Interesting Christmas Traditions Worldwide

I love my Bajan Christmas. I love the ham, Christmas morning church service in conjunction with the walk through Queen’s Park. Sometimes I wonder how other cultures celebrate this most special season of the year when the entire world seems to take a breather.

India

Christians in this nation decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas. They also decorate their houses with mango leaves. Small clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations and are placed on the edges of flat roofs and the tops of walls. Poinsettias are used for decor in churches which are lit with candles for the Christmas evening service.

Bethlehem

This is where Jesus was born and the Church of the Nativity stands on the believed site. Christmas Eve sees natives and visitors crowd the church’s doorways and stand on the roof to watch for the annual parade which is led by horsemen and police on Arabian horses. The procession then heads to a grotto where there is a silver star marking the site of the birth of Jesus.

Iran

Formerly known as Persia, many believe that the wise men who visited Jesus at His birth, originated from Iran. There is currently a ‘little fast’ which starts December 1 and calls for abstinence from all animal products. Gifts are not exchanged but children get new clothes to wear on Christmas day.

China

Chinese Christians light their houses with paper lanterns and decorate their Christmas trees with paper chains, flowers and lanterns. They call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren (Christmas old man).

The winter festival in China is toward the end of January and children receive new clothes, toys and enjoy fireworks.

Iraq

Christmas Eve is the time when Iraqi Christian families come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus. A child reads the story about the birth of Jesus as other family members hold lit candles. When the story is complete, they light a bonfire of thorn bushes and everyone sings. If the thorns burn to ashes, the belief is that good luck will be granted for the coming year. When the fire dies, everyone jumps over the ashes three times and makes a wish.

On Christmas day another bonfire is lit in the churchyard. A bishop carrying the figure of the Baby Jesus leads the service. He blesses one person with a touch and that leads to a chain of touches - everyone ouches the one next to him/her until they have all felt the touch of peace.