International Christmas Traditions and their Origins

Christmas tops the charts as America's favorite holiday, with 1.6 billion cards sent each year. But the way people celebrate varies widely around the globe. Let’s dive into some unique international Christmas traditions from different cultures that might inspire new ideas for your holiday celebrations.

How Do American Christmas Traditions Differ From Other Countries Around the World?

The most common thing to see nowadays in modern American households come December is a rich blend of customs and traditions that come together to form a unique holiday celebration for every family. Traditions can come from practices both religious and secular, and oftentimes there are family traditions that people pass down through generations.

As the melting pot of people, the United States is a place where many different holiday traditions come together. It might come as a shock to some Americans to hear that the traditions that they grew up with actually came from many places all over the world. Some of the main cultural influences in American Christmas come from Mexico, Poland, the Netherlands, France, and Italy.

Christmas Celebrations Across North America

The vast majority of Christmas-celebrating cultures place a special emphasis on giving to others and being kind and generous, which is why Christmas is called the "season of giving." It is often said that it's better to give than receive, but around this holiday, it's always nice to have a little bit of both.

For our friends to the North, Canadian holiday season traditions vary as widely as the cultures and heritages of its people. Nova Scotia is a great place to witness a unique and interesting tradition that you can't see anywhere else. It's called Belsnickeling, and it's a fascinating event where people don comical interpretations of Santa Claus and go up and down neighborhoods knocking on people's doors. Their neighbors then have to try to guess who it is behind the big white beard. It's fun for everyone involved and brings the community together in an interesting way.

Canadian Christmas Traditions

• Belsnickeling in Nova Scotia is a playful tradition where people dressed as Santa visit neighbors, who must guess their identities.
• Canadians might open gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, with some opting for one gift each on the eve and the rest the next morning. Stockings are commonly found filled with smaller presents to be opened on Christmas morning.
• Similar to the US, Canadians send out Christmas cards and often take themed family photos.

Meanwhile, fully celebrating Christmas in Mexico means setting aside a whole lot more time in your schedule than celebrating in the US. Mexican Christmas is just shy of a month long, kicking off on December 12th, lasting through the New Year, and finally coming to its conclusion on January 6th.

Festive Fun in Mexico

• From December 16th to Christmas Eve, many Latin Americans observe Las Posadas, a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for shelter, culminating in festive celebrations with fireworks and parties.

This is another tradition of bringing communities together, with particular emphasis on the children, who go around town to each Posada, where they are presented with a special set of items including candles, a board, and painted figures of clay depicting Joseph, Mary, and a donkey. The event is filled with song as they go to each Posada one after the other and are turned away, being told the proverbial line, "There is no room at the inn," each time.

German Christmas Traditions

Germany is host to a tradition that might sound confusing at first. It involves "das Christkind," which means "The Christ Child," and so naturally, most would assume that this would be a reenactment of the baby Jesus. However, it is actually a young girl who is picked because she is said to have qualities that are Christ-like. This lucky individual gets a featured position in the parade and often dons a white dress with angel wings.

Fun Facts About International Christmas Traditions

International Names for Father Christmas

It's impossible to think about Christmas traditions without also thinking about Santa Claus, who goes by a number of different names in the US alone. The fact that he has many other names in different countries might not then come as much of a surprise. In Turkey, he's known as Noel Baba, while the French call him Pere Noel. From Papai Noel in Brazil to Hoteiosho in Japan, there are numerous names for the man in the big red suit.

Celebrate What Matters Most

As we embrace new ways of celebrating, the essence of Christmas will continue to evolve around the world, fostering new traditions that keep us connected. We encourage you and your family to embrace all kinds of holiday experiences together. Make memories and take photos each year to celebrate time spent together. After all, the gift of time spent with loved ones is truly the greatest gift you can give them.