What traditions do you have during the Christmas season in your country?

Philippines is known for having the world’s longest Christmas season lol, that is because, the four months that ends with the syllable "ber" are considered Christmas months! Being mostly Catholics, Filipinos start a novena (a series of nine masses) on December 16th. The masses are part of the cherished religious tradition of what we called "Simbang Gabi" which literally means “Night Worship.” Its an accomplishment to attend all nine masses! We also have "Monito Monita" or "Kris Kringle" (exchanging gifts). But what every Filipino looks forward to is the Noche Buena, the family dinner after the midnight mass. :) What traditions do you have during the Christmas season in your country? Do you actually celebrate Christmas?

We celebrate a spanglish Xmas, my children do regular Xmas on Dec 25 and Noche Buena, we do Los tres Reyes and Spanish Xmas in January

In Ukraine (like in many other Eastern-European countries where Orthodox Church is common) we celebrate Christmas on 6/7th of January. In fact, it is rather celebrated by people who attend Church on a regular basis and generally believe in God. However, many people would greet one another with 'Merry Christmas' or more traditionally - 'Jesus Christ is born', and the answer would be 'May he be blessed' (not exact translation, admittedly). 

Most common one is to put round fruits in the table to attract financial abundance. My sister used to do it but not me though.  

My family's not big on celebrations -- we rarely even celebrate birthdays. We go all out during Christmas though. It's...a season of giving for us so we all go overboard with the gifts :)

There's no one way to celebrate Christmas here. We go to church on the 25th, put on nice clothes and there's usually food in abundance. Fried rice and chicken with salad is usually main dish of the day. We also visit friends and family too.

Charlyn wrote:

Most common one is to put round fruits in the table to attract financial abundance. My sister used to do it but not me though. :slightly_smiling_face:

I thought this is for new year because we usually do that before New Year's eve. :slightly_smiling_face:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.  

In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

Jade.Xuereb wrote:

We celebrate a spanglish Xmas, my children do regular Xmas on Dec 25 and Noche Buena, we do Los tres Reyes and Spanish Xmas in January

what is Los Tres Reyes?

Vladyslava wrote:

In Ukraine (like in many other Eastern-European countries where Orthodox Church is common) we celebrate Christmas on 6/7th of January. In fact, it is rather celebrated by people who attend Church on a regular basis and generally believe in God. However, many people would greet one another with 'Merry Christmas' or more traditionally - 'Jesus Christ is born', and the answer would be 'May he be blessed' (not exact translation, admittedly).

Do you celebrate new year in your country?

Charlyn wrote:

Most common one is to put round fruits in the table to attract financial abundance. My sister used to do it but not me though. :slightly_smiling_face:

yeah, during new year, right? :blush:

Ari wrote:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.
In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

oh, seems like noche buena..

Los tres Reyes is the night the three kings (wise men mago magos etc ) come to visit the children they throw sweets in the streets as they parade around for the nightcabalgata then go to the church to give outgifts tieachchild in the village. Every town has a cabalgata celebration here is a video for Madrid ,my town only has 509 people do ours is smaller but the kids love it https://youtu.be/CNtONuVe-Hs

I can't embed maybe Leo can edit for me ? 

My mom used to do the round fruits thing too. I think you have to have lie 12 different round fruits, right? She stopped eventually because the fruits always end up uneaten. :P

ikaymoreno wrote:

My mom used to do the round fruits thing too. I think you have to have lie 12 different round fruits, right? She stopped eventually because the fruits always end up uneaten. :P

I think it needs to be 13 fruits.

Ari wrote:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.
In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

I think that we latinos have a lot of things in common xD.... 

In my country there are two options:

- People go to 11-12AM mass to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.

- People party and drink and wait till 12AM to hug everyone, have dinner and give presents. Then they keep partying.

We eat hallacas (like mexican tamales with european and african heritage), pan de jamon (ham bread - with olives and raisins), pernil (pork) and ensalada de gallina (hen salad with potatoes)

On new years eve we have a tradition, we wait till 12AM and we eat 12 grapes and each one represents a wish :)

We do 12 grapesat midnight for new year too

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

Ari wrote:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.
In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

I think that we latinos have a lot of things in common xD....
In my country there are two options:
- People go to 11-12AM mass to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.
- People party and drink and wait till 12AM to hug everyone, have dinner and give presents. Then they keep partying.
We eat hallacas (like mexican tamales with european and african heritage), pan de jamon (ham bread - with olives and raisins), pernil (pork) and ensalada de gallina (hen salad with potatoes)
On new years eve we have a tradition, we wait till 12AM and we eat 12 grapes and each one represents a wish :)

Why grapes? Is there a reason behind?

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Why grapes? Is there a reason behind?

I have no idea :o

My wife makes tacos for Christmas. ^__^ We have a whole big pile of fixings and boxes of hardshells and we just keep going back and making more like a buffet. Awesome sauce.

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

Ari wrote:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.

In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

I think that we latinos have a lot of things in common xD....

In my country there are two options:

- People go to 11-12AM mass to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.

- People party and drink and wait till 12AM to hug everyone, have dinner and give presents. Then they keep partying.

We eat hallacas (like mexican tamales with european and african heritage), pan de jamon (ham bread - with olives and raisins), pernil (pork) and ensalada de gallina (hen salad with potatoes)

On new years eve we have a tradition, we wait till 12AM and we eat 12 grapes and each one represents a wish :)

Why grapes? Is there a reason behind?

The grapes are for good luck. You eat them and save the seeds, and that will be your lucky number.  

There are a lot of traditions for new years. Like wear red or yellow underwear to find love. Go out with suitcases at midnight if you want to travel that year. And there are more that I don't recall at this moment.

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

Ari wrote:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.

In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

I think that we latinos have a lot of things in common xD....

In my country there are two options:

- People go to 11-12AM mass to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.

- People party and drink and wait till 12AM to hug everyone, have dinner and give presents. Then they keep partying.

We eat hallacas (like mexican tamales with european and african heritage), pan de jamon (ham bread - with olives and raisins), pernil (pork) and ensalada de gallina (hen salad with potatoes)

On new years eve we have a tradition, we wait till 12AM and we eat 12 grapes and each one represents a wish :)

Yes, very similar. We have Panamanian tamales which look just like hallacas, exactly the same, but instead of harina pan we use real corn.

Ari wrote:

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

Ari wrote:

In my country we gather the 24 to wait until midnight and then we have a big dinner and exchange gifts. There is a lot of music and parties. I remember one of my favorites traditions growing up were Las Posadas, where kids will dress as shepards and there will be a representation of Mary and Joseph. And they will go from house to house singing and asking for a place to stay just like the story of the Nativity.

In the month of December everything is more joyful, full of lights, decorations, music and more importantly the union of the families.

I think that we latinos have a lot of things in common xD....

In my country there are two options:

- People go to 11-12AM mass to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.

- People party and drink and wait till 12AM to hug everyone, have dinner and give presents. Then they keep partying.

We eat hallacas (like mexican tamales with european and african heritage), pan de jamon (ham bread - with olives and raisins), pernil (pork) and ensalada de gallina (hen salad with potatoes)

On new years eve we have a tradition, we wait till 12AM and we eat 12 grapes and each one represents a wish :)

Why grapes? Is there a reason behind?

The grapes are for good luck. You eat them and save the seeds, and that will be your lucky number.

There are a lot of traditions for new years. Like wear red or yellow underwear to find love. Go out with suitcases at midnight if you want to travel that year. And there are more that I don't recall at this moment.

First time to hear about wearing red or yellow underwear. I only know bout wearing anything with polka dots and putting coins inside your pockets. We also have this understanding that you should not spend money on the 1st of January so that money will not always be going out of your pocket the while year.  

Ari wrote:

The grapes are for good luck. You eat them and save the seeds, and that will be your lucky number.
There are a lot of traditions for new years. Like wear red or yellow underwear to find love. Go out with suitcases at midnight if you want to travel that year. And there are more that I don't recall at this moment.

I didn't knew this "You eat them and save the seeds, and that will be your lucky number"... We also do the other traditions xD

Ari wrote:

Yes, very similar. We have Panamanian tamales which look just like hallacas, exactly the same, but instead of harina pan we use real corn.

With maiz pilado? I tried hallacas with maiz pilado once and are really good.

My aunts and grandparents also would make sure to buy grapes for the Noche Buena feast, because they're good luck. Hmm.  

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Phillip.Laplana wrote:

My aunts and grandparents also would make sure to buy grapes for the Noche Buena feast, because they're good luck. Hmm. :slightly_smiling_face:

how it would bring good luck?:blush:

Then again, my grandma said I shouldn't play with my Matchbox cars Christmas gifts. I should just keep them on display in the cabinet or else they would break. So I think her wisdom may have been a bit spotty.

My family goes to church for 9 mornings (some would hold their mass at midnight) until the 24th. I've never completed attending the mass for 9 days but my parents are really devoted, they complete it every year.

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Phillip.Laplana wrote:

My aunts and grandparents also would make sure to buy grapes for the Noche Buena feast, because they're good luck. Hmm. :slightly_smiling_face:

how it would bring good luck?:blush:

Mine used to do this too. They'd hang a small bundle by the door and let it dry. Then they replace it with fresh ones the next Christmas.

ikaymoreno wrote:

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Phillip.Laplana wrote:

My aunts and grandparents also would make sure to buy grapes for the Noche Buena feast, because they're good luck. Hmm. :slightly_smiling_face:

how it would bring good luck?:blush:

Mine used to do this too. They'd hang a small bundle by the door and let it dry. Then they replace it with fresh ones the next Christmas.

O_O those must have made for some very interesting Christmas raisins.

Phillip.Laplana wrote:

ikaymoreno wrote:

Michelle.Batan wrote:

Phillip.Laplana wrote:

My aunts and grandparents also would make sure to buy grapes for the Noche Buena feast, because they're good luck. Hmm. :slightly_smiling_face:

how it would bring good luck?:blush:

Mine used to do this too. They'd hang a small bundle by the door and let it dry. Then they replace it with fresh ones the next Christmas.

O_O those must have made for some very interesting Christmas raisins.

Hahahaha! We don't eat them! although I really **really** wanted to do so as a kid. It was just there! Hanging. Waiting for me to pluck it.

My mom and my grand mother used to make between 700 to 1000 cookies every year for christmas @.@.... That's a tradition I've tried to keep, but I had a lower the amout of cookies or I'll go mad hahahaa

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

My mom and my grand mother used to make between 700 to 1000 cookies every year for christmas @.@.... That's a tradition I've tried to keep, but I had a lower the amout of cookies or I'll go mad hahahaa

We just got an oven so I'm gonna try baking this Christmas! I bought 4 kilos of chocolates because I'll be making choco chip cookies and revel bars to be given to friends. :) I've never baked anythign before so I hope it works out.

ikaymoreno wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

My mom and my grand mother used to make between 700 to 1000 cookies every year for christmas @.@.... That's a tradition I've tried to keep, but I had a lower the amout of cookies or I'll go mad hahahaa

We just got an oven so I'm gonna try baking this Christmas! I bought 4 kilos of chocolates because I'll be making choco chip cookies and revel bars to be given to friends. :) I've never baked anythign before so I hope it works out.

YUM! Good luck:)!!! Try a small batch at first and see how it goes! 

Well for starters our country is orthodox Christian so we celebrate Christmas on 7th of January. It's mosttly family thing and it's definitely not like the "commercialized" capitalism Christmas that USA has for example haha :D 

My family members would find it fun having a lechon on the table for Christmas.  

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

ikaymoreno wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

My mom and my grand mother used to make between 700 to 1000 cookies every year for christmas @.@.... That's a tradition I've tried to keep, but I had a lower the amout of cookies or I'll go mad hahahaa

We just got an oven so I'm gonna try baking this Christmas! I bought 4 kilos of chocolates because I'll be making choco chip cookies and revel bars to be given to friends. :) I've never baked anythign before so I hope it works out.

YUM! Good luck:)!!! Try a small batch at first and see how it goes!

Thanks! I saved like 10 different receipes I found online and I'm thinkign how I'm gonna tweak them so I can make it my own. :D

ikaymoreno wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

ikaymoreno wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

My mom and my grand mother used to make between 700 to 1000 cookies every year for christmas @.@.... That's a tradition I've tried to keep, but I had a lower the amout of cookies or I'll go mad hahahaa

We just got an oven so I'm gonna try baking this Christmas! I bought 4 kilos of chocolates because I'll be making choco chip cookies and revel bars to be given to friends. :) I've never baked anythign before so I hope it works out.

YUM! Good luck:)!!! Try a small batch at first and see how it goes!

Thanks! I saved like 10 different receipes I found online and I'm thinkign how I'm gonna tweak them so I can make it my own. :D

Yes! I love to do that! mostly with cakes  

Charlyn wrote:

My family members would find it fun having a lechon on the table for Christmas. :smile: :grin:

same here! :)