In most of Brazil, the Christmas is particularly a family celebration and it carries the European traditions, particularly from Portugal, brought by the Jesuits.
Between December 24th and January 6th, there is an event in the most traditional regions called Folia de Reis, which consist in processions through the city singing Christmas carols for the “Menino-Deus” (The “Baby Jesus”) and the Three Kings.
However, in most of the southern cities, as well as in the largest cities of the Southeastern Region, like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte the celebrations resemble in many ways the traditions in Northern Europe and North America, with the Christmas Tree, the exchanging of gifts and Christmas cards, the decoration of houses and buildings with electric lights and the Nativity Scene.
The Christmas Eve is the most important day. In the midnight between December 24 and December 25, the churches celebrate the “Missa do Galo” (the Rooster’s Mass). (more…)
Religious themes predominate in Christmas celebrations in heavily Roman Catholic South America. The secular customs and gift-giving in these countries are an admixture of traditions handed down from European and Native American forebears, plus the increasing influence of American culture.
Gift giving traditions include Chile’s “Viejo Pascuero” (Old Man Christmas), and Brazil’s “Papai Noel”, the latter two resembling Santa Claus in many ways. South American “Santas” dress more lightly in keeping with the warmer Christmas there, and have adopted a number of means, from ladders to trampolines, to enter homes at night.
Gift giving in Argentina occurs both in Christmas and on January 6, “Kings’ Day”, when children leave shoes under their beds to be filled with snacks or small gifts by the Magi, who stop off on their way to Bethlehem. (more…)
In the United States and Canada, the Santa Claus traditions are essentially the same, except in Quebec and other French speaking areas, with its réveillon and the Père Noël (”Father Christmas” in French).
The Celebration of Boxing Day on the day after Christmas Day is a tradition practiced in Canada, as it is in the UK.
According to a study by FOX News, 96% of the people in the United States celebrate Christmas, while only 78% of Americans are Christian according to the CIA World Factbook. (more…)
Mexico’s Christmas traditions are centered on Mexican Catholicism and popular culture traditions also known as posadas.
Over a nine day period, groups of townspeople go from door to door, in a fashion reminiscent of when the soon to be parents of baby Jesus looked for shelter to pass the night when they arrived at Bethlehem, and are periodically called inside homes to participate in the breaking of a gift-filled piñata.
Mexican Christmas is not influenced by American Christmas since it is filled with over 30 traditions only found within Mexican Christmas.
Children don’t receive gifts on Christmas since it is the 6th of January the day when children expect a gift from the Three Wise Men by leaving a note in their shoes that they place below the tree so the kings can deliver on those requests while they bring baby Jesus their three gifts. (more…)
Jamaican Christmas is closely in line with its British heritage but with its own flavour. The traditional dances, the parties and festivities, the spirit of charity, and the food defines it
Source: Wikipedia
In Singapore, Christmas is a public holiday celebrated by almost everyone (Christian or otherwise). Typically it is also the boom time for retailers as Christmas season is also the time most people get their year-end bonuses.
The entire shopping district like Orchard Road and Marina Centre areas is decorated with colourful lights from mid November till New Year’s Day.
In recent years, a charitable organisation called Celebrating Christmas in Singapore Ltd (with links to the National Council of Churches of Singapore) organised the “Celebrating Christmas in Singapore” during Christmas period with carolling, concerts and parade down Orchard Road.
As Christmas is not a native festival here, there is nothing local except for maybe the warmer tropical climate. Christmas celebration in Singapore tends to be borrowed heavily from the American version with turkey dinner and decoration. (more…)
The Philippines has earned the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season. Although it presently starts from early September it is traditionally ushered in by the nine-day dawn Masses that start on Dec. 16.
Known as the Misas de Aguinaldo (Gift Masses) or Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) in the traditional Spanish. These Masses are more popularly known in Tagalog as the Simbang Gabi.
Christmas Eve on December 24 is the much-anticipated “noche buena” — the traditional Christmas feast after the midnight mass. Family members dine together on traditional noche buena fare, which includes the quéso de bóla (”ball cheese”, usually edam cheese) and jamón (Christmas ham).
Usually, aside from the already legal holidays which are Rizal Day (December 30) and New Year’s Eve (December 31), other days in close proximity such as Christmas Eve (December 24), Niños Inocentes (December 28), and the Epiphany (traditionally, January 6) are also declared as non-working days. (more…)
In Pakistan, December 25th is a public holiday that coincides with the birth anniversary of Jinnah - the founder of the nation. Christians constitute approximately 1 percent of the population, mostly from Punjab who were once outcaste before British Raj.
In Christian households, cards and presents are exchanged. People wear their best new clothes and visit friends houses. In rural areas, people go to Christmas Day services, which in Urdu and Punjabi is called ‘Bara Din’, the ‘Big Day’.
Bible Society of Pakistan conducts special programs on this eve. (more…)
Christmas is a public holiday in Malaysia, however, much of the public celebration is commercial in nature and has no overt religious overtones.
Occasionally, Christian activist groups do buy newspaper advertorials on Christmas or Easter but this is largely only allowed in English newspapers and permission is not given every year. The advertorials themselves are usually indirect statements.
In 2004, the government organized a national-level Christmas celebration but allegedly imposed an unofficial ban on all Christian religious symbols and hymns that specifically mention Jesus Christ.
The event was jointly organised by the Arts, Culture and Heritage ministry, the government of the state of Selangor and the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM). (more…)
In Taiwan, Christmas is not officially celebrated or legally recognized. However, coincidentally, December 25 is the date of the signing of the Constitution of the Republic of China in 1947, officially the Constitution Day (zh:行憲紀念日).
Hence there was already an official holiday on that date designated in 1963 by the Executive Yuan, which is largely, though unofficially, treated as if it were Christmas.
In order to avoid having too many legal holidays when phasing in two-day-off-per-week plan, the Constitution Day is no longer a full legal holiday with a day off since 2001.
Some people have become disappointed that December 25 has ceased to be a holiday, but there are still unofficial celebrations of Christmas. (more…)
