In English, Class 4ABC have been doing some projects on different cultures and traditions which have broadened their horizons on cultural diversity. They have decided to share how Christmas is celebrated in other parts of the world, reminding us that different customs should be respected and celebrated. After all, wouldn’t the world be a boring place if we were all the same?

CHRISTMAS IN COLOMBIA

By Nicolás López Flores and Natalia Moreno Salazar

Colombian families gather in early December to choose the colours of their decorations, put them up and untangle the lights.

Christmas is celebrated very differently in Colombia. From the beginning of December, everyone is already in Christmas mode. On the 7th December, they celebrate ´Las Velitas´, which basically means going out into the street with the family to light candles and lanterns. The whole neighbourhood is filled with lights and everybody is incredibly happy. This is like the official start of Christmas. Then, the ´Novenas´ begin. These are gatherings almost every day leading up to the 24th.

The truth is, most people go to the novenas more for the food and to be with the family than to pray, but it is still a good time. There are always buñuelos, natillas and all the other typical Colombian treats.

 JAPANESE CHRISTMAS

By Leila Sali Kostadinova & Isabel Morote Martos

We´re going to explain Christmas time in Japan.

Christmas in Japan is very different from Christmas is Spain. It’s not religious or a family holiday like it is here and most people work on the 24th and 25th of December. Family reunions aren´t common and instead of celebrating at home, Christmas Eve is a romantic day: couples go to dinner, walk through the illuminated streets and exchange gifts. For them, it is a time to be with their partners more than with their families.

The typical food is also very different from Spanish food. Many people eat KFC fried chicken and Christmas cake, or ‘kurisumasu keki’, a cream cake with strawberries that symbolises happiness and good luck. Gifts are simple and they are exchanged between couples or friends and Santa Claus isn´t an important figure.

Christmas in Japan is a romantic and fun celebration focused on enjoying the city, the lights and the food, while New Year is the most important day.

THE BURNING OF THE DEVIL IN GUATEMALA

By Raúl García Hungría

In Spain we celebrate Christmas by decorating trees with lights and balls and setting up a nativity scene.

The burning of the devil us a typical Guatemalan celebration of Christ’s birth. It originated in the 16th century as an introduction to the celebration of Christ’s birth, representing good always winning over evil.

The festivals generally begin at 6.00pm on the 7th of December, the day before the Immaculate Conception, when Guatemalans clean their homes at the start of the Christmas celebrations. During this time, they burn trash and old objects in the street as a symbol of spiritual cleansing because it was said that this burning eliminated all the bad energies and got rid of evil.

This date is exactly 9 months from the day in which the birth of the Virgin Mary is celebrated and coincides with the celebration of the birth of Christ. This festival was declared cultural heritage of Guatemala by the ministry of culture.

In conclusion, there are lots of different Christmas celebrations and traditions worldwide and I would like to experience many of them because some of them are really interesting and amazing, even though they might seem strange to us.

AND LET’S NOT FORGET NEW YEAR. BUT NOT EVERYONE CELEBRATES NEW YEAR ON THE 31ST DECEMBER…

 THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

By Álvaro Fogeda Palacios and Marcos Manzano Mora

Let’s talk about the Chinese New Year. It is the most important holiday celebrated in the Chinese calendar and it is also celebrated in other Southern Asian countries. It is based on the lunisolar calendar used in China. The festival begins on the first day of the solar calendar (usually sometime in January or February) when the lantern festival takes place. During this period most trips to China occur. During this festival people gather with their families to have dinner and decorate their houses with red objects, they also set off firecrackers.

In conclusion, we think that this festival is interesting because it is well organized and lasts a long time.

Letizia Ortiz Gutiérrez also describes the Chinese New Year:

This is the most important date in China. This is about the year change. The holidays last 15 days and they are for being with the family and celebrating together. They cook a lot of food and decorate the house with lights. They wear red clothes because they believe it brings good luck. It’s typical to watch shows with dragons and lions dancing. Another tradition is for people to give each other money in red envelopes which is supposed to attract more money. I think it’s curious and interesting to learn about new cultures.