdovers from their Roman forebears in the celebrations of Natale, the Italian Christmas. The pagan feast of Saturnalia coincides with the Christian advent, and the holiday season there spans from these weeks through Epiphany. Food, religious observances, nativity displays, and gift-giving are prominent. In some regions, presents are brought on Epiphany by La Befana, and in others by Baby Jesus on Christmas day or eve. In recent years Babbo Natale (literally, Father Christmas), a Santa Claus-like figure, is becoming more common.
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The UK
In the United Kingdom the traditions are quite similar to those of Australia, North America and New Zealand. On Christmas Eve, presents are delivered in stockings and under the Christmas tree by Father Christmas, who previously had been something like the ghost of Christmas present in Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol, but has now become mainly conflated with Santa Claus. The two names are now used interchangeably and equally known to British people, but Father Christmas tends to be used more often, and some distinctive features still remain. On Christmas Day, many families and sometimes friends gather around for a traditional Christmas meal.
Goose or turkey is generally the centrepiece of the meal, followed by Christmas pudding.
Television is widely watched: for many television stations, Christmas Day is the most important day of the year in terms or ratings. Quite a lot of Britons still watch the Queen's annual Christmas message.
The Celebration of Boxing Day on the first weekday after Christmas Day is a tradition practiced in the UK.
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