Christmas Traditions

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Megan: When I was little, we usually watched Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, usually with my sister. On Christmas morning the whole family would climb into Mam and Dad's bed until everyone was up then we’d sit on the stairs oldest at the top in order to youngest at the bottom. Then we’d go into the sitting room in turn to see what presents we’d got. I used to share the couch with my little brother to put presents on. The really good thing about Christmas was we could make as much mess as we wanted with the wrapping paper and we didn’t have to clean up. We had the Christmas tree up for the 12 days of Christmas.

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Peter: From 1st December, we have a treat every day like mince pies and Christmas cake. Peter tracks Santa on the internet and when he gets to Greece, he knows it’s time to go to bed. Peter goes home on Christmas Eve, he used to watch Home Alone every year until the tape broke. All the family would come over when it was time to unwrap the presents. Grandad used to visit and on Boxing Day, we always used to visit Mam's Mam. Grandad's birthday was on the 27th so he’d go home .

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Peter doesn’t stay at home so long now as he gets a bit bored and goes back to his house on Boxing Day. They do Secret Santa with everyone who works and lives in the flats where he lives, with a budget of £10.

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Laura: At Christmas time, I usually go home to my parent’s house in Spennymoor for a few days. My Dad usually picks me up at about 11am the day before Xmas Eve, whilst Mum is preparing lunch for my arrival. It always feels magical when I go to Mum and Dad's, they have the house decorated with traditional Xmas decorations and it reminds me of my exciting childhood when me and my sister Caroline would laugh and giggle all the time at the thought of Santa coming down the chimney.

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My Dad often makes the bacon sandwiches in the morning time whilst Mum prepares for our feast of a dinner; including turkey, pigs in blankets, sprouts and all of the trimmings. We all open our presents together on Xmas morning, then we will make a phone call to my sister Caroline, her husband James, my nephew Ted, and this year will be my niece Elta’s first Xmas. They live down in York.

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It’s great to hear Ted whom especially gets very excited at Xmas as he understands it a bit more as he is now 4 years old.

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After our Xmas dinner when we are all full up, we watch the TV and the Xmas programmes. Phew, we are all worn out. Hohoho!!

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German Christmas traditions:

In Germany, Christmas Eve is celebrated as it’s the last day of Advent. People spend the afternoon/evening decorating the tree, going to church, eating traditional dishes and opening Christmas presents.

St. Nicolas is celebrated in Europe on the 6th December.

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Christmas traditions in Japan:

Christmas is known as a time to spread happiness rather than a religious celebration. Christmas Eve is celebrated more than Christmas Day and is seen as a romantic day when couples spend time together and exchange presents. It is traditional to eat fried chicken on Christmas Day.

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Nordic Christmas Traditions:

The Nordic countries’ long winters force their inhabitants to be masters of Christmas cheer. From St. Lucia’s Day (or St. Lucy’s Day), to folklore about helpful holiday gnomes show the joyful traditions of Nordic Christmases. Iceland’s Yule Lads are 13 troll-like figures whom visit in the days leading up to Christmas, and each has a name that describes his particular brand of mischief (Pan Scraper, Meat Hook). Over time, these once-terrifying figures become more benign and now leave small presents in children’s shoes.

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You’ll find glögg across the Nordic world throughout the winter. A fragrant pot of glögg is a mulled wine made with red wine, brandy, or aquavit, and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.

In Finland, it’s a common Christmas Eve tradition to visit the cemetery. Finn's light candles for the deceased and then stroll through the illuminated graveyard.

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The keeper of the ultimate naughty list, Grýla, is an Icelandic giantess whom comes down from her mountain at Christmas time to eat misbehaving children. Her pet, the Christmas Cat, tags along and eats anyone who didn’t get new clothes for Christmas, a tradition that probably makes Icelandic children a lot more grateful for those socks from grandma.

 

Polish traditions:

For St. Nicolas day on the 6th December everybody’s shoes are cleaned properly and lined up ready for a small gift from St. Nicolas which is placed in the clean shoes.

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Austrian tradition:

In Austrian tradition, St. Nicholas rewards nice little boys and girls, while Krampus, a beast-like demon creature that roams the city’s streets frightening kids and punishing the bad ones is said to capture the naughtiest children and whisk them away in his sack. In the first week of December, young men dress up as the Krampus (especially on the eve of St. Nicholas Day) frightening children with clattering chains and bells.

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Icelandic tradition:

In the 13 days leading up to Christmas, 13 tricksy troll-like characters come out to play in Iceland.

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The Yule Lads (jólasveinarnir or jólasveinar in Icelandic) visit the children across the country over the 13 nights leading up to Christmas. For each night of Yuletide, children place their best shoes by the window and a different Yule Lad visits leaving gifts for nice girls and boys and rotting potatoes for the naughty ones.

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Clad in traditional Icelandic costume, these fellas are pretty mischievous, and their names hint at the type of trouble they like to cause: Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod), Giljagaur (Gully Gawk), Stúfur (Stubby), Þvörusleikir (Spoon-Licker), Pottaskefill (Pot-Scraper), Askasleikir (Bowl-Licker), Hurðaskellir (Door-Slammer), Skyrgámur (Skyr-Gobbler), Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-Swiper), Gluggagægir (Window-Peeper), Gáttaþefur (Doorway-Sniffer), Ketkrókur (Meat-Hook) and Kertasníkir (Candle-Stealer). Visit Iceland this Christmas and catch them all!