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| Christmas Around The World | |
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| Topic Started: Saturday, 24. November 2007, 10:32 (1,968 Views) | |
| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 10:32 Post #1 |
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Christmas in Bethlehem In Bethlehem the town where Jesus is said to have been born is the site of the Church of the Nativity, which is ablaze with flags and decorations on every Christmas. On Christmas Eve natives and visitors alike crowd the church's doorways and stand on the roof to watch for the dramatic annual procession. Galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses lead the parade. They are followed by solitary horseman carrying a cross and sitting astride a coal-black steed, then comes the churchmen and government officials. The procession solemnly enters the doors and places an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the Church. Deep winding stairs lead to a grotto where visitors find a silver star marking the site of the birth of Jesus. Christian homes in Bethlehem are marked by a cross painted over the door and each home displays a homemade manger scene. A star is set up on a pole in the village square. |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 10:34 Post #2 |
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Christmas in Brazil Brazilians are a mix of different ethnic people, and as a former Portuguese colony, they have many Christmas customs which originate from this heritage. One tradition is to create a nativity scene or Presépio. The word originates from the Hebrew word "presepium" which means the bed of straw upon which Jesus first slept in Bethlehem. The Presépio is common in northeastern Brazil. Nowadays presépios are set up in December and displayed in churches, homes, and stores. Papai Noel or Father Noel is the gift-bringer in Brazil. According to legend, he lives in Greenland. When he arrives in Brazil, he usually wears silk clothing due to the summer heat. A huge Christmas dinner includes turkey, ham, colored rice, and wonderful vegetables and fruit dishes. Devout Catholics often attend Midnight Mass or Missa do Galo. The mass has this name because the rooster announces the coming day and the Missa do Galo finishes at 1 AM on Christmas morning! On December 25th, Catholics go to church, but the masses are mostly late afternoon, because people enjoy sleeping late after the dinner called Ceia de Natal or going to the beach. Decorations include fresh flowers picked from the garden. Fireworks go off in the skies over the cites and huge Christmas "trees" of electric lights can be seen against the night skies in major cities such as Brasilia, San Paolo, and Rio de Janeiro. In Brazil there is folk dancing and singing and the festivities go on until January 6th, which the Brazilians refer to as Three Kings Day. January 6th is supposed to be the day when three wise men visited Jesus to bring him gifts. |
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| Derekap | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 13:23 Post #3 |
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Has anyone noticed that the child Jesus in many cribs is about four or five years old? I expect Him to get up and run away. When I was living and working in Cairo the two Latin Rite churches I frequented had complicated working models of alpine scenery with a feint background of Christmas music. Amidst the cable cars etc hidden somewhere not easy to find was The Holy Family. The Catholics, European Protestants and Greek Orthodox celebrated 25 December. The Coptic Orthodox celebrated 7 January and the Armenians (jointly with Epiphany) 6 January. We had a very skeleton staff in the office, which was closed to the public on 25 December because mail was delivered on that day (unless it was Friday). On 6 January a handful of staff were absent (by arrangement) and on 7 January there were only one or two out of a dozen staff in the Accounts Department. For any newcomers I would mention I had the thrill of Holy Mass in a barn in then part of liberated Holland shortly before Christmas in 1944. One corner was obviously prepared with straw for animals. Naturally I couldn't help thinking of The Holy Family. It was not a military Mass. A local priest had come to a very small hamlet without a church and no doubt rural people had come from around the area. The barn we slept in belonged to a house with two families (one evacuated from nearer the front) and there were about 20 children and young people and three or four adults. Their staple diet was potatoes and every evening they recited The Rosary. They came into the barn every evening for straw to sleep on the stone floor in the house. We had moved on by Christmas itself and Holy Mass, if I remember rightly, was on Christmas Day morning and certainly in the village church. Presumably they were unable to black-out the church for an evening or Midnight Mass. |
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| Rose of York | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 15:07 Post #4 |
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Em, please can we have more of your postings about Christmas around the world? I look forward to something about Christmas in Malta. |
  Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards | |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 15:15 Post #5 |
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If I see that they are being read I have no problem, but if they are passed by, then I have other things to do. :) |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 15:17 Post #6 |
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Christmas in Malta A Maltese Christmas traditionally is centered on the crib or presepju. The child's version of the church crib is called grolta. Everywhere had at least one crib, varying in size and detail. The crib figures are called pasturi and represent Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the shepherds, angels, villagers and animals such as cows, donkeys and sheep. The Cribs are surrounded by lights and plants. Midnight mass on Christmas Eve is the climax of all religious activities. The whole family attends and everyone wears new clothes. The mass begins with choirs singing carols in Maltese. The highlight of the mass is the reading of a story of the nativity by a ten-year-old boy. After Mass it is customary to greet Il-Milied It-Taijeb which is Happy Christmas, to all who attend. |
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| Eve | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 15:32 Post #7 |
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Em is the main Christmas Mass in Malta usually at midnight? Do they have Christmas Vigil Masses in the evenings at about 8 o'clock like we do? |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 15:59 Post #8 |
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Eve, I can only say what it used to be when I was little. Masses used to finish at noon. Then it used to be a rush to finish off visiting and giving presents. Then a rest, supper had to be taken earlier about 5pm so they will be ready for church at 11.30pm. The High Mass started 10 minuteas to midnight, at 12pm the pp declares Jesus is with us, that follows by an Altar Helper delivering the midnight story of Betlehem. I am proud to say that both I and my eldest brother have taken part years apart. Then, after church, we all went home for a light supper and off to bed. Mother and her elcder sister woke up againm at 5am to start preparing the big lunch. at noon we all sat down around the table, with one space to, be left empty but with a plate turned down. That was for the dead whocould not be with us. But that was a personal family decision. then all open their presents and drop off to sleep wherever you can find a space. Then, at about 7pm we all had something to eat, most of the time we had nmo room and ended up with soup and cake, thjat is followed by the Holy Rosary and read appropriate pieces from the Bible, exchange opinions and then off to bed for the Older ones, the children would have been in bed by 9pm as a treat. E&OE. |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 16:59 Post #9 |
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Christmas in Alaska Most Alaskan Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th, just as people do in the continent of the US. Santa Claus may arrive for a pre-Christmas visit, but, food, gift giving, and decorations are like what you might see in Texas or Wisconsin. The songs sang at each home include Aleut words Gristuusaaq suu'uq, or Christ is born. Everyone joins in the closing words, Mnogaya leta, or god grant you many years. At the end of the carols the host provides carolers with maple-frosted doughnuts, cookies, candy, piruk, or fish pie, and sometimes smoked salmon. In Alaska children wander from house to house carrying a colored star on a long pole, and singing carols. |
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Divine Mercy http://www.tinyurl.com/29p3vk | |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 17:56 Post #10 |
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Christmas in Argentina People go to the church with family, then come back to a family gathering. At midnight after eating they toast, then the adults' dance while younger people go out to see the fireworks. After this they go to sleep, but before opening the presents under the Christmas tree. That day is very special for because they are Christian and celebrate Jesus' birth on the 24th of December. The dinner food is pork, turkey, and a great variety of meals. Then the table is covered with sweet things, cider, beer, and juice for consuming while waiting for the time of the toast. After the toast all the family chat, others play. Houses are decorated with red and white garlands; on the door Father Christmas's Boots are placed. The Christmas tree is decorated with colored lights, ornaments and Father Christmas placed on top of it. Mothers make different kinds of meals such as roasted turkey, roasted pork, stuffed tomatoes, mince pies, Christmas's bread and puddings. The toast: drink prepared with different kinds of fruit which is cut into pieces, then it is mixed with juice and cider. |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 18:38 Post #11 |
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Christmas in Australia Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day well into the mid 30 degrees Celsius, or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. A flaming Christmas plum pudding is added for dessert. In the Australian gold rushes, Christmas puddings often contained a gold nugget. Today a small favor is baked inside. Whoever finds this knows s/he will enjoy good luck. Another treat is Mince Pies. Some Australians and particularly tourists often have their Christmas dinner at midday on a local beach, Bondi Beach in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs attracts thousands of people on Christmas Day. Other families enjoy their day by having a picnic. If they are at home, the day is punctuated by swimming in a pool, playing Cricket out the backyard, and other outdoor activities. The warm weather allows Australians to enjoy a tradition which commenced in 1937. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve, where tens of thousands of people gather in the city of Melbourne to sing their favorite Christmas songs. The evening is lit by as many candles singing under a clean cut night sky. The sky with its Southern Cross stars is like a mirror. Sydney and the other capital cities also enjoy Carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Australians surround themselves with Christmas Bush, a native plant which has little red flowered leaves. Christmas shopping is often done in shorts and t-shirts. At many beaches Santa Claus arrives on a surfboard, or even on a surf lifesaving boat. Australia's worst Christmas was in 1974, when Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin in the Northern Territory. More than 60 people were killed. |
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Divine Mercy http://www.tinyurl.com/29p3vk | |
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| Derekap | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 20:45 Post #12 |
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Very interesting Em. I hope you can continue. |
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| Em. | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 20:54 Post #13 |
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Christmas in Austria The feast of St Nicholas marks the beginning of Christmas in Austria. The saint accompanied by the devil asks children for a list of their good and bad deeds. Good children are given sweets, toys and nuts. Gifts that are placed under the tree are opened after dinner on Christmas Eve. Brass instruments play chorale music room church steeples, and carol singers, carrying blazing torches and a manger from house to house, gather on the church steps. Silent Night was first sung in 1818, in the village church of Oberndorf. There is a story told of how Christmas was almost spoiled for the villagers that year. On Christmas Eve, the priest went into the church and found that the organ was not working. The leather bellows that are used to pump the air through the pipes were full of holes. Christmas without music would not do so the priest showed the organist Franz Bauer a new Christmas hymn he had written. Franz quickly composed a tune for it that could be played on a guitar. So Oberndorf had music after all. In Austria baked carp is served for the traditional Christmas dinner. December 6 in Austria is when Heiliger Nikolaus or St. Nicholas, rewards good children with sweets, nuts and apples. On December 24, the Christ Child brings presents and the Christmas tree for the children. The children wait until they hear a bell tinkling. Then they enter a special room where the Christmas tree is waiting all decorated with candles, ornaments and candies. The whole family sings Christmas carols and wishes each other: |
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| Derekap | Saturday, 24. November 2007, 21:06 Post #14 |
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My (one and only) Christmas in Germany. The family I was staying with had already exchanged their presents on Christmas Eve. I went to Midnight Mass in the huge church of Sankt Heribert accross the river from the Dom (Colognes's Cathedral). The priest had on the previous Sunday assured us it would be heated. It was packed but bitterly cold. I was wearing a suit, a thick pullover, my old army greatcoat dyed blue, a thick scarf and my gloves. There seemed to be force 5 bitterly cold draught coming from the door. I was too cold to try to understand the sermon. The Altar is in the middle of the cruciform shape and so people were sitting and standing in the nave, the transepts and the former sanctuary. The distribution of Holy Communion began at the usual time and was distributed on all four sides of the new sanctuary. The choir sang a straightforward version without repetitions except for the "Dona nobis Pacem" which seemed endless. I thought "Dona nobis Calor" and lots of it. By the time I reached the Altar, and some warmth, the celebrant, as was customary in those days, was reaching Holy Communion time in his second (Low) Mass. I went back to the flat looking forward to hot coffee or tea and some wine. They had managed to get away before me and were fast asleep in bed. We had a good lunch on Christmas Day but I can't remember it being special. I walked into central Cologne in the afternoon and it was alive with people, traffic trams and buses, not deserted. The Konditerei (cafes) were doing a roaring trade with Coffee and huge slabs of Kuchen mit Schlage (rich cakes with huge dollops of cream) |
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| Clare | Sunday, 25. November 2007, 00:19 Post #15 |
Wacko Schismatic Traditionalist Woman
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Yes, He never looks like a floppy baby, unable to hold His head up! |
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S.A.G. My attempt at a blog. | |
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11:29 AM Nov 25