Christmas Around the World: Holiday Tales of K.F.C, Burning Goats and Sauna Elves

Christmas is a time of year that never disappoints. As the only holiday season that is universally celebrated around the world, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

At this time of year traditions and family values are respected and although these can differ from family-to-family, different countries have their own traditions and cultural rituals that they take part in to celebrate Christmas time.

Whether it’s eating KFC chicken on Christmas Eve, waiting for the Christmas goat to deliver presents or spending Christmas day on the beach with a traditional BBQ. Christmas is unique to everyone.

Although Christmas is not generally celebrated in Thailand, due to the vast population being made up of Buddhists and Muslims, in fact Christmas day is actually a normal working day. With more expats from around the world deciding to move to this part of South East Asia, here at Samujana , we wanted to celebrate the holiday season, taking a look at the unique Christmas traditions from around the world in time of for the holiday period.

Germany

Germany is steeped in the most traditional prototypical Christmas traditions. German markets are world renown in various city centres selling a variety of traditional Christmas gifts, drinks and confectionary items. These markets invoke the feeling of Christmases past, log cabins, live music, with traditional food and mulled wine to celebrate Christmas the right way.

Santa has some help in the mail room in Germany. Children address their annual Christmas letters to ‘das Christking’ or the Christ Child, who is seen as a young girl with Christ-like qualities, in the hope that St. Nick will bring the coveted items.

The Christmas meal in Germany features a fairly traditional menu, most German families eat Goose although some families eat Carp as their festive meal. The Christmas dinner is finished off with the timeless Christmas classic Stollen a very popular fruit cake eaten at this time of year.

Italy

Compared to it’s European neighbours, Italy retains a more sombre approach. Move over Rudolph, the ‘precept’ or nativity scene is the most common decoration here; but be sure not to add baby Jesus too early (tradition dictates this should be done on the night of the 24th December). Naples is world famous for it’s nativity craftsmen with “Via San Gregorio Armeno” where tourists and Italians alike can purchase exquisite nativity pieces.

It is not all serious, though. ‘Babe Natale’ or Father Christmas is still around to hand out Christmas presents on Christmas Day. Some families elect to celebrate on the traditional day of Epiphany (the manifestation of Christ) on January 6th instead of Christmas Day.

Christmas in Italy would not be complete without the traditional Panettone, a dry fruity sponge cake that is traditionally eaten at this time of year.

The Christmas meal is a slightly fishy affair. Don’t expect a turkey dinner, custom dictates that the Christmas meal is dairy free and consists of seven types of fish. Buon Natale!

Finland

Things get really heated in Finland, locals fire up the sauna to summon the “elf” that is believed to live inside, protecting it from any mischief from the visitors. The elf allows visitors to strip down and have a good long soak without any untoward advances. Fins are cautioned not to linger too long however, as the sauna transforms into the hot spot at night for the spirits of the dead ancestors.

True to their nature, the Fins take a slightly different view on Santa. Jolly old St. Nick has slowly been replaced with the “Christmas Goat”. Never fear, the old grumpy, ‘Joulupukki’, has been rehabilitated and still flies along with the reindeer for the midnight ride.

Sweden

For dynamic Holiday traditions, Sweden doesn’t disappoint. Reminiscent of the Burning Man, towns across Sweden erect a straw goat every Christmas Eve (no relation to the Fins tradition).

In 1966, candles set the holiday goat aflame sparking a yearly tradition. Today, there is a battle of the town folks versus the vandals and you can never be sure who will come out on top. The goat has successfully been burned to the ground for 25 separate Christmases.

Swedish revellers won’t want to miss the very important “Donald Duck Special” that airs every Christmas Eve precisely at 3:00 p.m. This has been a tradition every year since 1959 and over 40% of the population watch this show each year.

Don’t expect to have turkey either. The Swedish Christmas meals start on Christmas eve, with a massive feast starting with a lunchtime buffet (mostly of cold and cured fish), moving up to the Christmas Ham, accompanied by pickled herring, meatballs and a delicacy called Cabbage Pudding. All this is usually washed down with some “glogg” a traditional Swedish mulled wine.

Philippines

Christmas traditions in Asia, many of which are newer, take a particularly interesting twist on the festive holiday. In the Philippines, expect to see the classic, brightly coloured ‘parasol’ lanterns in the markets. They are displayed to symbolise the Star of Bethlehem.

Christmas festivities will run long into January here, but don’t expect to see Santa. Instead, children leave their shoes and stockings out on windowsills for the “Three Kings”.

Also, Christmas is generally celebrated on January 6th, or Three Kings day when the Filipinos lay out huge spreads of roast pig, salad, fruit, rice, and an assortment of beverages.