By: Natalie Osorio Loaiza
When we think of Christmas in the United States candy canes, Santa Claus, and eggnog may come to mind. However, there are several countries in the world that celebrate this beautiful holiday in their unique traditional ways. In Colombia the holiday season begins December first, which consists of partying to celebrate the upcoming month. On December 8th which is the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, Colombians partake in the celebration of the Dia de las velitas (Day of the candles). Families and communities gather to light a multitude of candles in streets, malls, churches, and cities. This celebration marks the beginning of the Christmas celebrations in the country. Families may also choose to partake in noche buena, which is a night full of baking delicious treats such as bunuelos, arroz con leche, hojuelas, flan, and more! For Christmas Eve, the main meal eaten is called “Cena de Navidad.” These dishes include ham, turkey, or a chicken soup called “Ajiaco Bogotano”. La Cena may also include foods from noche buena! Finally, Christmas Day is characterized by spending time with family and friends to celebrate the long-awaited holiday. Joyeux Noel! In France, a Nativity crib is used to help decorate the house. These cribs include clay figures inside them. In France, one of the biggest Christmas markets is held in Strasbourg, located in North Eastern France. Yule Logs made out of Cherry Wood are often burned in French homes. An old tradition is that the log was carried into the home on Christmas Eve and sprinkled with red wine to make it smell lovely while it was burning. There is a custom that the log and candles are left burning throughout the night with some food and drinks left out in case Mary and Baby Jesus come during the night. In France, Santa Claus is called Père Noël (Father Christmas). The main Christmas meal called Réveillon, is eaten on Christmas Eve/Christmas morning after people have returned from midnight mass. Dishes may include roast turkey with chestnuts, oysters, lobster, cheese, and more! For dessert, la bûche de Noël is normally served, which is a chocolate sponge cake log. In the Philippines, the citizens love to celebrate Christmas for as long as possible!! The playing of Christmas carols in shops starts in September!! The formal Christmas celebrations begin on December 16th when many people go to the first of nine pre-dawn early morning masses, concluding with the last mass on Christmas Day. The Christmas celebrations continue to the First Sunday in January when the Feast of the Three Kings is celebrated. Most Filipinos are Christians, with about 80% of the population being Catholics. It is the only Asian country with this many Christians, making Christmas the most important holiday. Some Christmas traditions include the “patrol” which is a bamboo pole or frame with a lighted star lantern on it. It is traditionally made from bamboo strips and colored Japanese paper and represents the star that guided the Wise men. It is the most popular Christmas decoration in the Philippines. During Christmas Eve, Christians go to church to hear the last Christmas Eve mass, followed by a midnight feast called Noche Buena.
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