Christmas Traditions Across the Globe 🎄🌏
- Goohika Joshi
- Dec 25, 2022
- 2 min read
"Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling."-Edna Ferber
'Tis the season to be jolly! Wishing Merry Christmas to everyone who is celebrating ❤️. I thought it would be fun to learn about some interesting Christmas traditions across the globe. So, here we go ✨!
1. Philippines: Every year, the city of San Fernando in Philippines holds Ligligan Parul (or Giant Lantern Festival) featuring dazzling parols (lanterns) that symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. Each parol consists of thousands of spinning lights that illuminate the night sky. The festival has made San Fernando the 'Christmas Capital of the Philippines.'
2. Poland: On Christmas Eve in Poland, many families share oplatek (an unleavened religious wafer), each person breaking off a piece as they wish each other Merry Christmas. Dinner may not begin until the first star appears in the night sky and, traditionally, an extra setting is left at the table should someone show up uninvited.
3. Sweden: Since 1966, a 13-metre-tall Yule Goat has been built in the center of Gävle’s Castle Square for the Advent, but this Swedish Christmas tradition has unwittingly led to another “tradition” of sorts – people trying to burn it down. Since 1966 the Goat has been successfully burned down 29 times – the most recent destruction was in 2016.
4. Germany: In this tradition people hide a pickle in the branches of the Christmas tree. It is believed that a child who finds it first gets a special gift from Santa and an adult who finds it first gets good luck for the coming year.
5. Norway: People hide their brooms before going to sleep on Christmas Eve. Norwegians believe that witches and evil spirits roam freely during Christmas time and also believe that these negative elements love taking a joy ride on a broom. Therefore people in Norway keep their brooms safely on the nights of Christmas Eve.
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Lots of Love
Goohika ✨
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