Christmas around the world

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Slide 13

Scandinavia

Mistletoe was used as a Christmas decoration for years, but was associated with pagan rituals

A goddess of love – probably where kissing under the mistletoe comes from

Holly replaced it, where the thorns remind of Christ’s crown on the cross and the red berries of His shed blood

Slide 14

Italy

Naughty children in Italy were the first to get a lump of coal in the stocking

Slide 15

England

Songs or “carols” [songs] were sung by small choirs for the pleasure of those that happened to walk by

Christmas cards started in London in 1843

Slide 16

France

Singing “carols” [songs] accompanied by a group dance

Noel in French is translated Christmas

Slide 17

Greece

Christmas is abbreviated Xmas because the word for Christ in Greek is Xristos

Slide 18

Israel

Christmas eve is celebrated because the Jewish tradition is that the new day starts at sundown [therefore Christmas eve is actually the start of Christmas day]

Some Jews (by heritage) are also Christians (by faith)

Slide 19

Mexico

Nochebuena, the Mexican name of the flower English-speakers call poinsettia, was discovered in Taxco and the valleys surrounding Cuernavaca. Known by the Aztecs in their native Nahuatl language as cuetlaxochitl, it is believed that they brought the plant from the tropical climate of Cuernavaca to their Aztec highlands for cultivation in special nurseries. Prized in the prehispanic era for the curative properties of the milk that dripped from the leaves, stems and flowers when cut, the pigment from the red leaves was also used to dye cotton fibers.

Slide 20

Epcot Center in Florida

Each country pavilion has a section dedicated to the history and traditions of Christmas (during the Christmas season)

Slide 21

Christmas in America

Pilgrims did not celebrate Christmas

Immigrants brought their Christmas traditions, especially in the 1700s and early 1800s

Christmas as a national celebration gathered momentum during the mid-1800s

Slide 22