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CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS
Pere Noel
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We're all accustomed to it by now. Carols played on the airwaves. Shopping malls filled to the rafters with eager patrons scouring the racks for nice bargains and wondrous finds. Students taking a break from the rigors of school. And the colors of green, red and gold dominate our surroundings. Indeed, Christmas is the most distinctive of seasons, with all that it means and with how it is celebrated.
In the West, we have come to know Christmas as the season of giving, hence our propensity to join the mad rush to the shopping malls hoping to score some gifts for the people dearest to our hearts. We sing Christmas carols around the Christmas tree, in between playful follies by the snow. We visit friends and families for some Christmas get-together, sharing stories of love and laughter and savoring the season in the company of the people closest to us. This is the Christmas we have come to know.
But Christmas is also celebrated in other parts of the world in ways that are completely different from what we are accustomed to.
In Germany, people decorate their homes with lavish ornament with themes reflecting the holiday season. It won't be unusual to see electric candles placed in circular holders at the doors of every house. Germans also have their own version of Father Christmas, or Santa Claus if you will, which they call "Der Weihnachtsmann." This symbol of Christmas is believed to leave presents at every household the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
Throughout the world, many cultures have various personifications of
Christmas as well. Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, is the most popular of course.
His is a myth widely believed in Belgium, France (where he is called Pere Noel), and Finland.
But there are places where Christmas is not formally celebrated. Christmas, after all, is basically a religious holiday, and the development of religion has been curtailed in some territories. In Russia, for example, which has long been the heart of the USSR, Christmas is not
officially recognized. Russians look forward to New Year instead. But this doesn't mean that the spirit of Christmas is totally lost. Russians believe in
Grandfather Frost who delivers presents for children during this season.
In some religious countries, particularly in places where Christianity is the dominant religion, Christmas is celebrated to honor its Scriptural origin. People in Spain, Argentina, Portugal, the Philippines and other countries bid farewell to Christmas Eve and say hello to Christmas day by hearing mass and celebrating the occasion with the members of the churches they attend to.
Wherever in the world you may be, you're sure to enjoy the common things that are globally observed about Christmas. Let's take a look at them.
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An embodiment of Christmas, which is usually a figure who distributes gifts to children.
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A long buildup towards Christmas day itself. In some cultures, this buildup starts as early as September or October. Truly, this is testament to how Christmas day has become the highlight of the year.
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Giving of presents. Christmas, despite how it is diversely celebrated, always involves gifts. This is a manifestation of the real reason for the season, which is a time for sharing and for letting people know that they are loved.
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Emphasis on children. Children are the ones who are most excited about Christmas, and seeing the joy in their faces also brings the same amount of happiness to our hearts. This has led some people to claim that Christmas was made for children.
Christmas indeed has religious origins. It is the recognized birth of Jesus Christ. But regardless of our cultural and spiritual inclinations, there is no doubt that Christmas has become a unifying factor that brings so much happiness to the whole world… even if it would just be for a single day every year.
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