How is Christmas celebrated in Spain and other European countries? All Christmas traditions
At Christmas strade and shop windows are filled with lights, red and gold become the dominant colors, trees and cribs are prepared, we run in search of the right gifts for our loved ones, we think of the menu to delight relatives and friends, notes float in the air of the great classics and a sense of warmth pervades us despite the ever lower temperatures.
Even for our European neighbors, Christmas is a special time, and the Christmas holidays are intertwined with the traditions and history of each individual country ...
For starters, look at this luscious chocolate Christmas tree!
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Christmas in Spain
In Spain, Christmas is very heartfelt, so much so that the celebrations start on December 22nd and continue until January 6th.
On 22 c "is the famous Christmas Lottery, which every year sells many tickets and whose draws begin early in the morning. The prizes are sung by the children of the Collegio de San Idelfonso, live on radio-TV.
Here too the tradition of the nativity scene is very strong: in this regard we remember the city of Murcia, where the largest one is set up, consisting of more than 500 statues. Do not forget the live nativity scenes organized to help poor people: in fact, food and clothes are left for them.
On December 24th it is customary to spend it at the grandparents' house, where a dinner is prepared based on typical products such as mariscos, cordero, pavo, Cava and the inevitable turrón (Spanish nougat). During the night they sing and listen to the Villancicos, songs that express moods or that tell of Bethlehem and Jesus accompanied by particular instruments (which vary according to the region) such as the concha de vieira or the castañuelas.
Then comes the time for gifts, which in Catalonia are not delivered by Santa Claus but by the so-called tio (uncle). The next day is repeated, complete with televised greetings from the King of Spain.
Christmas in France
In France it is customary to prepare the nativity scene with small clay figurines, called santons, dressed in traditional costumes and representing personalities of their country as well as classical figures. sheds light on the path that leads to the crib.
Speaking of children: you should know that Père Noel (Santa Claus) is assisted by the devout Pere Fouettard, depicted with a beard and dark skin, whose job is to remind him of how the various children have behaved throughout the year. The gifts they arrive not only at Christmas, but also on December 6 or the day of St. Nicholas.
France has a lot of Christmas traditions, which vary from region to region. An example? In Carpentras, in Provence, it is customary to dedicate a vase of Jericho rose (from the Holy Land) to the Madonna, because legend has it that the Virgin Mary on her way to Nazareth blesses the plant with eternal life.
Christmas in Russia
In Russia we have returned to celebrate Christmas after the fall of the USSR. But beware: according to their calendar, the actual day would be January 7th.
In fact, you must know that the Orthodox Church has never accepted the Gregorian reform and therefore all religious holidays are "delayed" by 13 days. On December 25th, however, it is lived as a pseudo-party due to the various influences coming from outside.
On January 6, which is Christmas Eve for them, we begin to prepare the table after sunset: it is covered with straw or hay, on which the landlord then scatters wheat and puts the tablecloth on top, leaving at every corner a clove of garlic. The reason? According to beliefs, garlic protects against disease and harm in general. In the middle of the table is the typical dish, the Sočivo (made mainly with a mix of cereals).
In general, the Christmas menu is full of meat dishes, cheeses, desserts of all kinds and rather strong drinks. Many families, during lunch, use to leave the front door open in order to welcome some poor passing through.
Christmas in Finland
Finland, being the country of Santa Claus, has a rather important as well as impressive Christmas tradition.
With the beginning of Advent, the houses are cleaned and tidied up to make way for Christmas decorations, usually made with ecological materials such as wool, straw or wood shavings. Gardens are also used to decorate with trays made of wheat, hazelnuts and seeds to feed the birds and, until they have consumed, families do not begin their Christmas dinner.
True delights are served on the table: from joulukinkku (cooked ham cooked slowly over low heat) to boiled cod served with vegetables and sauce, without forgetting the various flans of liver and barley or carrots and rice.
A drink that never fails is gloegg, or a kind of mulled wine made with almonds, sultanas and cinnamon.
Among the typical sweets we find the joulutorttu (excellent Christmas star-shaped pasta garnished with plum jam) and the Piparkakku (biscuits of various shapes).
On the morning of the Viglia it is customary to serve porridge with rice, inside which an almond is hidden (a sort of lucky charm for those who find it).
Christmas in Germany
In Germany, the celebrations begin in early December. Two traditions that never fade are the garland and the Advent calendar: the first has four candles and every Sunday before Advent one lights up, while the second one counts the days that divide Christmas in a greedy way (many in fact they are made of chocolate) and festive (some are homemade and contain small gifts, to be unwrapped every day).
Speaking of goodies, let's not forget German Christmas sweets such as Plaetzchen and Lebkuchen (ginger biscuits), which also fill the market stalls, along with decorations and gifts.
And let's talk about gifts: the important ones are delivered not by Santa Claus but by the Child Jesus, who appears in the form of a fairy and whose arrival is greeted by the sound of bells.
Among the typical dishes of the Christmas lunch we point out the goose with mashed potatoes and beets.
Christmas in Great Britain
In Great Britain the preparations began in November and end on Christmas day itself: each house has its own tree, which is decorated on Christmas Eve and remains only for 12 days, out of superstition.
Again for superstitious reasons, on December 24 a stump is lit to make it last as long as possible, keeping a piece of it to light up the next year. The houses and churches are decorated with evergreen plants, such as the clover and mistletoe.
Very important are the Christmas carols: there are even groups of families who go to sing them from house to house, receiving drinks and sweets in exchange. Among the best known desserts is Christmas Pudding, which has a coin hidden in its dough: it is said that whoever finds it will have luck for the following year.
Christmas in Belgium
Christmas in Belgium is rich in traditions, customs and suggestions, which vary according to the region.
Let's start with the culinary aspect: the Christmas meal begins with an aperitif and continues with an appetizer (especially seafood) and turkey. The most awaited moment is that of dessert: the typical sweet Kerststronk. It is a sponge cake rolled with chocolate, filled with a delicate cream and covered with a butter cream.Alternatively there is the cougnou, also called cougnolle, or a brioche of bread in the shape of the Child Jesus.
To bring the gifts are St. Nicholas and Pere Noel (Santa Claus): the first linked above all to the tradition of Wallonia, while the second to the French one. Saint Nicholas appears first on December 4th to look for deserving children, then on December 6th to complete his work and bring gifts to the good ones and a twig (which he usually leaves on the front door or in their shoes) to the bad ones. . His arrival is celebrated with religious services and banquets.
Pere Noel visits the houses accompanied by an ugly and bearded character named Pere Fouettard, who has the task of dispensing the twigs to the little ones who have not deserved Santa's gifts.
Christmas in Portugal
Portugal, like Spain, is a very Catholic country and therefore the sacred celebrations of Christmas are particularly heartfelt, as well as suggestive.
Even with them on Christmas Eve we meet with relatives for the dinner: the symbol dish is the consoada, or cod cooked with legumes, but we also serve cod with vegetables and boiled potatoes, shellfish and game. As desserts we find pancakes, typical biscuits such as azevias and felhozes, but above all the Bolo de Rei, which is crown-shaped and filled with candied fruit.
Tradition has it that the table remains set and laid all night, because it is said that the spirits of the dead go round. Speaking of spirits: before eating it is customary to burn a log, which must continue to burn until the Epiphany, because it seems to keep evil spirits away.
After the dinner we go to the Misa de Gallo (rooster mass), so called because the legend says that when Jesus was born the rooster crowed the entrance to the church accompanied by a procession where the children hold torches they built themselves: this is a way to wish good wishes not only to one's family, but also to poor people.
Christmas in Holland
In Holland we enter the Christmas spirit from mid-November, when we start thinking about Christmas decorations and the various markets start. The latter are particularly distinctive and continue until mid-January, complete with themed events. One thing you don't want to miss when you go to flea markets are the stalls selling hot sausages and mulled wine.
The real Christmas for Dutch children is December 6, when St. Nicholas is celebrated, here known as Sinter Klass, who appears as a bishop dressed in red, complete with a tiara and miter. And immediately after San Nicola in the shops the sales begin.
There is no typical Christmas dish, but for Christmas it is customary to cook chicken and turkey. On the desserts front the most popular are donuts and stollen, an oval bread stuffed with raisins, almond paste and currants. stollen can be enjoyed at any time of the day, from breakfast to dinner and even as a snack.
Christmas in Austria
Austria is one of the countries that cares most about its Christmas traditions.
The strong point of the Austrian tradition are undoubtedly the desserts, so much so that there is an embarrassment of choice: in fact, they range from the classic Kranz to the vanilla Kipferl. In Tyrol, on the eve of St. Nicholas (therefore on December 5) it is customary to put sweets even in socks intended for children.
About this day we cannot fail to mention the evocative parade held in the center of Innsbruck, where Nikolaus and the Krampus (devils with chains and wands) whose task is to scare the naughty children are accompanied by a crowd of angels throughout the path, that is from the church of San Nicola to the Golden Roof.
Also in Innsbruck, the well-known Museum of Art hosts a large permanent exhibition dedicated to nativity scenes, also offering evenings with traditional music, performances of live nativity scenes and readings presented by traditional Tyrolean groups.
Christmas in Poland
Christmas is the holiday most felt by the very religious Polish population. During Advent every morning, at 6.00, Poles go to mass and celebrate a special religious service called Roraty.
At the same time, the classic handmade decorations are prepared, such as the Pajaki, of little spiders made with paper and fabric. And the Christmas tree? It is called choinka, it remains in homes and public places until February 2 (feast of St. Mary of the candles) and is also decorated with nuts, small apples, chocolates.
On Christmas Eve vegetarian cuisine is served and the meal consists of 12 courses (one for each apostle): among the most popular dishes we find barszcz soups (with sauerkraut and mushrooms or almonds), cauliflower with peas, uszka (loafs of bread), pasta makielki and sweets covered with poppy seeds.
At Christmas, on the other hand, we indulge ourselves with sweets: absolutely worth mentioning is the Pierniki (honey cake, often in the shape of animals, hearts, stars or depicting St. Nicholas) and the Oplatek (pressed loaf with a Christmas figure on the crust). The latter is usually shared among family members, friends and neighbors, as a symbol of forgiveness and good wishes.
