Christmas is here again or, should I say, was here (but it will come again anyway).
First thing that comes into my mind when I hear about it? Gifts, gifts, and more gifts. There is one gift in particular that I am thankful for and you’ll find out as you read more of this part of my blog. People say it’s not about the gifts but I’d disagree. What do we celebrate during Christmas anyway? Isn’t it the birth of Christ we celebrate? For me, Christ’s birth is a gift to Christianity. So it isn’t true that it’s not about the gifts. What’s true is that it is all about The Gift, Jesus Christ. 
Anyway, aside from The Gift there are also the gifts we receive from our family and friends. There is the very famous saying that comes with the gift one gives along with the gift and that is: “It’s the tought that counts.” It may be much overused but it's true. From the simplest hug to the most extravagant gift one could ever imagine, all these come with thought whether good or bad with a catch or not, there is always that thought from the giver given to the receiver.
Then there are those carols. It is a famous tradition here to have people young and old alike carol in front of houses. Some do it for the spirit of Christmas, most do it for the money, and maybe they also do it for the fun. I’ve tried caroling once. It was a disaster for me but I’ve learned to always carol in groups (it would be easier). There are many carols to be sung during this season. I could share with you my 3 favorite carols and they are:
1. The Twelve Days of Christmas
2. Rudolf The Red-Nose Reindeer
3. Joy to The world
There are much more carols. In our school, we have our Christmas Carol Extravaganza where each year level sings their own set of songs.
Some countries even have odd traditions in celebrating Christmas. Here’s a list of some I've read of.
1. In Finland, they go to the graveyard during Christmas to pay tribute to their dearly departed.
2. In Italy, parents tell their children that, instead of Santa Claus, the one who gives children’s gifts is a witch named La Befana. They also have wooden pyramids instead of Christmas trees.
3. In Caracas, Valenzuela, they close off the roads so the citizens could go to church in their roller skates.
4. Ukrainian Christmas Trees are decorated with artificial spiders and webs for luck.
5. England’s traditional Christmas dinner includes a pig’s head served with mustard.
6. In Japan, it is rude to send red Christmas cards because of the fact that funeral notices are printed on red paper.
7. In Norway, people hide their brooms on Christmas trees. It was believed before that witches and evil spirits steal their brooms for riding.
8. In Catalonia, Spain, people include among their figures of the Belen (shows the nativity scene) the El Caganer (meaning the famous defecator) it is literally defecating.
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| The El Caganer has other versions too |
9. In Portugal, people leave seats for their deceased relatives and served them food too when they eat
their Christmas feast.
10. In Austria, young men dressed as Krampus (devil-demon creatures) and are often accompanied by a Nikolaus (their version of a Santa Claus) scare the people.
However you spend your Christmas
Whether Odd or traditions of past
Remember to share some love
If it’s cold wear a glove
Think of others too
So they too would think of you
A Website: www.sirvincent.com
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. What a nice article. I could really learn a lot from this blog.
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