Image courtesy of Mccullagh.org

To most people around the world, Christmas is a celebration of peace and joy that is shared with family and loved ones. It is a time where indulging in guilty pleasure (read chocolate delights and holiday delicacies) is a must, and presents are made to fill stockings and adorn the floors of glittering Christmas trees. The timeless worldwide traditions of stealing kisses beneath the mistletoe and singing carols warm the coldest of hearts, however what makes Christmas a truly magical holiday are the individual traditions that vary from country to country. We’ve gathered a few of our favourites to take you on a whirlwind Christmas tour across the world.

One country that celebrates Christmas with several unique customs is Poland. Before sitting down to dinner on Christmas Eve, friends and family exchange wishes for the upcoming year by breaking the ‘oplatek’, a thin wafer imprinted with a nativity scene. The wafers used are usually white in colour but may sometimes vary in their decorative use, adorning the dinner table or the Christmas tree. According to Polish tradition, the family does not sit down to eat the festive meal–made up of 12 meatless dishes symbolizing the 12 Apostles–until the first star appears in the sky. It is common for Polish homes to leave an extra empty seat at the dinner table for any unexpected visitor, symbolizing Baby Jesus or a wanderer who may be in need. After dinner, the family then attends a ‘pasterka’, which is a midnight mass also known as Shepherds’ Mass, to greet the arrival of Baby Jesus. During this time, carols and hymns are sung as people walk to church.

France is another country in which unique traditional customs are passed on from generation to generation. For instance, in many areas of the country, children leave their shoes, or wooden ones that are made specifically for the occasion, beneath a fireplace to be filled with goodies and presents by Père Noël. Often, candy, nuts, and toys will be left in the shoes, a custom which resembles the tradition of stuffing stockings in England and America. Here, the tradition of writing a letter to Santa is taken very seriously (and rightly so), with a law having been passed in 1962 decreeing that all letters written would be acknowledged with a postcard. Christmas Day is seen in France as more of a celebratory time for children who open all of their presents, while the parents wait to open their gifts until New Years Eve. A bizarre yet somewhat amusing French custom is the act of spanking bad children–unlike in other countries where children receive a lump of coal, if they have been naughty, children in France will receive a spanking from Père Fouettard.

England has several traditions similar to those now seen in America, although many never quite caught on in the States. On Christmas Day, after a large mid-afternoon meal, the typical English family will turn on their radio or television set to listen to the Queen’s Christmas Message. Carols are also sung, with people often going from house to house singing Christmas tunes for which they are often rewarded with treats. The day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day, is also a significantly important date on English calendars, during which it is customary to give gifts to the less fortunate. This is also a time when people enjoy attending plays known as pantomimes which are often based on children’s stories and which is a tradition that goes back well over 100 years.

In Latin America, Christmas traditions are abundant and vary from country to country. For instance, in Ecuador, ‘novenas’, or house tours, begin the holiday season nine days before Christmas. Ecuadorians visit other homes to admire their nativity scenes, and special cookies, made with maple syrup, are eaten as a treat. On Christmas Day, people take part in the tradition of the travelling Infant Child procession, which is a symbolization of the journey of Joseph and Mary. This unique parade is an all-day event, where people bring gifts of fruit and produce before the image of Baby Jesus in the ‘presebe’ or manger.

Although each country may hold its own traditions and customs, the ever-important message is always the same: love. So throw your worries aside for a few days, and spread some Christmas magic and plenty of love this year.