Christmas around the world
- POSTED ON: 21 Dec, 2022
- TOTAL VIEWS: 654 Views
- POSTED BY: Bhavya Venkatesh | Article by Archana Subramanian
- ARTICLE POINTS: 150 Points
Ukraine: Glistening gossamer
You have seen Christmas trees decorated with baubles and tinsel. But, did you know that Ukrainians adorn their trees with an unusual item? Legend has it that there was once a poor woman who could not afford to buy ornaments to decorate her tree for her children. Overnight, a spider spun intricate webs on the tree, and the family woke up to a beautiful sight, for, the threads turned to silver and gold in the sunlight. To remember this miracle, Ukrainians decorate their Christmas trees with artificial spider webs.
Austria: Fear factor
Ho ho ho! It’s Santa Claus! Don’t you love it when he leaves you presents for being good all year? But what if you’ve been naughty? In Austria and other European countries, there’s someone for this too — Krampus. This half-goat, the half-demon monster doesn’t take milk and cookies and certainly doesn’t give you presents. Instead, he punishes children that have misbehaved by beating them with branches and sticks. Yikes!
The Philippines: Burst of colour
Every year, in mid-December, the city of San Fernando, in the Philippines, comes alive with a vibrant mix of lanterns, lights, and music. Bright and spectacular parols, which are Filipino ornamental lanterns, deck up the city. The Giant Lantern Festival is one of the highlights of the Filipino Christmas, and San Fernando has earned the title of ‘Christmas Capital of the Philippines’.
Sweden: Yule goat
Every year, around Christmas time, a peculiar figure makes its appearance at the Castle Square in the Swedish city of Gävle. More than 40 feet tall and made of a truckload of straw, the Gävle Goat is probably one of the most famous goats in the world. It’s also an enduring Christmas symbol. It made its first appearance in 1966 and is often the target of arson and vandalism. Did you know that one time it even survived a kidnap attempt by helicopter?
Venezuela: On wheels
Christmas is a jolly time, but, did you know that in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, people have added another fun tradition to make the season even merrier? Every year, people strap on their roller skates and glide away to Christmas mass. This custom has become so popular that the government evencloses streets to allow families to make their way safely.