Here in the UK, Christmas is a time for sharing, a time for giving and receiving presents, eating large amounts of food, family get-togethers and Christmas carols. Christmas is also of course a religious time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ albeit as we comment later it would appear that in all probability Jesus was not born at Christmas and the seasons festivities very much stem from a variety of pagan festivals.

Alternative word for Christmas are Xmas, Noel and Yule or Yuletide although the latter more correctly means winter festival.

But what happens in other countries?

In Australia there is of course no “Dashing thru the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh” but did you know that Australians have a substitute for Santa Clause and that many Russians celebrate Christmas on 25th December and then again on 7th January. Also Christmas is celebrated in some countries where Christians are a minority, and in others there are several holidays that predate the arrival of Jesus Christ by centuries.

Christmas Around the World

Although 25th December is celebrated as Christ's birthday, there are grounds to believe that Jesus was born either in the autumn or spring. So why do we celebrate Christmas on 25th December? The answer can be found by taking a look at our non secular history. Most winter festivals take place around the time of the winter solstice, when the nights are long and the days short and cold. Because historically people depend long warm days to grow crops or hunt and gather food, the darker, less warm days made people afraid and concerned about the future. Before the official recognition of Christianity by the Romans in the 4th century the major spiritual cults were pagan. The Roman winter celebration of Saturnalia ended on twenty-five December when the rebirth of the sun god was celebrated signalling longer days, better weather and optimism for the coming year.

When the Romans did eventually adopt Christianity as an approved religion, notwithstanding attempts to eliminate the pagan winter holiday, they found it was so well established that they decided to add it to the Christian calendar with the result that 25th December came to be celebrated as the day of Christ's birth.

Christmas in Europe

 As well as the more popular Christmas customs and rituals, some areas of Spain have a distinctive practice, which you will not find anyplace else. Hogueras or bonfires are lit to mark the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the start of winter. People leap over the fires as a symbolical defence against sickness, a practice which originated long before Christmas itself.

Christmas celebrations in Spain continue for several weeks following 25th December and on the eve of Epiphany, which is 5th January, young children leave their shoes outside their door to be filled with presents from the 3 Wise Men.

In Germany there is a comparable custom to that in Spain, known as Nikolaustag, when on 6th December, young children also leave a shoe or boot outside their door before going to bed. If they've been good that year, when they waken up they will find their shoe or boot stuffed with gifts. But if they have not, they will find it full with twigs. Germany is also believed to be the place where the Christmas tree originated from. The popular belief is that Martin Luther, the 16th-century founding father of the Reformation, was taking a walk home one night and was struck by the attractiveness of the fir trees in the moonlight. He cut one down and took it home, decorated it with candles, which he lit to celebrate the birth of Christ.

In Italy, children must wait until Epiphany on 6th January for their presents. Custom has it that gifts are delivered by a kind old witch called Befana, who arrives on a broomstick. While Befana may predate Christianity the tale is that while she was told by the 3 Kings the baby Jesus was born, she missed His birth and has been flying round since then leaving presents in each house in case He is there.

Christmas in Scandinavia

In Sweden, Christmas starts on the morning of 13th December with the Saint Lucia rite which involves youngest daughter of the family putting on a white robe with a red sash and a crown of fir and candles and then serving her parents with coffee and Lucia buns (yeasted saffron buns, with raisins). This ritual is to remember Lucia, a Christian martyred for her values in the 4th century, and also to welcome the return of the sun. After the Christmas Eve dinner, a member of the family will get dressed up as Tomte, the Christmas gnome, and give out presents, often with an amusing rhyme that hints at the contents.

In Finland, the Christmas tree is put up on Christmas Eve and finished with fruit, candy, paper flags, cotton, tinsel and candles. On Christmas Day, in the time-honoured tradition the family sit down to a meal of boiled codfish served with allspice, boiled potatoes and cream sauce.

Rather than Santa Clause or father Christmas, Norway's gift bringer is commonly known as the Julenissen a little gnome or leprechaun-like individual who delivers presents on Christmas Eve. Julenissen is reputed to have many little relatives, called nisser, who live in places such as barns and boathouses. Nisser are shy around humans and only appear from their hiding places to play harmless tricks on people or to eat porridge that has been left out for them as a special treat. These little versions of Santa Clause are a particularly old tradition, going back to before the Nativity. 'Jule ' means Christmas, and 'nisse ' is believed to be gleaned from St Nicholas, the guardian saint of kids.

Christmas in the Far East

It China Christmas is not generally celebrated although it is observed by an increasing minority. Chinese Christmas trees are called 'trees of light ', and Santa Clause is known as Dun Che Lao Ren, meaning Christmas Old Man. For non-Christian Chinese, Christmas is the time to celebrate Dong Zhi, or 'the arrival of winter ', and falls on 22nd December. Dong Zhi originates from the time when people celebrated having gathered in the crops for storage over winter and the return of the workers who were away gathering provisions for the cold winter months.

In Japan, almost all of the people are either Shintoist or Buddhist, and less than 1% believe in Christ. Nevertheless Japanese people still enjoy decorating their homes and exchanging gifts. Children believe that Hoteiosho, one of the Japanese gods, watches their behaviour over the course of the year with the eyes he has in the back of his head and if they are good brings them presents.

Christmas in Australia

Australians historically have celebrated Christmas in the same way as we do here in the UK but with one significant difference, it’s the height of their summer when temperatures can reach in excess of 40C. As a result of that many have swapped the normal turkey dinner for family picnics and BBQs in the garden or local parks. Some Australians even head for their local beach with Sydney's Bondi Beach now attracting a massive crowd of revellers on 25th December. Santa Claus is still of course really busy down under, but some Australians now believe that the Swag Man will deliver their presents instead. Dressed far more appropriately for the weather with a brown Akubra ( wide-brimmed hat ), blue shirt and long baggy shorts he spends winter under Uluru ( Ayers Rock ) with his merry dingoes, ancient primitive canines thought to have been brought to Australia thousands of years ago from Southeast Asia. At Christmas Swag Man gets in his big four-wheel drive and sets off with presents for all good children living in Australia. A swagman is an old Australian term used to describe a temporary worker who travelled by foot from farm to farm and it’s unclear how the association between Santa Clause and the Swag Man came about. Australians now even have their own humorous Aussie version of the conventional Jingle Bells, more suited to an Australian “Hot” Christmas and which refers to “The swaggie climbs aboard”.

Christmas in America

Americans also celebrate Christmas in the same way as we do here in the UK with family get-togethers, roast turkey and presents beneath the Christmas tree. They do, nevertheless have their own modern, seasonal customs. Each year, carol singers meet at the base of the “'Nation's Christmas Tree”, a 267 foot sequoia, in California's Kings Canyon National Park. Thousands also drive to Hollywood, California, for the annual Parade of Stars, while others meet at Balboa Park in San Diego for Christmas concerts on the World’s biggest out of doors pipe organ. What is generally not known is that the first Christmas to be celebrated in America was essentially a Spanish one. Hernando de Soto and his armed forces set up their winter camp in what's now Tallahassee, Florida, in 1539, prior to the arrival of English settlers.

On 26th December, African American citizens celebrate Kwanzaa, a vacation that originates from the time of the civil rights movement in the 1960s and honours African heritage. Friends and family gather together to exchange gifts and to light a succession of black, red and green candles to symbolize the 7 principles of Afro-American family life. The party lasts for 7 days. One candle is lit on each of the days, with a giant banquet on the final day, when presents are exchanged. The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase 'matunda ya kwanza ', meaning 'first fruits '. An extra 'a ' was added to the Swahili 'kwanza ' so the word would have 7 letters one for every one of the 7 principles.

Christmas in South America

In Brazil, children receive a visit from Papai Noel, who according to legend lives in Greenland and arrives wearing silk clothing due to the summer heat. Christmas is celebrated with dancing and singing, with the merriment continuing until Three Kings Day (Brazilians name for Epiphany) on 6th January, when the 3 Wise Men visited Jesus bearing gifts.

Right through Christmas in Guatemala, a number of religious statues are used for long processions through the streets. At the back of the parade is an image of God His white-bearded face similar to a department store Father Christmas. Merriment ends at midnight on Christmas Eve with a Misa de Gallo, meaning 'Mass of the Rooster '.

Throughout the Christmas season in Bolivia, a characteristic of both the houses and churches is a pesebre, or nativity scene. The church bells call people to mass on Christmas Eve, after which when they return to their houses the banqueting starts.

Bolivian children must wait till Epiphany on 6^th January for their gifts, which are brought not by Santa, but the 3 Kings.