Christmas around the world

02 Dec 2009 2 Comments

by cocoaroundtheworld in Uncategorized Tags: Befana, Christmas in Holland, Christmas in Italy, Christmas traditons, Jesus' birth, Santa Clause

Different places celebrate different ways. For example America celebrates Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ! Also there are fun traditions such as eggnog, Santa Claus, hanging stockings, and putting up a tree.

However in Italy things are much different,the week before Christmas is spent with children going form house to house singing carols and saying Christmas poem. But good old saint Nick is not the one to be dropping down the chimney. It is an kind, ugly, old witch named Befana. She rides around on a broomstick and fills the children’s stockings (or shoes) with gifts. It is said that when Jesus was born Befana was told by the wise men that the savoir had been born, she tried to follow the star but lost her way. Now she leaves gifts at every house in case the babe Jesus is there.  Not exactly how we Americans celebrate it.

In Holland things are also celebrated very differently, Santa Claus or as they call him Sinterklaas only has one helper! (Busy guy!) His helper is called Black Peter. Sinterklaas lives in Spain and is watching all the children for a behavior report. He delivers the presents early, in November so on Christmas day there are no presents just church, carols, and family. But when he does deliver them he and Black Peter drive around in a boat. Very different from our Santa.

 

We all celebrate differently but whether you are waiting all night for a saint or a witch to come fill your stocking. Don’t let all the silly fun things we do this Christmas season distract us from the true meaning of Christmas. A little baby came to us to save us from death.

 

Merry

Christmas, Coco

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