Christmas is a major holiday celebrated in Catholic Mexico. The tradition leading up to Christmas, known as “Las Posadas”, is of particular note. For nine days, from December 16 to 24, processions are held in each parish after evening Mass. Parishioners carry candles as well as statues of Jesus and Mary. They also dress up as the Holy Family, angels, and shepherds. They go door to door, singing songs about Mary and Joseph, who are looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem. The nine processions could refer to the nine months Mary waited for the birth of the Son of God, or to the nine days Mary and Joseph traveled to get to Bethlehem.

The so-called “Night of Radishes” takes place on December 23. Stalls around the country display dioramas made from vegetables. “They often depict religious scenes. You could say that they are a distant cousin of our nativity scenes," says Dr. Grzegorz Odoj, ethnologist and cultural anthropologist at the University of Silesia. He adds that a popular custom (especially by children) is to break a piñata, which is a clay vessel filled with sweets [although there are also paper piñatas, such as in the form of a star or an animal - ed.]

The Christmas Eve dinner includes pozole soup (based on a special variety of corn and meat, e.g. chicken or pork; with chili peppers and a variety of spices), roast turkey, and bacalao (dried and salted cod). Many Mexicans go to the “Misa de Gallo” (mass of the rooster), a midnight mass on the night between December 24 and December 25. After the mass is over, there are usually fireworks displays.

On Christmas Day, Mexican families share sweet bread into which is baked a porcelain doll, symbolizing the birth of Jesus. “The person who finds the doll customarily has to throw a party (on February 2) for family and close friends,” Dr. Odoj said.

Turkey more important than ham

Just north of the border, the United States has a completely different way of celebrating Christmas. “Thanksgiving, which in the U.S. is marked a month before Christmas, changes the nature of the holiday somewhat. More people travel to visit their families for Thanksgiving than on Christmas,” says Dr. Nicholas Siekierski, a historian at the Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences, based in Redwood City, California.

He adds that Americans do not give as much importance to Christmas Eve traditions as other cultures, including those in Europe. Hence, the tradition of exchanging gifts – or of children discovering them under the Christmas tree after leaving cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas Eve – is mainly celebrated on December 25. Dr. Siekierski added that Americans do not have a tradition that is popular in Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia: that of sharing the Christmas wafer, a paper-thin unleavened bread wafer that is divided among the family before the Christmas Eve dinner as they share well wishes. “On the other hand, in my family, Christmas Eve has always been celebrated according to Polish traditions," he said.

The historian adds that on Christmas Day, the tables are topped with the traditional Christmas ham, although turkey and other meat dishes are also eaten. He points out that most families gather for a festive Christmas dinner on December 25, and that traditions vary by region and ethnic groups.

“It might appear to [many Poles] that in the United States, Christmas celebrations go on for a very long time. The stars of American Christmas films are always saying, ‘Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!’ Yes, people prepare for Christmas over a long period of time. But the holiday itself is celebrated for only one day [many American families don't celebrate Christmas Eve either - ed]. On Christmas Day, people eat a special breakfast and exchange gifts. The highlight is a festive dinner,” Dr. Odoj said.

In the U.S., both the days leading up to Christmas and the days immediately after Christmas – when stores hold their famous sales – are commercial in nature.

“The post-Christmas shopping frenzy is discussed around the Christmas table,” the ethnologist added. “There are few other holidays that are as commercialized as this... Besides, commercialization is not only a phenomenon in the United States. [Poles] too are already part of a society of mass consumption.

Dances and fireworks Some countries in Asia also have Christmas Eve traditions, especially in the Philippines, which is the most Christian country in Asia. Christians make up about 90 percent of the population of the Philippine Archipelago, the overwhelming majority of whom are Roman Catholic.

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  Over the nine days leading up to Christmas, Filipinos attend morning masses, called Simbang Gabi. Depending on the parish, these begin between 3-5 a.m. The ninth, on December 24 is called Misa de Gallo – the same as the one in Mexico. This is celebrated at night on Christmas Eve.

“In the Philippines, Christmas is genuinely a happy time. It is not based on consumption, but supported by magical beliefs, according to which the more one rejoices, the more prosperity one will secure in the coming year. "Nativity scenes" [called "belén" - ed.] are re-enactments of Christmas that are staged on city streets and elsewhere,” according to Dr. Odoj.

The celebration is accompanied by loud music, dancing, and fireworks. “There is also a custom of turning on all the lights in the house, in order to ward off evil spirits and ensure good fortune in the coming year,” the ethnologist adds.

Centuries of a convent, decades of Hollywood Just a word of explanation! The Philippines became the most Christian country in Asia thanks to Spanish colonizers. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan sailed there. As it turned out, this was the end of his voyage around the world. “He died in battle with one of the warriors, Lapulapu, ruler of the island of Mactan. To this day, Lapulapu is considered a national hero of the Philippines,” says Dr. Zbigniew Kwiecień, a historian at the Center for American Studies at the University of Warsaw.

Eventually, the Spaniards conquered the Philippines. “In doing so, they forcibly Christianized the local population. Therefore, the majority of the Philippine population today is Catholic. It can be said to be post-Spanish Catholicism. This is evidenced by the very strong Marian devotion in this society, among other reasons.”

The Philippines was a Spanish colony until 1898, longer than other Latin American countries. “From 1898 to 1935, the Philippines was ruled by Americans. One Filipino intellectual said that her country's cultural history from the 16th to the mid-20th century can be summarized as: ‘Three hundred years in a convent and 50 years in Hollywood’,” says Dr. Kwiecień.

Ice rinks and funfairs South Korea is the second most Christian country in East Asia. Christians (mostly Protestants) make up 20-30 percent of the population. In this country, Christmas is mostly about business. It's a lot like... Valentine's Day.

“In South Korea, Christmas has been widely celebrated since 1945, ever since American soldiers arrived in the country,” said Dr. Joanna Beczkowska, a specialist in Korean issues at the University of Łódź. At the end of WWII, Christians made up less than five percent of the population.

She added that Christmas is treated more as a curiosity in Korea. “It is considered partly commercial, partly entertainment. In the days leading up to Christmas, shopping malls, adorned with Christmas decorations, tempt shoppers with a wide range of gifts. South Koreans rarely decorate Christmas trees. In addition, Christmas Eve is not celebrated. Christmas has no family dimension in this country. There are also no traditions related to Christmas dishes," Dr. Beczkowska said, adding that people eat sweets and cakes.

Christmas Day is a public holiday, free from work and school. Koreans (especially young people) use this time to meet friends and go out on dates. “Christmas is celebrated mostly by couples – dating and married alike. There are many events for couples; ice-skating rinks and funfairs are open. Tickets are sold for Christmas-themed performances. It’s mostly about having fun, rather than a spiritual experience," says Dr. Beczkowska.

She added that it is customary to buy gifts for loved ones, especially partners. That's why lingerie and chocolate, which Westerners usually buy for Valentine's Day, fly off the shelves before Christmas.

The Catholics in Korea attend mass. While this is still a minority, Dr. Beczkowska notes, the numbers are growing. “In South Korea, the percentage of people declaring themselves Christians has grown in recent years. Previously, Buddhism was the dominant religion. Now Koreans are moving away from Buddhism, either in favor of rejecting the faith altogether (about 50 percent of the population declares themselves atheists) or in favor of Christianity.

Apples and love

Christmas is also celebrated in other Asian countries, such as China and Japan, where Christians are estimated to make up about one percent of the population. They are mainly commercial in nature. The symbol of Christmas in China is apples, which are given as gifts. And that's because Christians in China call Christmas Eve "Píng'ān yè," which means "Silent Night". The pronunciation sounds similar to the word "apple" (píngguǒ).

In Japan, the most popular Christmas food is chicken. Not roasted with a side of potatoes, but battered and deep fried. Japanese people love KFC on Christmas day! The custom is the result of an advertising campaign by the fast-food chain in the 1970s. Japanese people also like dessert (Christmas cake) – usually in the form of a cake with whipped cream and strawberries. Cities are lit up with bright and colourful illuminations. Some of the busiest places in Japan around Christmas time are theme parks such as Disneyland in Tokyo and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Crescent-shaped cookies However, it’s not only faraway countries that offer a variety of Christmas traditions. Even in Europe, many societies have very different customs around this time of the year.

In Germany, Christmas Eve has a much more modest character than in Poland. On December 24, the only dishes are roasted sausages and potato salad. A feast with lavishly set tables is held on December 25 and 26.

Of course, traditions can vary slightly from state to state. “In Bavaria, Christmas Eve dinner features roast duck with dumplings, red cabbage, and fruit sauce. Some people also eat roast goose or pork. People also eat carp, as well as potato salad and sausages,” said Daniela Glück, 30, who spent more than half her life living near Nuremberg. She said that she has also heard of people eating raclette – a dish of melted cheese that is popular in Switzerland. She now lives in Warsaw and works in a studio started by the famous stained-glass artist Teresa M. Reklewska in 1975. There, she writes icons and makes stained-glass windows.

Daniela adds that desserts are a must around the Christmas table. For example, Christmas strudel (Stollen), gingerbread (Lebkuchen) or crescent-shaped Christmas cookies flavored with vanilla and almonds (Vanillekipferl).

Another Polish woman, who lives in Münster (North Rhine-Westphalia), says that before dinner on December 25, families usually go to church to watch a Christmas play with\ children actors. After lunch, "most people light the Christmas tree and unwrap presents."

Presents exchanged in early January Finns enjoy a steamy sauna on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, in Croatia, they bring home three tree trunks. In Denmark, they eat rice pudding. “Hidden in the pudding is an almond. The person who finds it is given a marzipan pig as a gift, which is supposed to ensure good luck in the coming year,” explains Dr. Grzegorz Odoj.

The ethnologist notes that Christmas is celebrated in a very lavish way in southern Europe. In Spain, people spend Christmas Eve in large groups, including friends and family. People also like to go to midnight mass, and hundreds of thousands do so all over the country. “Spain is a very secular country. However, Christian traditions are still practiced,” Dr. Odoj said, adding that Spaniards crowd the streets for midnight mass, taking advantage of the opportunity for a fiesta. They sing carols, dance and share Turron – a sugary sweet nougat full of nuts.

We should add that in Spain, gifts are exchanged on the day of Epiphany, January 6, when the three wise men are said to have visited Baby Jesus with gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh.

In Greece, the locals also like to spend Christmas Eve outdoors. “They meet in restaurants, clubs and bars. On Christmas Day, they share the Bread of Christ (Christópsomo). This is a large loaf of bread filled with nuts, which is imprinted with a wooden seal (usually in the shape of a cross),” Dr. Odoj said.

He also points out that Greeks do not decorate their homes with Christmas trees. They decorate models of sailing ships of various sizes. Meanwhile, presents are given on January 1 by Saint Basil.

–Łukasz Lubański

TVP WEEKLY. Editorial team and journalists

–Translated by Roberto Galea