CHRISTMAS IN EUROPE
Christmas in France
In every French home you will find in addition to the
Christmas tree, a nativity scene or crèche which is
often peopled with clay figures called santons. In
cathedral squares the nativity scene is re-enacted by
players and puppets.
On Christmas Eve in France children leave their shoes
by the fireplace as it is believed that Pere Noel (Saint
Nicolas) will fill them with gifts. In the morning they
also find that small toys and sweets have been hang on
the Christmas tree.
Merry Christmas in French: Joyeux Noel
A traditional Christmas carol is: Petit papa Noël
A traditional Christmas recipe is: Pudding De Noel A
La Francaise
Christmas in Spain
On Christmas Eve, as the stars come out, tiny oil lamps
are lit in every house. After Midnight Mass and
Christmas Dinner in all the streets you can see dancers
and onlookers. There is a special dance for Christmas
called the Jota and the words and the music have been
handed for hundreds of years.
Children think that the Three Wise Men are the gift
bearers. Tradition has it that they arrive on January
6th, the date the Wise Men gave gifts to Jesus. Shoes
are filled with straw or barley for the tired camels
which must carry their riders through the busy night.
By morning the camel food is gone and presents are
found in the place of the straw or barley.
Merry Christmas in Spanish: Feliz navidad
A traditional Christmas carol is: Feliz navidad
A traditional Christmas recipe is: Turron (a kind of
almond candy)
Christmas in England
The English enjoy beautiful Christmas music. They love
to decorate Christmas Trees and hung up evergreen
branches.
The English gift giver is called Father Christmas. He
wears a long red or green robe, and leaves presents in
stockings on Christmas Eve. Father Christmas delivers
them during the night before Christmas.
The Children leave empty stockings or pillowcases
hanging at the end of the bed which are filled with
presents.
In England the day after Christmas is called Boxing
Day because boys used to go round collecting money in
clay boxes. When the boxes were full, they broke them
open.
A traditional Christmas carol is: We wish you a merry
Christmas
A traditional Christmas recipe is: Fruity Christmas
pudding with brandy sauce
Christmas in Italy
The Christmas season in Italy lasts for three weeks,
starting 8 days before Christmas known as the Novena.
During this period children go from house to house
reciting Christmas poems and singing.
In Italy the children wait until Epiphany, January 6,
for their presents which are delivered by a kind ugly
witch called Befana, on a broomstick.
She flies around until she leaves presents at every
house and she slides down chimneys, fills stockings and
shoes with good things for good children and leaves coal
for children who are not so good.
Merry Christmas in
Italian: Buon Natale
A traditional Christmas carol is: dormi dormi o bel
bambin
It’s the celebration meal from Milan.
This cake is called panettone.
Christmas in Germany
Christmas preparation in Germany begins on 6th of
December.
People bake cakes and cookies, and make decorations
and the traditional Christmas toys are little dolls of
fruit.
Children leave letters on their windows and the letters
are decorated with glue and sprinkled sugar to sparkle.
Germans usually make gingerbread houses and cookies.
In some parts of Germany, people believe in angels in a
white robe and crown. This angel is called christkind.
In Germany the traditional face is the christkinl who is
the messenger. She is a beautiful girl and she is like a
fair with candles who visits each house with a basket of
presents.
Also, children used to sing carols around their village.
Merry Christmas in German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
A traditional Christmas carol is:
Here comes Saint Nicolas
A traditional Christmas recipe is:
Christmas Stuffing
Frantzeska Frantzeskou, Angela Sozou