1、 Christmas Around the World Christmas Around the WorldAustralia The temperature in Australia on Christmas day can range between 30-40C with the hottest temperature recorded on Christmas day in South Australia at 40.7C.Children have their summer holidays from mid-December through to early February an
2、d therefore some families are camping for Christmas.Bondi Beach is famous for families having their Christmas lunch on the beach.A typical Christmas menu could include seafood,glazed ham,cold chicken,duck or turkey,cold deli meats,pasta,salads,desserts of all types,fruit salad,ice-cream plus Christm
3、as treats such as mince pies.Some Australian families follow tradition of a roast dinner and Christmas pudding even in the warm summer weather.“Bondi Beach,Sydney”by Robert Linsdell is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldAustralia“Sppedwell Street Fairy Lights”by Chris Fithall is lice
4、nsed under CC BY 2.0 Some Australian families have the tradition of creating Christmas light displays in their streets for everyone to enjoy.One street in Sydney has raised more than$35,000 for charity by charging an entry fee to see their light displays on the homes in the street.When Santa gets to
5、 Australia he changes into a t-shirt,shorts and thongs(flip-flops).He then gives his reindeers a res,calling on the help of his kangaroo friends or as they are known as the Six White Boomers(a popular Australian Christmas carol).Christmas Around the WorldChina Christians in China celebrate by lighti
6、ng their houses with paper lanterns.Christmas trees are called trees of light and are decorated with paper chains,paper flowers and paper lanterns.Lots of people in China do not celebrate Christmas.The main winter festival is called Chinese New Year which takes place in February.Chinese people worsh
7、ip their ancestors during Chinese New Year.Christmas Around the WorldDenmark The Christmas feast in Denmark is celebrated at midnight on Christmas Eve.They have a special rice pudding dessert in which a single almond is hidden.Whoever finds the almond will have good luck for a whole year.Instead of
8、Santa Claus they have a bringer of gifts named Julemanden.Julemanden arrives in a sleigh drawn by reindeer and a sack over his back.Julemanden has lots of elf helpers,named Juul Nisse,who are said to live in attics.“Christmas Tree”by Kristian Mollenborg is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around t
9、he WorldFrance Most French homes at Christmas time have nativity displays with clay figures called santons.Craftsmen make the santons all throughout the year to sell at annual Christmas fairs.Most French households like both a nativity scene or a festive wreath as well as a Christmas tree.The French
10、 make a traditional log shaped cake called a bche de Nol(Christmas log).“Crche-Marie enceinte“by Eusebius is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldFrance Christmas dinner varies in different parts of France.Some favourites are goose,turkey and oysters.“Le march de Nol europen au Trocadr
11、o“by Jean-Pierre Dalbra is licensed under CC BY 2.0 French children receive gifts from Pre Nol who travels with his stern friend Pre Fouettard who reminds Pre Nol how each child has behaved in the past year.Christmas Around the WorldGermany According to legend,on Christmas Eve in Germany,rivers turn
12、 to wine,animals speak to each other,tree blossoms bear fruit,mountains open up to reveal precious gems and church bells can be heard ringing in the bottom of the sea.Only the pure of heart can witness the Christmas magic.While children are distracted,the Christmas tree is brought out and decorated
13、on Christmas Eve.The presents are put underneath.Plates are laid out for each member of the family with fruit,nuts,chocolate and biscuits.Carols are then sung,sparklers are lit,the Christmas story is read and then the gifts are opened.Christmas Around the WorldGermany On Christmas Day,there is a ban
14、quet of roast goose,breads and marzipan.There are lots of huge Christmas fairs in Germany which are very beautiful.After the presentation of the tree,there is a huge feast of dishes like suckling pig,white sausage,macaroni salad and many more.Christmas Around the WorldItaly The Christmas season is c
15、elebrated from early December until 6th January.During the Christmas period,in some areas of Italy,shepherds come into the towns and play bagpipes and sing carols.Most churches,town squares and houses will have a model of the nativity scene called a presepe.This is seen as the most important decorat
16、ion at Christmas time.In Italy,the traditional Christmas cake eaten is called a panettone.It is a sweet cake filled with candied fruit.“Presepe Piumazzo“by Marcello is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldItaly In Italy,most children receive gifts on the 6th January.This day is called
17、Epiphany.La Befana traditionally brings presents.Legend says La Befana is an old,kind witch who flies on a broomstick.Long ago,the three wise men stopped to ask her for directions to the stable where the baby Jesus had been born.She didnt know the way,but offered them shelter and food.They asked her
18、 to join them on their journey but she was too busy.Later that day she set off on her broomstick,with presents for the baby Jesus,to follow the wise men but could not find the baby.She is said to still be flying around,searching for the baby Jesus.“Photo”by ThemeParkTourist is licensed under CC BY 2
19、.0 Christmas Around the WorldSpain In Spain,the main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve.After everyone has eaten,at midnight on Christmas Eve,lots of people in Spain attend a midnight mass.This mass is called The Mass of the Rooster.It is called this because legend states that a rooster crowed
20、 the night that Jesus was born.On the 28th December,the Spanish celebrate,The Day of Innocent Saints.On this day,people remember the innocent babies who were killed by King Herod as he searched for baby Jesus.People try to trick each other,similarly to how we act in the UK on April Fools Day.Photo b
21、y Catedrales e Iglesias is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldSpain On 6th January,Epiphany is celebrated in Spain.The Spanish people call this,The Festival of the Three Magic Kings.This day celebrates the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus.Children in Spain receive a few gifts on
22、 Christmas Day but most on the 6th of January for Epiphany.Tradition says that the three kings travel around,continuing the tradition of giving gift,just like they did for baby Jesus.On the night of the 5th of January,children leave their shoes out before they go to bed to be filled with gifts.In la
23、rge towns and cities,there are big Epiphany parades with floats,celebrating the three kings.“Arrival of the King“is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldIndia Christians in India decorate mango and banana trees at Christmas time.Decorations are colourful and bright.In some parts of Ind
24、ia,small clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations.They are placed on the edges of roofs and on the tops of walls.Churches are decorated with poinsettias(red Christmas flowers)and candles for the Christmas Evening service.“India Kerala”by McKay Savage is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Chris
25、tmas Around the WorldJapan Christmas was introduced to Japan by the Christian missionaries and for many years only those who were of Christian faith celebrated it.Today,lots of people in Japan love the Christmas season and its almost universally celebrated even though only 1%of people believe in Chr
26、ist.The idea of exchanging gifts appeals to Japanese people.Shops in Japan have wonderful displays and decorations to advertise gifts to buy.“Tokyo Tower and Roppongi Christmas illumination”by Manish Prabhune is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldJapan Besides exchanging gifts,Japane
27、se people often eat KFC on Christmas day,have Christmas trees and decorate their houses with evergreens and mistletoe.“Colonel Sanders Santa”is licensed under CC BY 2.0 A Buddhist monk named Hotei-osho acts like Santa Claus.He brings presents to each house for children.Some think he has eyes in the
28、back of his head so that children behave when he is nearby.Christmas Around the WorldMexico Several weeks before Christmas,there are huge markets set up in towns and cities in Mexico which offer crafts,food and flowers for the Christmas season.Some people travel for days to get to these markets.The
29、poinsettia is a red flower native to Mexico that is used widely in Mexico as a Christmas decoration.It has been connected with Christmas since the 17th century.“Parroquia San Pablo Apstol,Cuauhtmoc,Ciudad de Mxico”is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldMexico The main Christmas celebr
30、ation in Mexico is called Las Posadas.People re-enact Joseph and Marys search for somewhere to stay in Bethlehem.They go house to house getting refused until they finally reach a house where an altar and nativity scene have been set up.“Templo Santa Mara Nenetzintla,Acajete,Estado de Puebla,Mxico”is
31、 licensed under CC BY 2.0 Once they have reached the right house,a traditional prayer is spoken and the party begins.Food and drink are served and then children take it in turns to break open the piata.Christmas Around the WorldNetherlands“Sinterklaas”is licensed under CC BY 2.0In the Netherlands,Sa
32、nta Claus is known as Sinterklaas.Sinterklaas arrives three weeks before the 5th December on a steamboat from Spain,accompanied by 100 Zwarte Pieten.The Zwarte Pieten are full of mischief and hand out lots of sweet treats,called perpernoten.Between his arrival and the 5th December,children fill thei
33、r shoes with hay and sugar for Sinterklaass horse and awake to find them filled with little presents or nuts and candy.Christmas Around the WorldNetherlandsOn the 4th December,Sinterklaas appears in person in childrens homes asking the children about their behaviour over the past year.On the evening
34、 of the 5th of December,the Zwarte Pieten ring the doorbell and leave big bags of presents before running off.Sometimes,Sinterklass will visit the houses too to talk to the children.People in the Netherlands also celebrate Christmas from 24th-26th December.Sometimes,there is a Sunday School service
35、in church where the Christmas Story is read.On Christmas Eve,Dutch children believe Santa Clause or Kerstman delivers more presents from Lapland!Photo by William Warby is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Christmas Around the WorldShng dn kui l MandarinFeliz Navidad SpanishFrhliche Weihnachten GermanJoyeux NoelFrenchVrolijk KerstfeestDutchMerii Kurisumasu JapaneseBuon Natale ItalianMerry Christmas English
