12 Days of Christmas Countdown: Day 5
Reflecting on Holidays and Traditions from Around the World
Recently, I've been thinking about past holidays and how traditions have been resurfacing in my life. During visits with my mom at her senior residence, we often admire the seasonal and event-inspired wall decorations. Currently, the display showcases Holidays from Around the World, which has piqued my curiosity. I thought it would be interesting to share this experience with you.
Poland: In most homes, an empty seat with a set of dishes and cutlery are left for a traveler or a homeless person so that they can join the hosts and celebrate the holidays on Christmas Eve.
Italy: Did you know that Italians don’t eat meat on Christmas Eve? Instead they eat a variety of fish dishes - sometimes up to seven courses of seafood. I’m finding it so interesting.
Philippines: Caroling is a popular Christmas tradition. Carolers are normally groups of kids who travel from house to house at night. They sing their favorite Christmas carols and use their musical instruments such as tambourines and maracas made with tins or soft drink caps.
Hungary: Hungarian children receive gifts twice during the holiday season. Children place newly polished boots on their windowsills to be filled with small presents by Mikulas and his helper. If you’ve been good, you will wake to find a boot filled with mandarins, if you’ve been naughty, Mikulas’ sidekick Krampusz (a mischievous devil) will have left a bundle of birch sticks instead.
France: St. Nicholas Day is celebrated in France on December 6. On St. Nicholas Eve, children clean and shine their shoes then put them outside with carrots, apples, or oats for St. Nicholas’ donkey. If the children have been good, he fills their shoes with fruit, candy, and chocolate.
Mexico: In Mexico children often perform “Posada Processions”. In English, the word Posadas means inn or lodging. These symbolize part of the Christmas Story where Mary and Joseph are looking for a place to stay. Christmas Eve is known as “Noche Buena”. At midnight, many people go to a midnight mass service known as “La Misa Del Gallo” which means mass of the rooster.
I hope you enjoyed learning about holidays around the world. Tomorrow I’ll share many-well loved and familiar traditions whose stories go back decades, even centuries.
