Christmas Celebrations: Christmas Festival Holidays Celebration

Christmas is a popular festival celebrated throughout the world. Though the main theme behind the celebrations is same everywhere, every country has slightly different customs related to Christmas celebration. However, the zeal and enthusiasm of Christmas celebrations remain the same everywhere. Be it countries of Europe or the countries of Asia, or counties in America or Africa there is a special fervor about the arrival of this festival. Markets all over the world get a special boost around this festival. Let’s explore here some of these unique and interesting ways to celebrate Christmas around the world.

Christmas Celebrations – Christmas Festival Holidays Celebration

Asia Christmas Celebrations

In comparison to the other parts of the world, Asian countries have relatively less Christian. So, the celebration of Christmas is not as widely celebrated as other parts of the world. However, the zeal and fervor of the people in Asia is no less as compared to the other parts of the world. The celebrations here are very much western in nature. The customs and traditions such as attending the midnight mass, religious services, exchanging of gifts, thanksgiving, singing carols, decorating their house and Christmas trees are very similar to those done in Europe and America.

However, gradually the festival is becoming popular in countries like Japan, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. On the eve of Christmas, the streets here are decorated with lights, gifts are exchanged, and Christmas trees and other Christmas accessories are available at each departmental store. The culture of Santa Claus has also become gradually very popular in this continent. Party and feasting are inevitable part of the Christmas celebrations here.

Africa Christmas Celebrations

Very much like Asia, the celebration of Christmas, as a festival is not so widespread due to the little Christian population in most of the African countries. However, amongst the scanty Christian population in the continent brought along with the missionaries here, Christmas customs and traditions are inevitable part of their culture. The celebrations are very much a replica of the western traditions and rituals.

The Christmas celebrations here in Africa begin with the Christmas carols and hymns in their own languages. At early morning, the carolers start moving to and fro through the village, along the roadway, by the houses of the missionaries, singing the wonderful Christmas carols. Most of the people are be awakened by the group of carolers who are heading towards the house of worship singing the carols. They return home to make ultimate preparation like the clothes one must wear and also as to one’s offering for the Christmas service. In South Africa, Christmas is a summer holiday.

Europe Christmas Celebrations

The celebration of Christmas is most beautiful and attractive in Europe. As Christmas falls at the most wonderful time of the season, the festivities of Christmas are also given a boost up by the wonderful weather of the place. As Christmas is the most original and ancient festival in Europe, there are also several folklores and folk traditions related to this festival here. The Christmas celebrations are also very authentic in nature at this place. The celebrations are almost similar in all the countries of Europe.

In England, it is a tradition to choose Boy Bishops on the occasion of Christmas in order to honor of St. Nicholas’ love for children. These little bishops then perform various duties except delivering the Mass. The day next to Christmas day is called ‘Boxing Day‘ here as the young boys used to go round collecting money in clay boxes on this day. In Britain, the gift giver is called Father Christmas. Just like Santa Claus, Father Christmas delivers the gifts during the night before Christmas. The traditional Christmas dinner in England consists of roasted turkey with vegetables and sauces and the most popular dessert is fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.