Christmas Ideas

Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country. Though Christian community is fewer they celebrate Christmas by attending prayer in Church and by singing special songs.

Variety of delicious food will be served to their family members on the day of Christmas. A special excursion programme is arranged for the kids and mothers. Usually two to three families in the village go for an outing. Mostly they go out to a movie or hang around in the malls. At night everybody enjoys a special television programme on Christmas.

On Christmas evening, Catholic girls in a local village give an unusual performance for rural Bangladeshi girls.

The girls perform kirton, a style of devotional song rooted in local Hindu culture that usually honors the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. But local Christians, especially Catholics, have adapted the popular format to create special Christmas kirton that glorify the birth of Jesus.

Kirton involves a small group of up to five people who stand in the middle of a circle of about 25 others who dance around them. The small group begins the singing and the circling dancers join in later. The singing and dancing begin slow but then get faster and faster. Usually, only men perform kirton around a village.

Christmas is Japan is not a tradition rather it is commercial. As we know majority of religion is Buddhism and Shinto. But still they celebrate christmas by giving Christmas gifts. Parents give Christmas gifts to their children within the family.

Christmas tree is common in Japan where Christmas lights outside the house are also becoming common nowadays in Japan.

The Christmas celebrations in Japan mostly coincide with the New Years celebration and separate importance is not given. There is no practice of live Christmas trees, the tress which are sold are mostly made of plastic. Most of the institutions are not closed on the Christmas day and no national holiday is declared.

In Japan, Hoteiosho is a priest or a God who closely resembles our Santa Claus. Children think he has eyes in the back of his head, so they behave at their best in case he is nearby. Hoteiosho is depicted as a kind old man carrying a huge pack in which he brings presents to local houses for the children.

In Japan Christmas Eve is special for the young couple. It seems for them Christmas is like a Valentines day. Every young couple will have a party and single women of 25 years left without party or unmarried considered as a Old XMas cake.

Christmas is the important festival in Philippines and they have a traditions of having long Christmas holiday, when officially Christmas festival begin on December 16th. During the period they have Gift Masses in the early morning for the nine days. They have bright, star-shaped lanterns on the top of the house in the early September to welcome Christmas.

One of the greatest joys in celebrating Christmas in the Philippines is taking on a visual feast of the best displays of Christmas decorations in the world. Every house will at least have a parol (the star of Christmas) hung in their porch or a Christmas tree decorated in their living rooms.

Childrens in Philippines enjoy singing carols by going to theirs friends and relatives house. Christmas is the only festival celebrated by everyone.

Foreigners who are dining with Filipino families or are hosted in a Filipino home will surely be treated to a sumptuous fare of Filipino cuisine. Traditionally, Christmas dinner is usually done in buffet style which offers 15 to 20 food items in a table beautifully decorated with Christmas wreath or flowers and dining wares used only during special occasions such as this. The Noche Buena is eaten around midnight, after the Christmas eve Mass.

People in Norway welcome Christmas by litting candle for four weeks.  They start with one candle on the first week which increases as the week goes.  Childrens in Norway gifted with homemade present.  People enjoy reading foreign comics dedicated to Christmas.

Most families have their own traditions for Christmas Eve. Rice porridge is often served at lunchtime, and whoever finds the almond hidden in it gets a present, typically a marzipan pig.   Depending on the region, Christmas Eve dinner may consist of roasted pork ribs, steamed lamb ribs or fish. The grown-ups mostly drink special Christmas beer, which some people still brew themselves, and aquavit, while the children are given a special red fizzy Christmas drink.

In Norway, Father Christmas visiting the house is the most exciting when he give surprise gifts to the kids.

It is a tradition in Norway to gather the family and make baskets of colorful paper to hang on the Christmas tree.  The children make paper baskets of shiny, colored paper. The baskets can be filled with candy or nuts. Chains made of colored paper are also very popular.

Another Blog post through Reblog:

Usually women love to shop and they are mostly well prepared and have already some ideas in mind what to present their beloved husband as a Christmas gift. Men are not so easy with this. They are somewhat scared when it comes to shopping and they are almost afraid of Christmas shopping for their wives.piedro, Decorating For Christmas: Christmas Shopping, Nov 2008

Australia is a harmonious mix of many ethnic groups.  They have connections with England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Europe, Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Middle East, Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand as well as North and South America.

Up until 30 years ago, Christmas celebrations in Australia were heavily influenced by original Anglo-Celtic.  Today with the huge influx of overseas migrants Christmas celebrations are heavily influenced by the ethnicity of families involved.

Traditional dinners have been replaced with family gatherings in back yards, picnics in parks, gardens and on the beach.  There has been a suggestion that “Swag Man” take over Santa’s franchise Down Under!!! There is a lot of concern about Santa Claus perhaps suffering heat stroke whilst Down Under. “Swag Man” wears a brown Akubra, a blue singlet and long baggy shorts. He spends all winter under Uluru with his merry dingoes and then at Christmas time, he gets in his huge four-wheel drive and sets off through the red dust to deliver his presents.

It must also be mentioned that with all the glitter, tinsel and razzmatazz…….Australians consider Christmas a time for remembering the true meaning of Christmas………a time for remembering the birth of Jesus and the spiritual meaning of Christmas .

For many people, the day after Thanksgiving brings a fun family tradition. No, not shopping at the crack of dawn, but Christmas tree hunting. And everyone knows that U-Cut trees are best.
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Though China is a Communist country, people in China celebrates Christmas festival. There are an estimated ten million proclaimed Christians in the country. Because of this, Christmas is not well celebrated when compared to Chinese New Year.

During the Christmas season, the Chinese begin their celebration by lighting their homes up with decorated Christmas trees, as well as many pieces of paper artwork.

Dun Che Lao Ren(dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) is the name given for Santa Claus in China. This means, ” Christmas Old Man”.

For years, my working class family has had to be frugal, thrifty– okay, to be perfectly honest, freakin’ penny-pinchin’ cheapskates– during the holiday seasons.

That doesn’t mean that we have ever skimped on the holidays– far from it!

Though we have spent well-well-weeellll below the average American on gifts, food, and decorations for the holiday season, we always.. more..

Though the Christian population is less than 10%, it is celebrated grandly by all the people in Srilanka. Christmas celebration in Srilanka begin in the first week of December. Through out the month they celebrate with crackers in the early morning.

Christmas in Srilanka was introduced by Portugese when they ruled the country during 1505 AD.

The feel of festivity can be felt in the jam packed shopping centers in the country. Even the small wayside boutiques are geared up to meet and welcome the festive.

Christmas trees in Srilanka decorated expecially with gusto and lit up. Christmas tree will found in every nook and corner of the cities or the countryside. As in other countries Christmas Festival in Sri Lanka is well enjoyed by the childrens.

Cathedrals, churches and chapels all over the island are decorated with lights and other Christmas decorations.