Christmas is an event celebrated in many countries around the world. There are three countries here, Alaska, Africa, and Australia, all located in very different regions of the world and each with their own unique traditions and celebrations. These are some of its fascinating traditions and celebrations.
Alaska – “Carrying the Star” is a traditional Christmas procession. Young and old carry elaborately decorated tinsel-trimmed wheels with eight spikes, usually as large as umbrellas. They are highlighted with a central image of an angel or the nativity scene. They are transported for three nights starting January 7 on frozen snow-covered roads. The stars represent the angels who announced the birth of Christ. Families lovingly keep the stars. Some are over a hundred years old!
Africa – There are approximately 350 million Christians in Africa who celebrate Christmas. The emphasis is more on the religious celebrations of Christ’s birth than on the giving of gifts. Although the most common gift (if nothing else) is new clothes to be worn for the church service. People in many countries in Africa, such as the Central African Republic (CAR), Uganda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, believe that it is absolutely mandatory to attend church on Christmas Day, even if they never attend the rest of the year. An annual Christmas parade, as well as carol groups singing carols within the villages, are now part of the festivities.
Churches in Africa begin intense preparations for Christmas many months in advance. No one escapes the Christmas feeling as it has been said that it feels like the whole country is preparing for the birth of baby Jesus with so much joyous and active preparation from the community! The streets are full of music, as well as on the radio, television and almost everywhere you look! People joyfully visit their friends and relatives in a spirit of communal celebration, regardless of their religious beliefs. It’s common to see brightly decorated and decorated trucks, cars, and buses, as well as homes, schools, churches, and neighborhoods that often feature creative holiday displays made from colored crepe papers. Africa is colorful and alive with joyful celebration! The ancient and spectacular masquerades locally called “Agugu” now play an important role in Christmas celebrations. Usually after the Christmas Eve service, a joyous procession of dance and music takes place through the streets led by local bands with masked dancers (usually young children dressed in fancy, colorful costumes) and Christmas revelers. People parade with large, intricately crafted lanterns called “fanales”, usually in the shape of houses or boats.
In Ghana, Christmas dinner isn’t complete without fufu (a thick dough like meal) and okra soup, and in Liberia, rice, beef, and crackers are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there is plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat with their prized goat meat, which is their traditional Christmas roast. On the west coast of Africa, most homes have an oil palm as a Christmas tree.
Austria – Saint Nicholas is widely honored and appears on his feast day on December 6. In Austria, this is a separate holiday from Christmas. He appears in his traditional costume of flowing robe and tall bishop’s miter carrying a shepherd’s staff and a thick book. It is believed that the children’s good and bad deeds are recorded in his book! It was once a tradition to hold an elaborate Christmas Eve ceremony where Saint Nicholas and the dreaded Ruprecht (a demonic creature, who wears a fur, has glowing eyes and a long red tongue) appear on Christmas Eve. The children gather and sing a hymn to welcome the Saint. Then, one by one, the children join Santo at a family table where he reviews his lesson books and then asks them to repeat a prayer he says. This ends with the kids kissing his bishop’s ring as he tells them to go put their shoes outside and then look at them when the clock strikes ten! Ruprecht stands over the door watching the children’s every move! Before Saint Nicholas leaves, he blesses the children as he sprinkles them with holy water and then leaves quietly and quickly. The children with great excitement then run in a hurry to place their shoes outside their houses. At the beat of ten children they run outside and find their shoes full of candy apples and nuts.
Austria is a predominantly Catholic country known as the land of the sound of music and the home of Mozart, Strauss and Schubert. Included in the Christmas celebrations is the “Advent Concert Series” in Innsbruck. It features groups of familiar singers and instrumentalists similar to the famous “Trapp Family” from “Smiles and Tears.” Another famous Christmas festivity is in Salzburg, where the most popular entree of the season is for the “Salburger Adventsingen”. It is an advent music and folklore program that began more than half a century ago. They receive more than 100,000 applications each year for the prized 30,000 tickets available for admission. Carp fish is served for the traditional Christmas dinner.
Austria is famous for its miniature crib figures. Almost every family has a manger with miniature figures of the holy family, and often some animals are included. Many nurseries are hundreds of years old, treasured heirlooms passed down from generation to generation!
Austrian Epiphany Celebrations: Boys and girls on Epiphany day (reminiscent of the Wise Men from the east searching for the newborn Jesus) dress in oriental costumes and sing traditional songs. They move from house to house receiving small gifts, including gifts of money. They carry a lantern known as the “lit star of Bethlehem” to guide them on their way. It’s popular to see people chalk the wise men’s initials “CMB” (Casper, Melchior, Balthasar) on their door sills!
The fun Austrian tradition of Krampus Day: In Salzburg, December 5 is known as Krampus Day. Krampus is believed to be an evil spirit. He is usually dressed in terrifying skin, wears deer antlers, a mask with a long red tongue and bulging red eyes, and carries a birch wood staff. He runs down the street with a loud bang using huge cowbells and rattling chains as he yells menacingly at the onlookers. Thousands, including many children, fill the streets to watch the medieval event. With much laughter and joy, every time children and adults see Krampus, they throw snowballs at this menacing figure. In the city every year a “Krampus Race” is held with fun and lots of teasing, shoving and laughter. The purpose of Krampus is said to be to remind children to be good!
In recent times in some communities the Krampus actors have to carry a number so that they can be identified under their masks in case they lose control. Some have been known to get carried away after drinking too many spirits or beers. A prominent Austrian child psychiatrist has been advocating a ban on Krampus. He suggests that it is “a jolly old scare” for children. However, there have been few known cases of “Krampus trauma”!
Australia – Christmas falls in the middle of summer and the heat can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is common for people to hold outdoor barbecues for the main Christmas party, and parks and beaches are often full of family parties. It’s not uncommon to see thongs, shorts, a beer in hand, and a Santa hat on the head chef (usually the head of the family) at the Christmas Day barbecue, which is almost always followed by the much-loved desert. from Australia, “Pavlova”. He is as light and delicate as Anna Pavlova, the famous Russian ballerina after whom he is named.
Australian Carols by Candlelight – An Australian Christmas Eve carol service started in 1937 by radio broadcaster Norman Banks. Famous artists gather to sing at “Carols by Candlelight” held each year in Melbourne. A very popular annual event televised throughout the country. The Christmas carols are performed on a stage before a large audience where thousands attend outdoors with lighted candles.
The beach visits on Christmas Day in Australia: Up to 40,000 people visit Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Christmas Day! It’s the height of summer in Australia and with heat levels soaring, barbecue lunches on the beach and swimming are popular while waiting for Santa to arrive in a boat on Christmas day.