Bhubaneswar: Christmas is celebrated by people of all religions and communities with equal fervour and gaiety. For many, Christmas is a time of gift exchanges, log cakes and turkey dinners. But that’s not the case everywhere. This ‘Bada Din’ is celebrated in different ways in different countries. Here’s a brief overview of Christmas celebrations across the world.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Every year on December 23, participants gather in Oaxaca’s main square to enter delicately carved radishes into the “Night of the Radishes” competition. These are no bite-sized radishes — they can be as large as a child’s leg.
Artists spend entire days carving the radishes for the competition, soaking them constantly so they won’t dry out. There are queues of people patiently waiting for their turn to go in and admire the splendid job of the Oaxacan artisans.
The atmosphere at the Zocalo, Oaxaca’s town square, is jubilant with live music, fireworks and swarms of locals and tourists, said Jimenez. It’s a party that keeps people’s spirits up.
The Philippines
During the festive season, houses in the Philippines are decorated with star-shaped lanterns called “parol. Parols were originally used to light the way for the tradition of Simbang Gabi, a nine-day period of pre-dawn masses held from December 16 to 24 — as well as midnight mass on Christmas Eve, called Misa de Gallo. Now, the lanterns are used as decorations. Parol symbolises the victory of light over darkness and hope.
Some 90% of people living in the Philippines identify as Christians — mostly Catholic. The Philippines remains the only Asian country where Christianity is the national religion. Many Filipinos use materials like shells, glass and LED lights to make Parols brighter and more colorful.
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Brazilians love their parties. That’s why their Christmas parades are “contagiously fun” with “lots of laughter and joy. Dressed-up characters dance alongside Santa and his elves, while interacting with children in the crowds.
There are multiple Christmas parades throughout the districts, which are organised by the city council or a private institution to promote the beginning of their festive season, like the shopping mall parade depicted in the picture.
Many people in Brazil will celebrate Christmas Eve with their family by sharing a Chester chicken, she said.
On Christmas Day, people gather again to have leftovers for lunch while listening to Brazilian music.
The ‘North Pole’
The modern tradition of writing letters to Santa may have been started by American Fanny Longfellow, wife of poet Henry Wadsworth. But in the beginning, it was Santa who wrote to the children, rather than the other way around.
Longfellow wrote letters to her three children about their behaviour during the past year. In one of Longfellow’s letters, dating to 1853, “Santa” said: “You have picked up some naughty words which I hope you will throw away as you would sour or bitter fruit.”
As the practice caught on, parents began leaving letters from Santa by the fireplace or in a stocking, where their children would pen replies in return. Today, the tradition of writing to Santa has expanded beyond the home.
In the United States, the US Postal Service runs an annual programme called Operation Santa where children and families in need can write anonymous letters to Santa about what they would like for Christmas. These letters are “adopted” by people around the country, who buy and ship the requested gifts to the families.
The United Kingdom’s postal service, Royal Mail, provides personalised replies to children who write to “Father Christmas.” But some parents are using other avenues to contact Santa, including apps and even balloons.
