Christmas around the world
Millions of children around the world are familiar with plump
and jolly Santa Claus, much loved of North America, with his
red suit, black boots and twinkling eyes. He arrives Christmas
Eve bearing gifts from the North Pole in a sleigh pulled by
reindeer. Other countries have their own native gift bearers
of the holiday season as well.
Larger picture: Christmas
around the world
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Christmas Customs
Christmas around the world: In Italy, children receive gifts
from the good witch La Befana, old, bent and dressed in black.
La Befana was a widowed, childless woman when the Three Kings
passed on their way to see the Christ child. When they asked
her the way to Bethlehem she was busy cleaning and sent them
away. Realizing her mistake, she left to search for the Baby
Jesus. To this day she is still searching going from house
to house on Epiphany, January 6, leaving a gift for good children.
Russian children await gifts from Babouska, a farmer's wife
who offered food and shelter to the Three Wise men on their
journey to Bethlehem, Baboushka declined their offer of travelling
with them to visit the Christ child. Realizing her error on
the eve of Epiphany, she tried unsuccessfully to find them,
but handed the presents she had intended for the infant Jesus
to children she passed along the way.
In Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South America, the Three
Kings or Wise Men bring Christmas gifts to children, while
in France children eagerly await the coming of Father Christmas
or Pere Noel who brings their gifts.
In some cultures, Saint Nicholas travels with an assistant.
The old bishop Sinterklass arrives in Holland on December
6 in his red bishop's costume astride a white horse. In many
port towns, he is said to have sailed in on a ship from Spain.
Beside him walks Black Peter with a black sack and a book
recording each Dutch child's behavior through the year. Good
children receive a gift from the bishop while bad children
may be carried away in Black Peter's sack.
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In Germany Saint Nicholas also travels with a helper, known
as Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Pelzebock, and comes with
a sack on his back and a rod or switches in his hand. Saint
Nicholas gives gifts to good children, while those who have
been bad are punished by the assistant with a few hits of
a switch.
Swedish children wait for the gnome Jultomten, also called
Julemanden or Julenisse, who dresses in red and carries
a sack of gifts on his back. He flies in his sleigh pulled
by the Julbocker, the goats of Thor, the god of thunder.
Elves, called the Juul Nisse, hide in the attics of families
throughout the year, eagerly waiting to help him. Children
leave bowls of milk or rice pudding in the attic for the
elves, hoping they will be empty in the morning.
In Austria and Switzerland it is Christkindl or the Christ
Child who arrives bearing gifts. In some towns children
await the Holy Child and in others Christkindl is a beautiful
girl-angel who comes down from heaven bearing gifts.
And in England a thinner version of Santa Claus known as
Father Christmas, wearing long red robes with sprigs of
holly in his hair, delivers gifts to children.
Merry Christmas around the world
Afrikaner (Afrikaans) ~ "Een Plesierige Kerfees"
Argentine ~ "Felices Pascuas"
Bohemian ~ "Vesele Vanoce"
Brazilian ~ "Boas Festas"
Chinese (Cantonese) ~ "Saint Dan Fai Lok"
Danish ~ "Glædelig Jul"
Dutch ~ "Vrolijk Kerstfeest" - Gezellige
kerst
English ~ "Merry Christmas"
Filipino ~ "Maligayang Pasko"
Finnish ~ "Hyvaa Joulua"
French ~ "Joyeux Noël"
German ~ "Froehliche Weihnachten"
Greek ~ "Kala Christouyenna"
Hawaiian ~ "Mele Kalikimaka"
Hebrew ~ "Mo'adim Lesimkha"
Icelandic ~ "Gledileg Jol"
Indonesian ~ "Selamat Hari Natal"
Irish ~ "Nollaig Shona Dhuit"
Italian ~ "Buone Feste Natalizie" - Natale
italiano
Japanese ~ "Kurisumasu Omedeto"
Korean ~ "Sung Tan Chuk Ha"
Lithuanian ~ "Linksmu Kaledu"
Malay ~ "Selamat Hari Natal"
Maori ~ "Meri Kirihimete"
Norwegian ~ "God Jul" - Norsk
Jul
Romanian ~ "Craciun Fericit"
Peruvian ~ "Felices Fiestas"
Portugese ~ "Boas Festas"
Slovakian ~ "Vesele Vianoce"
Spanish ~ "Feliz Navidad"
Swedish ~ "God Jul" - Jul
i Sverige
Welsh ~ "Nadolig Llawen" |
Christmas around the world
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Xmas fun for children:
Fun for chrildren All the Year Round:
Xmas games and downloads for adults:
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