Sarah Goggin, Junior
While we’re in the heart of the holiday season, do you know how other countries celebrate this time of year? Although you may love the way that you celebrate the holidays, different countries around the world all have their own unique traditions to make this time of the year special.
On December 6th, many countries in Europe celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. Originating in Germany, Saint Nicholas Day celebrates its namesake who is recognized as the historical figure behind Santa Clause. On the night of December 5th, children traditionally put boots, bowls, plates, or other similar objects outside their door. When they wake up in the morning, “Saint Nicholas” has come and brought them small treats like chocolate and fruits.
Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for eight days in December, is celebrated here in America, but different countries celebrate in different ways. People in Columbia, for example, celebrate the holiday by eating fried plantains rather than the traditional potato latkes. Jewish people in Alsace, France, celebrate Hanukkah with a 16-candle menorah rather than the traditional 8-candle menorah. In Jerusalem, Israel, the menorah is meant to be put out overlooking the street so that everyone in the neighborhood can see the lights, with the majority of houses specifically designed to have a place for the menorah. Jewish people in Yemen and a few other North African countries have adopted the seventh night of Hanukkah to celebrate women, honoring the female figures in the Torah.
Christmas is another widely celebrated holiday that has different traditions depending on where you live. In France and other western European countries, a bûche de Noël is eaten for dessert on Christmas Day. Decorated to look like a log, the bûche de Noël is a delicious chocolate sponge cake. In Jamaica, the “Grand Market” is hosted from six at night on Christmas Eve into Christmas morning. A cross between a festival and a market, the “Grand Market” is decorated with lights and features both regular shops and food vendors.
Different countries also celebrate the New Year in a wide variety of ways. Families in Ecuador dress up a straw man on December 31 to represent the old year and make a will for the straw man that lists all of their faults. At midnight, the straw man is burnt in hopes that their own faults will disappear with him. People in Japan and Puerto Rico use the New Year as a time to do a deep cleanse of their houses, getting everything in order to start off the next year well. In Denmark, people traditionally throw old dishes on their friends' lawns to signify the continuation of their friendship into the New Year. European countries like the Netherlands and Scotland usher in the New Year with large festivals and parties on the streets, encouraging people to come together for the celebration. Although that is not exactly an option for this year because of COVID-19, individual families can still keep their traditions alive by hosting their own “mini festivals.”
Works Cited
“40 Ways to Celebrate New Years Traditions Around the World.” Green Global Travel, 15 Dec. 2020, greenglobaltravel.com/celebrate-new-year-traditions-around-the-world/.
Darnall, Shannon. “How 21 Countries Around the World Celebrate Hanukkah Slideshow.” The Daily Meal, The Daily Meal, 8 Dec. 2017, www.thedailymeal.com/holidays/countries-around-world-celebrate-hanukkah-slideshow.
“Holidays: A Sampler From Around the World.” Scholastic, www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/holidays-sampler-around-world/.
JPC-DESIGN, whychristmas?com /. “Christmas around the World on Whychristmas?Com.” , Christmas Traditions and Celebrations in Different Countries and Cultures - Whychristmas?Com, www.whychristmas.com/cultures/.
“St. Nicholas Day.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Nicholas-Day.
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