XMAS IN THE ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES

BRITAIN:

We celebrate Christmas because Jesus Christ was born on 25th December. In Britain the most important day of Christmas is the 25th of Decembe, Christmas day. Most British families decorate their Christmas trees with multi-coloured lights. Children usually wake up early to find a sock or stocking full of small presents hanging from their beds. Larger presents are under the Christmas tree in the living room. The presents are opened when everyone is together. The people of Norway give a Christmas tree to the people of Britain every year. This is to thank them for their help in the Second World War. The tree stands in Trafalgar Square, in London. Most people send Christmas cards to other members of their families and to their friends.



AUSTRALIA:

Christmas in Australia is celebrated during our summer months. No snow and log fires for us, thoughout Christmas Cards and traditions usually depict those of colder climates. Australia is a multicultural country and with this, our traditions are often mingled and derived from a mixture of other countries. Yes, we have Christmas Trees, Father Christmas, Christmas Carols and gifts which are a familiar Christmasscenario. Christmas Dinner may be a barbeque in the backyard or a picnic on a beach though. Champagne instead of eggnog. Pavlova instead of Plum Pudding. Christmas also coincides with the Summer Holidays and quite often families will celebrate Christmas away from home.
The big events of the Christmas season are the Carols By Candlelight. These began in Melbourne in 1937 and are outside concerts in the warm summer evenings where people sit on blankets, light candles and join together to sing Christmas Carols. Most towns have a concert and two major ones are televised across Australia from Sydney and Melbourne. Christmas Eve wouldn't be the same without Carols by Candlelight.
I have links to our own family Christmas, Australian Christmas recipes, Australian Christmas songlyrics as well as links to other Australian sites.





CANADA:

Christmas celebrations are quite similar in the variety to America.
In some provinces, a big winter festival, called Sinck tuck, is celebrated by the Eskimos, with dancing and a present-giving party.
In Labrador, turnips are saved from the summer harvest and are given to children, with a lighted candle pushed into a hollowed out hole.
In Nova Scotia, a country settled by Scottish highlanders, songs and carols brought from Britain two centuries ago are sung each Christmas morning.
Also in Nova Scotia, during the twelve days of Christmas small groups of belsnicklers, or masked mummers, appear in neighborhoods, ringing bells, making noise, seeking candy or other treats. The hosts may try to guess who the mummers are and if they guess right the mummer removes his or her disguise and stops making rude noises and actions. Children may be quizzed by the mummers on their behavior if they say they have been good they are rewarded with candy.
In Quebec they display Crèches or nativity scenes in their homes as the Christmas decorations. After attending midnight mass, families may be served tourtiere or pork pie. Another favorite food is Boulettes or small meatballs. A Christmas banquet is called a reveillon.
In British Columbia Christmas turkey may be accompanied by either fresh or smoked salmon.
In Canada the traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit.
Masked mummers are a Christmas tradition from Newfoundland.





USA:

The Dutch knew St. Nicholas as Sintaklaas. When they immigrated to United States in the 17th century, they took the traditions of St Nicholas with them. However, it was in 1809 that Washington Irving introduced St. Nicholas in his novel with his original description. He smoked a pipe and flew around the world in his wagon (with no reindeers) and gave presents to children every year. Sintaklaas became popular with the novel. It was in 1863, Santa Claus was born in US in his modern incarnation with a white beard, red suit, a big belly, pipe in his mouth and a sleigh to which reindeers are harnessed.Traditional American Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey with vegetables and sauces, goose, duck or ham served with cranberry sauce and rich fruity Christmas pudding such as plum pudding with brandy sauce, pumpkin pie, mince pies, pastries are offered as desserts followed by chopped dried fruits and nuts. Americans visit family and friends and share gifts and greetings on Christmas. In some regions, Christmas Eve to Midnight Mass is the most important part of the festival season. Since it snows in many states on Christmas, dinner is usually set indoors. Holiday home décor in America generally include holly and mistletoe along with Christmas trees decorated with tinsel, baubles, popcorn strings, candy canes and electric lights.

NEW ZEALAND:

In New Zealand Christmas is combined with summer holidays, so as well as present-buying and parties, families are preparing for trips to the beach. Shops are decorated with Father Christmas in his red cloak and white beard, as well as snow scenes.
The New Zealand traditions of Christmas have mostly come through the English settlers who began arriving their in the late 18th Century. In the last 20 or 30 years the person of Father Christmas had changed and he is referred to as Santa Claus and has become much more like the Santa of the United States and Ireland. As well people have been forced to change as a result of the Maori culture. The spirits and creatures of the Maori culture resemble the elves and gnomes of European Christmas traditions.
They celebrate the story of the birth of Jesus Christ with a special service, which is appropriate to New Zealanders way of life as they had no motels, and they have many shepherds who take care of their flocks, in doing so they can see the true meaning of Christmas.
In New Zealand the traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit.

IRELAND:

Christmas in Ireland lasts from Christmas Eve to the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which is referred to as Little Christmas. Ireland's Christmas is more religious than a time of fun.
Lighted candles are placed in windows on Christmas Eve, as a guide that Joseph and Mary might be looking for shelter. The candles are usually red in color, and decorated with sprigs of holly.
Irish women bake a seed cake for each person in the house. They also make three puddings, one for each day of the Epiphany such as Christmas, New Year's Day and the Twelfth Night.
After the Christmas evening meal, bread and milk are left out and the door unlatched as a symbol of hospitality.
St Stephen's Day, the day after Christmas, is almost as important, with football matches and meetings going on. For children, the Wren Boys Procession is their big event. Boys go from door to door with a fake wren on a stick, singing, with violins, accordions, harmonicas and horns to accompany them. The reason for the ceremony is to ask for money 'for the starving wren', that is, for their own pockets.
Children often put out Christmas sacks instead of stockings.
It is tradition to leave mince pies and a bottle of Guinness out as a snack for Santa.

LAURA S. 6ºC