Christmas around the world/other religions

[SoupDragon]

I'm putting together the Winter issue of my local NCT Newsletter and want to include something about Christmas around the world - different traditions, whether you have presents on 24th. 25th, 26th etc.

Also, I realise that not every religion celebrates Christmas - what happens in in your religion at this time of year??

In Greece Christmas is a purely religeous festival.Its only in the last 15 or so years that decorated Christmas trees are found in every house.Turkey, another "imported " custom is eaten on Christmas day but with a delicious greek stuffing.

Agios Vasillis (Santa) visits on New Years eve bringing presents for the children.

I have friends in Holland,Germany, Uk and Greece and have always used the fact that "santa" in his different guises gives out the presents on different days, to explain to my kids how he manages to visit all the kids in the world!

DP is half french, but I've not yet spent any Christmases in France, but based on my memories of his memories of childhood (very reliable then) I think they have presents on the evening of the 24th, in line with the rest of Europe. We celebrate here with his mum on the 24th then also have a big gathering for Epiphany, with a special cake (no idea what the french name is unfortunately). Its a bit like puff pastry with marzipan in the middle, there is a little figure hidden inside the cake. The youngest person sits under the table and shouts out the name of the person each slice is for, then whoever has the slice with the man in gets to wear the Epiphany crown...

Yes you're right beetroot - that is the traditional house decoration at Christmas - I'd forgotten all about it! A wooden model of a boat with masts with a string of lights drapped from bow to stern over the top of the mast(s). They look lovely and its a shame more people (me included) don't do it, as that is their tradition.

We also have 2 special types of sweet cakes that are made at Christmas.Kourabiades and Melomacarima.Yummy!

waterbaby, Epiphany in France is the fête des rois and the special cake is the galette des rois. It's amazing what you can remember from O-level French!

Thanks sprout... will try and drop that into the conversation with MIL before I forget it again

KS!!!!!! We've done it, the auction has been won and now I'm going to bed. It went for £4.10, so pretty close run thing, there were 7 bids. Yeehar, and good night!

Holland ... Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) arrives in Holland sometime at the end of November on a boat from Spain ... he is a bishop (the patron saint of unmarried girls apparently) and is accompanied by Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) who checks to see if children have been naughty. If they have Zwarte Piet supposedly beats them ... if they have been good then ZP helps Sinterklaas deliver presents on the night of the 5th December. Sinterklaas goes around Holland on a white horse seeing all the children until 5th Dec.
On the night of 5th Dec children put out a shoe and leave a carrot for the white horse. If they have been good they get presents.
Song:
"Sinterklaas kapoentje
Gooi wat in mijn schoentje
Gooi wat in mijn laarsje
Dank je Sinterklaasje"
A prize to any Mumsnetter who can translate ...

Christmas itself is celebrated but not with presents ... it is treated more seriously as a religious festival ...

As you can see I have very fond memories of Sinterklaas when I was a little girl ... lovely lovely tradition ...

You're welcome! I sent you an email yesterday through mumsnet, but maybe if you try to contact me it would work better? Anyway, there's no rush, it's all done and dusted. Good for eBay, eh