Australia
Many Australians celebrate Christmas outdoors. Because the country is located in the Southern Hemisphere it is in the middle of summer there during Christmas. Families enjoy outdoor activities like picnics, backyard parties, and playing cricket. Some Australians have their Christmas 'dinner' midday on a local beach. At many beaches Santa Claus arrives on a surfboard, or in a boat. A traditional Christmas meal usually includes a turkey dinner and a flaming Christmas plum pudding for dessert. A small favour is baked inside the pudding and whoever finds it will have good fortune. Other treats are Mince Pies and 'Pavlova' with kiwifruit and passion fruit, a special Australian meringue. Australians surround themselves with Christmas Bush, a native plant that has small red flowered leaves.
Ghana
Christmas in Ghana is very much a religious celebration. The churches start preparing many months before December 25. On Christmas Eve there are services at the various churches. After the service people dance on the streets, while local bands play music. This celebration continues till the morning hours. On Christmas Day people return to the church to listen the story of the first Christmas again. Children receive gifts from Santa. Throughout the holiday celebration, everyone is greeted with the special Akan greeting word, "Afishapa," meaning Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. All houses are brightly decorated with beautiful colourful paper ornaments, made for the occasion by the families. A tree in the centre of the courtyard, like a mango or cashew tree is also decorated. A traditional Christmas Dinner in Ghana consists of a cooked rice and goat or chicken stew or soup.
Iceland
Christmas is a major event in Iceland, and it is celebrated very enthusiastically. The Icelanders absolutely love Christmas. Because of the island's global position, days are very short this time of year and this might be one of the reasons for the abundance of lights they use to decorate their homes. All sorts of illuminated Christmas decorations, like snowmen, Santas and reindeer adorn houses, windows, roofs and gardens. Although Icelanders are big on Christmas decorations, the Christmas tree itself, isn't decorated till St. Thorlakur's Day, December 23. Traditionally, the lights are lit for the first time at at six o'clock on Christmas Eve. This is when Christmas officially arrives in Iceland. Christmas is 'chimed in' by every church bell in the country. The lights on the tree are lit and people wish each other Merry Christmas. Icelanders use the morning of December 24 to remember departed loved ones. People visit cemeteries and decorate the graves with branches of pine or fir. Many big candles are lit and they burn through the holy night.
Iraq
Christians living in Iraq celebrate Christmas in a special way. On Christmas Eve the family members come together and the story of the birth of Jesus is read by one of the children, while other family members hold lighted candles. After the reading they have a bonfire made of thorn bushes in the yard. Tradition says that if the thorns burn to ashes, it brings good luck. While the fire burns, everyone sings. When the fire has died, everyone jumps over the ashes three times and then makes a wish. On Christmas Day, another bonfire is lit in the churchyard. This signals the beginning of the service. At the end of the service, the bishop blesses one person with a touch. That person then touches the person next to him or her. This way everyone touches the next person and finally everyone has the "touch of peace" on Christmas Day.
Jamaica
Christmas in Jamaica, is very much a tropical celebration. Most Christmas carols are played in a Reggae version. The traditional versions of Christmas carols are also well known and loved and are played on the radio stations starting in November. A Jamaican Christmas dinner includes rice and gungo peas, chicken, oxtail and curried goat. Roast beef and/or pork are also prepared It is a spectacular feast. During the Christmas season Jamaicans drink 'Sorrel' it's made from dried sorrel sepals, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, orange peel and rum and is usually served over ice. It can be found in just about every single home during the Christmas season. A big deal in rural areas of Jamaica is a Jonkanoo. A form of parade brought to Jamaica by slaves.
Japan
Christmas is not an official holiday in Japan, because less than one percent of the country's population is Christian. However, a Christmas tree and a turkey are not as unusual as they were some years ago. Japan society has been influenced by the country's large Christmas industry that makes a lot of the Christmas decorations and gadgets used in the Christian countries. Japanese god Hoteiosho brings the children their presents. He has got eyes in the back of his head and can therefore keep a very good eye on them.
Kenya
Christmas is very much a family affair in Kenya and family members travel from very far away to be together for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, groups go singing from house to house and receive gifts from the people they visit. If the gift is money the singers will donate it to their church on Christmas Day. Families attend church on Christmas Day dressed in new clothes, if they can afford them. The children especially have new outfits. The church is decorated with a Christmas tree, flowers, ribbons, garlands, and green plants. People visit the homes of friends all day long on Christmas Day and food is served to everyone who stops by. This usually includes roasted beef or goat. There will also be 'chapatis', a flat bread. Christmas dinner is often a barbeque.
The Netherlands
The Dutch celebrate Christmas over two days: December 25 and 26. In Holland these two days are spent with family, listening to Christmas songs, singing carols, playing games, watching movies and reading Christmas tales. Many families also spend Christmas Eve attending church. Santa Claus is not necessarily visiting Holland on Christmas Eve. The Dutch version of Santa Claus 'Sinterklaas' delivers presents on December 5, in celebration of a holiday dedicated strictly to him and not the birth of Christ. Part of what makes a 'typical' Dutch Christmas is the enormous amount of food consumed at this time of year. There are plenty of treats such as oliebollen (a kind of an oily doughnut), Christmas stollen (round bread with currents and raisins), almond pastry rings, marzipan and kerstkransjes; round chocolates with a hole, that usually hang in the Christmas tree. Christmas dinners typically includes a turkey and a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream for dessert.
Philippines
Philipinos celebrate Christmas like no other. It is hot and noisy. In the Philippines firecrackers light up the sky from December 24 through the first of the New Year. And the anticipatory pleasure starts in September. With Christmas Carols being played on radio stations, Christmas decorations showing up in stores and children writing their wish lists to Santa. Streets, buildings and homes are decorated with an amazing amount of lights and the 'Parol', a traditional colourful lantern hangs at every home and office. Starting halfway December carollers start going from house to house to raise money for several sorts of charity. The Catholic Church organizes processions in the days leading up to Christmas and an early morning mass is held for 9 days until Christmas. And like in most countries, Phlilippinos love the old family tradition of getting together and exchanging gifts. Usually roast pig is served for Christmas dinner.
Poland
Christmas Eve in Poland is a family matter. It is also a time of reconciliation. All people are friendly to each other and forget their grievances. But most of all it is a time of magic. There are many old traditions, which most people do not believe in anymore today but they survive as family fun. The traditional Christmas supper consists of 12 dishes. The last dish is called kutie and is made of wheat, raisins, nuts and honey. In rural Poland the old customs are still kept up. People believe for
instance that girls who grind poppy seed on the December 24 will be married soon. Women clean the whole house, starting on the December 24 because it is believed forces of evil will dwell in all things left dirty on that day. Weather forecasting is also popular. No snow during Christmas means snow will fall during Easter.
Saudi Arabia
Christmas is not a celebrated holiday in Saudi Arabia, as it is a Muslim country. There is a small population of Christian Arabs in Saudi Arabia, but celebrating a Christian holiday in public is absolutely not appreciated. Private Christmas gatherings take place in various foreign embassies. Some Christians decorate their homes, but many -being afraid of the authorities- don't . Christians living in Saudi Arabia celebrating Christmas in their own homes still run the risk of being questioned by Saudi Muslim authority. Christmas lights and decorations are not tolerated. Manger scenes or Christian religious icons are forbidden to be displayed in public. If families have a Christmas tree they place it somewhere in an inconspicuous place in their homes.
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