European Christmas Traditions

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• British Christmas Traditions

Many British traditions are quite similar to those in Ireland, Canada, and the United States but there are some differences.



• Most theatres have a tradition of putting on a Christmas pantomime for children. The pantomime stories are traditionally based on popular children's stories such as Little Red Riding Hood' and Aladdin.
• While today many letters to Father Christmas are sent by email, traditionally they were handwritten and thrown into the fireplace where the draft would carry them to Father Christmas (AKA Santa Claus). And instead of milk and cookies it's mince pies and sherry for Father Christmas and carrots for his reindeer.
• On Christmas Day, nearly the whole population has the day off to be with their family and friends, so they can gather round for a traditional Christmas meal, which is usually a turkey, traditionally with cranberries, parsnips, roast potatoes, quite like the Sunday roast, and traditionally followed by a Christmas pudding.



• During the meal, Christmas crackers, containing toys, jokes and a paper hat are pulled. Christmas crackers began in 1846 when a shop owner made a special kind of paper that would make a popping sound when rubbed together. The paper was placed inside a paper tube and filled. Christmas crackers have become popular in the US also.
• Christmas is not complete without watching the Queen's Christmas message on television.
• The day after Christmas, Boxing Day or St. Stephen's Day, is a bank holiday and a very important day. Notably, for Catholics, it is one of the main Holy Days of Obligation. Centuries ago, on the day after Christmas, members of the merchant class would give boxes containing food and fruit, clothing, and/or money to trades people and servants. In households, the master and his family waited on the servants on Boxing Day, preparing and serving meals.
• Christmas in Scotland was traditionally observed very quietly, because the Church of Scotland – a Presbyterian Church – never placed any great emphasis on the Christmas festival. Hogmanay, New Year's Eve, is traditionally the largest celebration in Scotland, because Christmas Day was a normal working day in Scotland until the 1960s and even into the 1970s in some areas. The gift-giving, public holidays and feasting associated with mid-winter were held between the 11th of December and 2 January rather than between 24 December and 26 December. However, since the 1980s, and the fading of the Church's influence as well as influences from the rest of the UK and countries abroad, Christmas and related festivities are now on a par with Hogmanay.



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• Northern European Christmas Traditions

• Even though she is a Sicilian saint, St. Lucia's feast day on December 13th is a special day in Norway, Finland, and Sweden. St. Lucia is depicted as a well-born young woman dressed in a white robe and wearing a crown of blazing candles. She goes from house to house and delivers baked goods.



• The Gävle Goat (known in Swedish as Julbocken i Gävle or Gävlebocken), located at Slottstorget ("Castle Square") in central Gävle, is a giant version of a traditional Swedish Yule Goat figure made of straw. Unfortunately, the goat is burned by vandals almost every year.
• In Sweden, presents are distributed on Christmas Eve after the julbord, either by Jultomten (a small invisible house gnome) or a family member, and usually from a sack or from under the Christmas tree. Many Swedes still adhere to the tradition that each present should have a rhyme written on the wrapping paper, to hint at the contents without revealing them.




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• Central and Eastern European Christmas Traditions



In Croatia and Slovenia, Christmas (Croatian: Božić, Slovene: Božič) is celebrated mainly as a religious holiday. The festivities begin on Saint Nicholas's Day on December 6 (in Slovenia) or St. Lucy's on December 13 depending on what region (in Croatia). St. Lucy or St. Nicholas brings children presents, and St. Nicholas is said to be accompanied by Krampus who steals away the presents of bad children. In Croatia on St. Lucy's, families will plant wheat seeds in a bowl of shallow water, which will grow several inches by Christmas and are then tied together with a red, blue and white ribbon called trobojnica'.



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• Mediterranean or Southern European Christmas Traditions
• In Greece, presents are placed under the Christmas tree but not opened until New Year's Day. In Greek tradition, Father Christmas is called and is supposed to visit children and give presents on New Year’s Day (when Basil's memory is celebrated).
• Family is central to the Christmas celebration in Portugal with people traveling great distances sometimes to spend Christmas in their hometowns. After the Missa do galo (Rooster's Mass), families gather around the Consoada, the late supper held on Christmas Eve. The traditional dish is dried codfish boiled with vegetable). Nowadays, Santa Claus or Pai Natal comes with presents nevertheless, in some regions, people still believe that is the Menino Jesus (Baby Jesus) that brings presents to children.



• In Italy, there is much more emphasis on the Christian aspects of Christmas than in other European countries. Christmas decorations, including the presepe (nativity scene), as well as the Christmas tree, are usually put up on the 8th December. On Christmas Eve in some areas it is a custom not to eat any meat. Especially in the South people tend to celebrate on Christmas Eve; dinner traditionally consists of seafood, with the "feast of the seven fishes", followed by typical Italian Christmas sweets. It is quite common, for religious families, to attend midnight mass.
• In Northern Italy it is more common to celebrate Christmas on the 25th at a lunch, consisting of different types of meat dishes, cheese and sweets. Northern Italians see Christmas both as a secular and religious holiday, while Southern Italy puts a strong emphasis on its religious meaning.
• Christmas is called Navidad in Spain. And as in Italy most homes display a nativity scene. This scene often encompasses the whole city of Bethlehem. A figure called caganer is displayed in the scene and is depicted in the act of defecation. Although it's usually hidden in a corner.





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• Western European Christmas Traditions


• In Germany on Saint Nicholas' Day, the 6th of December, Saint Nicholas puts treats in children's shoes.
• In Germany speaking Europe, St.Nikolaus has a sidekick called Knecht Ruprecht. "Knecht Ruprecht" (the servant Ruprecht – dressed in dark clothes with a long, bright red tongue has a stick or a small whip in his hand. His duty is to punish those children who haven't behaved during the year.
• In more Catholic regions of Western Europe, the character of Santa is replaced by the Christkind (literally "Christ child"). He brings the presents on the evening of December 24 (Holy Evening or Heiliger Abend). The Christkind is invisible; thus he is never seen by anyone. However, he rings a bell just before he leaves in order to let children know that the Christmas tree and the presents are ready.
• Christmas in France is celebrated mainly as a religious holiday, with some secular traditions, such as Christmas decorations and French versions of popular carols. Children put their shoes by the fireplace so Père Noël (Father Christmas or Santa Claus) can give them gifts.
• Food is central to French culture and so the French celebrate with Le Reveillon de Noel, the Christmas Eve feast. The dinner is a multi-course affair and can last for hours. The dinner ends with a cake called Buche de Noel (Yule Log). This rolled sponge cake is covered with bark (chocolate butter-cream frosting), mushrooms (cocoa-dusted meringue), and holly leaves (almond paste), all sprinkled with powdered-sugar snow. The Buche de Noel is only made at Christmas.
• Traditionally, the French send New Year's cards rather than Christmas cards.

These are only a few of the many wonderful European Christmas Traditions.