Christmas is a Cristian festival which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ primarly on the 25th December. With time, however, it spread all over the world and became the holiday that offers a chance to be together with loved ones, with joy and serenity.

In this article we are going to discover some of the unique Christmas traditions of Japan, Kenya, France, Brazil, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Spain.

Japan

めりーくりすます(in Hiragana) or メリークリスマス (in Katakana) = Meri Kurisumasu!

Christmas in Japanese culture is not a religious holiday (as it is in countries with a predominantly Christian population) nor a national holiday. Indeed, most Christmas traditions celebrated in Japan are adopted from the US such as Christmas cards and gift-giving.

On Christmas Day, families typically celebrate by eating KFC or Christmas cake, which is usually a sponge cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream. Especially, KFC became a popular Christmas dish in 1974 thanks to an advertising campaign called “Kentucky for Christmas!'

In Japan, what is much more celebrated than Christmas Day is Christmas Eve! Most see Christmas Eve as a romantic holiday that you celebrate with your partner instead of a family holiday. Couples would walk around looking at the Christmas lights and eating at a fancy restaurant… lucky them! It is difficult to find a place since everybody is trying to eat out during Christmas Eve (which is completely opposite from Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom where everything is closed during that time.) Other activities include visiting Tokyo Disney.

New Years is called 'o shogatsu' and is more like a typical Christmas day: families get together (since schools are closed for the New Year break), they share a meal, and Japanese children receive envelopes with money from their family members.

Kenya

Heri ya Krismasi!

Christmas time in Kenya is a time to spend with the family: families gather from villages, and big cities, all over to come and celebrate the holiday together. All together, people help decorate homes, churches, and everywhere with colorful balloons, ribbons, paper decorations, flowers, and green leaves.

Many people will celebrate Christmas by attending Midnight Church Service on the day before Christmas which includes different types of performances and a showing of the Christmas story. The fun and partying do not stop! People will continue singing carol singing while going home. Some still even attend Church Christmas morning even after partying all night!

Some popular dishes served during Christmas are barbecue (nyama choma) with different types of meat including goat, sheep, beef, or chicken. The Barbeque is paired with rice or chapati flat bread and washed down with a glass of beer. However, dishes can change according to the tribe. You might also have a Western Christmas Cake during Christmas day but it's uncommon in rural areas.

In Kenya don’t expect Santa Klaus coming by his reindeer under your Christmass tree! He will reach the Cypress tree on Land-over, camel or even a bike! If you want to welcome him, you should say: Heri ya Krismasi! Wewe pia! (Merry Christmas! You too!)

France

Joyeux Noël!

Celebrating Christmas in France is a unique experience: from tasting Yule Log to receiving postcards from Santa Claus, there are some very distinctive Christmas traditions.

The first one is representing the scene of the nativity: either on pictures or with figurines, mostly all the households expose a decoration piece showing the Crèche, the Virgin Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, with a village landscape and many more characters.

It follows visiting Christmas markets; these stalls have many goods ranging from artisanal foods, clothes, to souvenirs and Christmas decorations.

One more important tradition is to have a Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve: le réveillon de Noël. This dinner consists of many local favorites such as oysters, foie gras, escargots, followed by roast turkey. The dessert is bûche de Noël or Yule Log, a chocolate swiss roll cake. After this, people attend the Midnight Mass.

In France the holiday season ends on Epiphany, which is on 6th of January. It is also known as Three Kings Day (the Visit of the Magi) and it refers to the moment in which the world realizes that Christ is the Son of God.

On this day, French people eat la galette des rois known as king cake which is a cake made of puff pastry and almond cream. In the French region of Provence it is very traditional eating the thirteen desserts too! Some desserts include candied fruits and nuts and sweet and chewy nougat. Are you wondering why the number 13? It alludes to Jesus and its twelve apostles.

Children in France leave their shoes in front of the fire, with the hopes that Père Noël (Santa Claus) will fill them with gifts overnight. Some of them even receive postcards from him! This tradition started in 1962, when a French postal worker started opening children’s letters addressed to Santa Claus and replied to them.

Brazil

Feliz Natal!

In Brazil, Christmas is a family event: it’s a time to spend with parents, siblings and relatives singing and feeling the magic of Christmas. People have lunch with Christmas Turkey, Chester, vegetables, rice, ham and potato salads and for dessert they eat pudding which is different in different regions. Some have “stollen”, influenced by the German Christmas tradition, whereas others have “panettone”, similar to the Italian style.

But the party has just started! Brazilians wear their best attire and have dinner with their friends and family at 10pm and then attend the Midnight Mass. The Midnight Mass is known as Missa de Gallo and it is announced by a rooster (Gallo). After that, people wish each other Merry Christmas and exchange gifts.

Obviously, Christmas means exchanging gifts too!

You can either wait for Papai Noel to come in his silk robes (in order to keep himself cool in the hot season) and to leave a gift in your sock or by the traditional “Amigo Secreto” or “Amigo Oculto”. Similarly to Secret Santa, the rules are simple: each component of the group randomly picks a person and everyone secretly buys a gift. You win if you recognize who made you the present.

One more gift is made especially for employees: the thirteen salary; it is quite normal for employees in most urban, rural and domestic areas to receive twice the amount of pay during December. This tradition was introduced by the former President, João Goulart, in the early 60s to boost the economy during Christmas time. The payment is given in two installments (otherwise would be illegal): one before 30th November and the other before 20th December.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Christmas in Saint Kitts and Nevis, an island in the beautiful Caribbean, is a delightful time filled with joy and celebration! The island has its own version of ‘white Christmas’, white referring to their beautiful white, sandy beaches.

One of the cherished traditions during Christmas is attending Midnight Mass at the local churches. Families gather together to celebrate the birth of Jesus and participate in the beautiful candlelit service.

Another popular tradition is Christmas music and carol singing. People go from house to house, singing traditional Christmas carols and spreading holiday cheer. It's a lovely way to bring the community together and share the joyful spirit of the season.

In terms of decorations, many homes are adorned with colorful lights, wreaths, and festive ornaments. Some people even create nativity scenes or "manger" displays to depict the story of the birth of Jesus.

Of course, food plays a significant role in Christmas celebrations as well. Families prepare special meals with traditional dishes like ham, roast chicken, black cake (a rich fruit cake soaked in rum), and sorrel punch (a refreshing holiday beverage made from the sorrel flower).

And let's not forget about exchanging gifts! Just like in many other places, families and friends in Saint Kitts exchange presents as a way to show love and appreciation for one another.

Overall, Christmas in Saint Kitts is a time of togetherness, gratitude, and spreading holiday cheer throughout the islanders. It's a beautiful blend of religious traditions, joyful festivities, and delicious food.

Spain

¡Feliz Navidad!

In Spain, New Year's Eve is a time of celebration and joy, and the tradition of eating twelve grapes at midnight adds an extra touch of excitement. This is referred to as Las Doce Uvas de la Suerte. As the clock strikes midnight, people across the country gather with friends and family to prepare for the ritual. With twelve grapes in hand, one for each stroke of the clock, they eagerly await the countdown to begin.

As the clock starts chiming, everyone takes a grape and eats it with each ring. It may sound simple, but the challenge lies in eating all twelve grapes before the final stroke of midnight. People try to chew and swallow quickly, sometimes even using strategies like pre-peeling or seed removal to make it easier. It can be a fast-paced and fun-filled moment as everyone strives to consume the grapes within the time limit.

This tradition originated in the early 20th century in Spain and has since become deeply rooted in the culture. The practice is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year, with each grape symbolizing a month of positive fortune. The goal is to successfully consume all twelve grapes, hoping that it will guarantee twelve months of joy, happiness, and abundance.

The tradition has become so popular and widespread that even in other Spanish-speaking countries, like Mexico and Puerto Rico, people also partake in the grape-eating ritual. It has become a symbol of unity and shared customs across the Spanish-speaking world, connecting people through a shared belief in luck and prosperity.

So, if you ever find yourself in Spain or a Spanish-speaking community during New Year's Eve, don't forget to join in the fun and try your hand at eating the Twelve Grapes of Luck!

Authors: Taylor Withing, Nevyn Parisa Haque and Tiffany Jones.

Sources:

https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/languages

https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/japan

https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/kenya

https://naatikmexico.org/blog/las-uvas-de-la-suerte-lucky-grapes

https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/christmas-traditions-st-kitts-and-nevis

https://lolomercadito.com/blogs/news/twelve-grapes-on-the-new-year