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By Agne Adomauskaite (‘22) and Liam McCarthy (‘22)
Christmas is a universal time of joy where people come together to celebrate. However, each country differs in regards to how they celebrate. Different countries tend to have different traditions when it comes to celebrating, however, that does not mean there are no similarities. Through exploring the holiday traditions in Japan, New Zealand, and Spain we will be able to understand the similarities and differences throughout many different countries!
The first country we’ll be exploring is Japan. This archipelago views Christmas as a time to spread love and happiness. There are not many Christians in Japan, therefore it is not much of a religious holiday for the natives. Consequently, Christmas Eve is often celebrated more than Christmas Day. According to Why Christmas, Christmas Eve is viewed as a romantic day for couples to experience together. Couples will go for walks to look at the Christmas lights and have a romantic meal in a restaurant. The Japanese tradition of celebrating with your partner is similar to how Americans celebrate Valentine's Day. This is such a popular tradition for Japanese couples that making a reservation on Christmas Eve becomes almost impossible.
Photo courtesy of tokyopop.com
As for Christmas day, the Japanese have a couple of traditions that differ from the United States. According to Business Insider, fried chicken is a popular dish eaten to celebrate. Consequently, restaurants like KFC experience their busiest time of the year during Christmas. It can get so busy people have to place orders in advance. For desert, kurisumasu keki is served. This is a Christmas cake, a sponge cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream. Another popular desert is Wagashi. UMAMI Insider states these small treats are made with mochi and azuki bean paste. They can be molded into different shapes as well as decorated, similar to how Americans make gingerbread cookies. Lastly, Tokyo Disneyland is a popular destination where the Japanese gather to celebrate. Here, you can view all the festive decorations and parades made to spread the joy associated with the holiday.
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Photo courtesy of workingin-newzealand.com
Next, we’ll be looking into how the people of New Zealand celebrate Christmas. In America, we associate Christmas with snow and cold weather. Often we forget that weather is not universal. During Christmas, New Zealand is experiencing summer with temperatures of 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the New Zealand Tourism Guide. Therefore, a lot of people celebrate on the beach or in their summer homes, known as the Baches. According to Why Christmas, many towns host a Santa parade with different floats made by locals. Along with floats, bands and marching teams are invited, resulting in a cheerful environment that spreads joy. In the main cities like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton, there are big Christmas light shows and displays. Here, people gather to celebrate and admire the beauty. Carol services are another common tradition throughout the country. Some special carols in New Zealand include ‘Te Harinui', Christmas in New Zealand, and A Kiwiana Christmas!
As for food, many Kiwis (New Zealanders) have a barbecue for Christmas lunch. The food cooked includes ham slices, exotic meats, shrimp, and other fish. An interesting tradition in terms of food is the 'Midwinter Christmas' meal. In July or June, Kiwis have an English meal consisting of roast chicken, roast lamb, cold ham, and hot roast vegetables such as potatoes, pumpkin, and sweet potato. Lastly, a popular dessert is a hot fruit pudding with custard along with jelly and fruit salads.
Finally, the country of Spain celebrates Christmas with much joy and happiness. Stated by Why Christmas, many people attend Midnight Mass or ‘La Misa Del Gallo’(The Mass of the Rooster). The Mass gets its name because a rooster is supposed to have been crowned the night before Jesus’ birth. Christmas Eve is known as ‘Nochebuena’ in Spain. In the days leading up to Nochebuena, children participate in ‘piden el aguinaldo’ where they walk through the streets from neighbor to neighbor singing carols in hopes of making some money. Unlike the United States, in Spain, families enjoy their main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve. ‘Pavo Trufado de Navidad’, Turkey stuffed with truffles, and ‘Pularda Asada’, a young, roasted hen are some meals enjoyed during Christmas dinner in Spain. For dessert, citizens enjoy eating ‘mazapan’, ‘turron’, and ‘polvorones’. ‘Mazapan’ is a chewy candy made from crushed peanuts, ‘turon’ is deep fried banana, and ‘polvorones’ are crumbly Spanish shortbread.
Photo courtesy of tradish.com
Photo courtesy of blog.apartmentbarcelona.com
Much different than here in the United States, in Spain, children do not open too many presents on Christmas morning. Most of their presents are opened on the sixth of January, the Epiphany. In Spain, the Epiphany is called ‘Fiesta de Los Tres Reyes Magos’, or the festival of the Three Magic Kings. This festival celebrates the time in which the three Wise Men brought gifts to baby Jesus. Much like how children in the U.S. write letters to Santa, in Spain, children write letters to the Three Kings asking for various toys and other presents. A unique tradition followed in Spain is the tradition in which children leave shoes on their windowsills, balconies, and under the tree to be filled with presents. Similar to how we leave milk and cookies out for Santa, in Spain, children leave a glass of Cognac and a Satsuma for the Kings. Satsuma is a type of semi-seedless citrus. Furthermore, similar to how many children leave out carrots for Santa’s reindeer, in Spain the children often leave a bucket of water out for the camels the Three Kings ride on. Lastly, exactly as practiced here in the United States, people in Spain follow the tradition that if a child behaves badly during the year, they will receive coal.
In all three of these different countries, Christmas is celebrated much differently than here in the United States. Although we have our own traditions as Americans, it’s important to explore how other countries celebrate as well. By doing so, we open our eyes to different cultures and are able to better understand how people outside our own country live. Overall, learning about the different traditions followed in other countries has been interesting. No matter where you spend the holiday season, the festive feeling of joy is universal.
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