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Hooray, it's almost time for Christmas! When you think of this magical holiday, what comes to mind? Is it Santa Clause with a large bag of presents on a sleigh flown by reindeers? Maybe, it's singing along to your favorite Christmas tunes and carols before Christmas dinner. Or, perhaps it's decorating the Christmas tree with sweets and colorful ornaments and lights. Some of us have been fortunate to experience some of these popular traditions; however most of us probably have only seen them in movies and on TV.
Popular Christmas movies and story books paint us the typical 'Western' Christmas season: Outside, the snow is falling---children in winter apparel make a snowman and have snowball fights. The shopping malls are crowded during this busiest time of the year. There is a large chorus on the street or city square singing Christmas carols like 'Silent Night' and 'Jingle Bells'. The streets and homes are brightly decorated with colorful lights and Christmas displays. Families gather on the eve of Christmas (December 24), for a large feast of wine, ham, turkey, pudding, potatoes, pie, sausage, and many other delicious fixings, before the exchanging and opening of wrapped presents. Depending on where one lives and grew up, Christmas can have different indications and meanings for different people. While Christmas might be considered a Universal Holiday across the world, the way it is celebrated in each country is quite various, though similar. Christmas Weather Not everyone gets the luxury of a white and snowy Christmas. For countries in the southern hemisphere like Australia and South Africa , Christmas falls in the middle of summer. Therefore, most Australians and South Africans have the feast under the warm sun outside---a Christmas barbeque. While for countries in the northern hemisphere, it is winter and snow falls almost everywhere. (i.e. USA , Canada , England , Norway , Finland , etc.) There, Christmas dinner will most likely be inside in front of a warm fireplace or heated room. Christmas tree For many, one of the most exciting things about Christmas is choosing and decorating the Christmas tree. While decorating trees dates back thousands of years to Ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt , the Christmas tree tradition is believed by many to have started in Germany by a saint, Martin Luther, only 400 years ago. During his walks outside during the cold evenings, he adored the beauty of starlight beams reflecting off of the snow-topped pine needles. He wanted to bring this beauty into his home to share with his wife and family. Therefore, he cut a fir tree down and decorated it with small candles in his house. This is not the only reason why we decorate Christmas trees. If you are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, the first two humans according to Judo-Christian literature, you'll know about the paradise tree in the garden of Eden, which bore the forbidden apple of knowledge. Initially, people decorated their Christmas tree with fruits in tribute to the paradise tree. Gradually the ornaments adapted to include sweets, candies, blinking lights, and other fun decorations that we see today. The typical Christmas tree in popular media is a pine needle tree such as the spruce, fir, conifer, and ponderosa. Such evergreens only grow at higher elevations and/or colder environments. Thus, they are almost non-existent in tropical and humid lands. This hasn't stopped those living in temperate countries from having a Christmas tree. In China , the Philippines , and Brazil , it's become custom to make and decorate artificial trees. Many people simply use other types of trees where the evergreen is inaccessible. In Ghana , Liberia , and New Zealand , for example, oil palms, guava, mango, and even cashew trees are substituted. Christmas Icon Every Christmas tradition involves some form of gift giving and exchange. Most people are familiar with jolly old Saint Nicholas, Santa Clause. Father Christmas, as he is widely known in England , New Zealand , and Australia delivers presents to the good boys and girls under their Christmas trees, or in special stockings or pillow cases. In some countries, Santa Clause isn't the prominent icon. In Spain , it is the Three Wise Men who traveled to Bethlehem to visit baby Jesus, who leave gifts in Children's shoes in exchange for barley to feed their camels. In Italy , the children wait for a good witch called La Befana, who delivers gifts on her magic broom. No matter where you live, or what your religion and beliefs are, remember the most important custom of Christmas is not about presents, feasts, songs, snow, or trees. It's about being close to those who you love. With that, we at NJ wish everyone a Merry Christmas. For more information about Christmas Traditions, Customs, and History across the world, check out these sites: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees/traditions-world.html http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/ http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
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