Christmas All Year Community

Christmas in Australia

In Southern Hemisphere countries such as Australia, the only "white" seen on Christmas is probably the white caps at the ocean. Indeed, many Aussies spend Christmas day at the beach, enjoying a seaside barbie (that means barbeque, mate!). Christmas advertisements often show Santa arriving on a surfboard and donning red swimming trunks. Christmas Eve supper often features cold salads and meats, along with a fresh dessert of strawberries and cream.

Christmas in Mexico

For the Mexican people, Christmas celebrations are very much focused on the religious themes of the holiday. Most families attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Children also anticipate a visit from "el Ni-o Dios", the Holy Child, who brings gifts to good little children. On January 6, "Reyes Magos" is celebrated when it is believed that the three wise men come to visit, also leaving gifts for the children -- oftentimes in their shoes.



Instead of decorating Christmas trees -- which tend to be very expensive in Mexico -- poinsettias are often used to decorate Mexican homes. The poinsettia actually originated in Mexico. Pinatas filled with candies are also common Christmas decorations.

Christmas in the Phillipines

In the Phllipines, Christmas -- or "Pasko" -- celebrations begin on the 16th of December and run through the first Sunday of January, when the Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated. This three-week long celebration includes rituals such as the Simbang Gabi, a series of nine masses starting at dawn from December 16-24. Other traditions include the Christmas Lantern, a start-shape lantern used to decorate homes, offices, shops and street lamps; Christmas caroling; and the Noche Buena, a traditional Christmas eve feast featuring roasted pig and other delicacies.

The special place of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer in America's Christmas culture was codified in 1964, when an animated version of the story was telecast for the first time. That beloved show has been aired every year since, making it the top Christmas show of all time.

Feast of Seven Fishes

The Feast of Seven Fishes originated in southern Italy and is practiced today by many Italian American families.



In celebration of the birth of baby Jesus, many Roman Catholics do not eat meat on Christmas Eve. Instead, a feast of seafood and shellfish is prepared. Why seven different types of fishes? Tradition tells that it is because God took seven days to create the universe.

Religious Services / Midnight Mass

Many Roman Catholics and Anglicans celebrate Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. In Spanish-speaking areas, the Midnight Mass is called Misa del Gallo ("Rooster's Mass"). In Lutheran churches, German and Scandinavian traditions are often practices, such as nativity plays, called "Krippenspiele", and midnight candlelight services. Other Protestant churches also have nativity plays and candlelight services, but usually hold them earlier in the evening. Many Methodist churches celebrate Holy Communion in a solemn service lit only by the candles of the Lord's Table.



In Eastern Christian, the traditional Julian calendar is followed, in which Christmas falls 13 days after the modern Gregorian calendar. A Nativity feast is held, often in the church, followed by an all-night vigil

Caroling

An old European custom of singing Christmas songs throughout the village is still commonly practiced in the United States. Carolers, groups of friends or church-goers, will go from door to door, entertaining neighbors with traditional songs and hymns. Residents often give the carolers hot cocoa in return.

Santa Claus

For many families, Christmas Eve also marks the late-night arrival of Santa Claus. Children leave out milk and cookies before they go to bed, for Santa and his reindeer to enjoy. In some families, children open one present before they go to bed -- often a pair of Christmas pajamas. Other families save all the gifts to be opened on Christmas morning.

The exact day of the Christ child's birth has never been pinpointed. Traditions say that it has been celebrated since the year 98 AD. In 137 AD the Bishop of Rome ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a solemn feast. In 350 AD another Bishop of Rome, Julius I, choose December 25th as the observance of Christmas.

I'm leaving the last few posts for all my Christmas friends. I've really enjoyed my time on this site this year.

I wish each and every one a Blessed Christmas.

CandyKane you must certainly have a photographic memory. Either that or you have the largest volume of Christmas history and Trivia ever. I thoroughly enjoy reading it .
Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!!!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
Noel I hope your DH is feeling better really soon!

Merry Christmas everyone,,,,,hope everyone is doing well,,,,here in my home we have a stomache bug going around, three kids have already had it and my wife is sick now,,,,just waiting for my turn,,,,hope it waits til after Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

i'm stuck at work...hopefully the governor will let us go early today...and we won't have the same catastrophy we had last year....the governor said we could all leave at 3 however in my dept there was no "upper managment" for him to notify so we didn't find out we could leave at 3 until 3:20.

It's finally Christmas Eve!!

Last night we drove to Branson Missouri and went through the drive-thru light diplays. We do this every year and the lights are always spectacular.

It's pouring down rain, but the only bright spot is they changed the forecast again. Now we have a chance for snow tonight and tomorrow. Woohoo. A White Christmas!

We're busy tracking Santa on Norad.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! It's almost here!!!!!!!

Christmas Eve - wow - where has the time gone??

Been frantically getting ready - soon we'll be on our way to the in-laws - can't wait.

POST 1200!!!!

I almost forgot to wish everyone a

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!