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Christmas in Australia is in the summer holiday season.  Students are getting reading for a lengthy summer holiday, which means an end to studying and homework.

Spending the day on the beach surfing, barbecuing and drinking beer with friends and family, is a perfect Christmas day for a lot of young Australians.

Of course no Christmas is perfect for the kids without a visit from the ‘Swag Man,’ whose favourite outfit is a blue vest and long baggy shorts.  He curls up in winter with his trusted dingoes, but at Christmas time he dusts off his four-wheel drive and sets off to deliver presents to the good boys and girls.

Bethlehem

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The Church of the Nativity is in the town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.  At Christmas, it is covered in lights, flags and a wonderful display of decorations.  There is a grand annual procession on Christmas eve, when natives and visitors huddle together in the church’s doorway (or stand on the roof) to watch the galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses.

On Christmas day, the Christians in the city paint crosses on their front doors and display a manger in their homes.  In the village square, a fine star is positioned on a high pole, reminiscent of the wise men who found baby Jesus by following a bright star.

Brazil

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In Brazil, Christmas time is a grand village effort and a time to work together. Early in December, impressive nativity scenes are put up in homes and in several key places in the villages. Every year a folk play, where shepherdesses and gypsies attempt to kidnap baby Jesus, is screened.

Papai Noel, who, according to popular Brazilian legend, lives in Greenland and brings gifts to deserving boys and girls, dressed in fine silk, to accommodate for the summer weather.

Catholics attend a midnight mass which finishes at 1 am on Christmas morning.  Celebrations then begin in earnest. Large meals, beach trips, fireworks and family get- together finish off a very bright and sparkling Christmas, where huge trees are decorated with fantastic colourful lights.

China

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Trees of Light (Christmas trees) are decorated with paper lanterns, paper chains, and paper flowers.  Children of Chinese christians hang muslin stockings and wait for Dun Che Lao Ren (Christmas Old Man, or Santa).

The Chinese New Year is the time of presents, luxurious food and large celebrations, because only a minority of Chinese people are Christians.  Nevertheless, Christmas is an enjoyable time of year, when families can get together and celebrate.

India

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Bananas plants and Mango trees are decorated at Christmas time in India.  Christians also decorate their houses with banana leaves.  Christmas is very bright and colourful. It’s a time of family togetherness above all else.  Extended families meet together to enjoy an extended meal time with a vast variety of tasty foods and snacks.

Clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations.  These are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls. Poinsettias are widely used, along with lit candles, for Christmas evening church service.

Baba Christmas comes around in the dead of the night, to leave presents out for the children.

Iraq

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On Christmas Eve, Iraqi Christian families sit in a circle and read about the birth of Christ. After the reading, the family sing together around lit candles and a bonfire.

On Christmas day another bonfire is lit in the churchyard.  A Bishop leads the service and begins what is called the ‘touch of peace.’  He blesses one person by touching them, this person then touches another next to him, and the blessing is then passed on from person to person, until everyone present has received the blessing.

Spain

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The Christmas holiday is a huge celebration in Spain. It starts in early December, and on Christmas Eve (The Nochebuena), family members gather to pray and rejoice around the Nativity scenes set up in every home and key public places.

On the feast of the Epiphany, children leave their shoes on the windowsills, filled with straw and carrots for the horses of the wise men, who in turn leave them presents. There is a fantastic parade which is one of the biggest events in Spain.

Netherlands

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Sinterklaas (Santa) sails from Spain and leaves presents for the children, according to Dutch legend.  Sometimes Sinterklaas is even able to visit the children in person, when he changes his appearance to look exactly like their fathers. He rides a white horse and leaves presents in wooden shoes.

A special advent ceremony is held, where traditional home-made horns are blown to chase away evil spirits and announce the birth of Jesus. 

Mexico

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As part of the pre-Christmas preparations, elaborate puestos are set up in little towns and cities.  A fantastic array of all types of foods, crafts, jewellery and plants are put on sale for the Christmas celebrations.

Poinsettias, native to Mexico, are everywhere, as this flower has deep-rooted traditional connections to the Christmas celebrations.

A procession called Las Posadas begins nine days before Christmas, in memory of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay. ‘Pilgrims’ travel from home to home asking to be taken in, but are refused entry until they get to a prior-dedicated house, where an altar and a nativity scene has been set up. When this happens, the celebrations begin with a prayer and feasting.

Children take turns at the piñata and food and drinks are served to everyone present.

Poland

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In Poland a 24 hour fast is observed from Christmas Eve day.  It is broken on Christmas (Gwiazdka) day with a great Christmas feast, when the first star of the night appears.

After the sighting of the star, a traditional rice wafer (oplatek) is blessed by the priest, broken into pieces and shared around. The main meal is made up of twelve courses (one for each apostle) and the table is always set with one extra place for the Holy Spirit.

Swiety Mikolaj shares out presents to boys and girls who have been good all year round.

I was fascinated by the obvious thrill that Christmas brings to all nations.  The celebrations, though so different, seem to all point back family togetherness as they remember the birth of Jesus Christ.

How does your family celebrate Christmas?

Happy Christmas to all!