Christmas in Europe

Christmas in France
Christmas is the biggest annual festival in France. The festival is characterized by family reunions, gifts and celebrations Midnight Mass and le Réveillon. Advent is marked by preparations for celebrations by the people. They perform special tasks including baking Christmas pierniki or honey cake. They also prepare for beautiful Christmas decorations, as they are major highlights of Christmas celebrations.

In all the public arenas including homes, streets, shops, offices or Churches, people in France place beautifully lit Christmas trees. Sapin de Noël (Christmas tree) are usually decorated with chocolate, gift walnuts, shiny apples and candles. The sapin de Noël appeared in Alsace in the 14th century at a time, decorated with apples, paper flowers, and ribbons, and was introduced in France in 1837 by a German Princess calledHélène de Mecklembourg.

An important facet of French Christmas celebrations is the crèche occupied with santons, which is displayed in churches and different places. Living crèches in the form of plays and puppet shows based on the Nativity are enacted to teach the important ideas of Christianity and the Christmas celebration.
One of the major components of Christmas celebration in France is the beautiful Christmas gift. Celebrationsof Christmas is incomplete without exchanging beautiful gifts. People exchange gifts with each other to express their love and affection to loved ones. Tradition in France has it that children put their shoes in front of fireplace, so that Pere Noel (aka Papa Noël) will fill them up with small toys, nuts, fruit, etc.

People in France also hang Mistletoe above the door during the Christmas season to bring good fortune.

Christmas in Italy
The Christmas festival in Italy lasts for three weeks, starting 8 days before Christmas known as the Novena. During this period, children go from house to house reciting and singing Christmas poems.

People in Italy are renowned for their culinary traditions, and so Christmas Eve and Christmas are the times to cherish the special meals. A tradition Italian Christmas bread called panettone is served after a strict feast is observed for 24 hours before Christmas Eve.

Legend has it that panettone traces its origin in the sixteenth century, when a baker named Antonio baked a golden, buttery egg bread to win the heart of a princess with who he fell in love. Over the years the name of the bread evolved into panettone.

At noon on Christmas Day huge crowd gathers in the Vatican square to seek blessings from the Pope. In the twilight, candles are lighted around Presepio.

The wait of children for the gifts extends upto the day of Epiphany on January 6. Tradition has it that a kind ugly witch called La Befana visits the houses on her broomstick to deliver presents to children. It is said that she was busy sweeping her house when three wise kings appeared at her door to ask the way of the place where Christ was born. She was arrogant enough to reply that she doesn't have time to tell them. Later she regretted not going and searched for them but she could not find them. As the lady felt sad she still travels to search for the Christ Child leaving gift at every doorstep.

Christmas in Germany
In Germany the preparations for Christmas often begin on the eve of December 6th. Special evenings are set aside by people for baking spiced cakes and cookies, and making gifts and decorations. Little dolls of fruit are traditional Christmas toys in Germany.

According to tradition children in Germany leave letters on their windowsills for a winged figure called Christkind, dressed in white robes and a golden crown, who visits each house with a basket of presents.

With eatables, Germans make amazing gingerbread houses and cookies. There are several Christmas trees glowing and glittering throughout the length and breadth of Germany. Christbaumgeback, the German Christmas tree pastry, is a white dough that can be molded into different shapes and baked for tree decorations.

People in Germany hang up advent wreaths of Holly with four red candles in the center. They light one candle each Sunday and last on Christmas Eve. Children count the days until Christmas using an Advent calendar. They open one window each day till the day of Christmas and find a Christmas picture inside.
In Germany boys dress up as kings and carry a star round the village, singing carols. December 6 is celebrated as St. Claus day, also known as Nikolaustag. The advent wreath Adventskranz is a flat table where one can light candles.

In Germany there is a Christmas Eve figure called Weihnachtsmann or Christmas Man, he looks like Santa Claus and also delivers gifts. Added to this, another traditional visitor is the Christkindl who is the Christ Child's messenger. She is a beautiful fair-haired girl with a shining crown of candles and visits each house with a basket of gifts.

Christmas in USA

Christmas in UK

Christmas in Europe