Advents Calendar Around the World / Customs and Traditions – December 1

December 1st

Happy First of December! December is the official start of the “Jolly” Season of the year. It is the time when you feel like there is some kind of Magic in the Air. It’s beautiful and somewhat breathtaking, we light candles and make the Dark World light up. It is also a great time to learn a little thing or two about the different Christmas Traditions and Customs from around the World.

Christmas is such a Common used Vocabulary that we tend to forget the origin and heritage but that some Cultures have adopted a tradition in another way. Over the next 23 days, we will learn a little bit about different Customs and Traditions, through Events, Traditions, and Food.

It is a Tradition that has become such a stable in our Society that we often don’t think about the real meaning behind it, or where it originated, Christmas is not only a Christian tradition anymore it has become so much more.

I am the person that would be classified as a “non – believer” (please correct this if there is a different word for it). I have only stepped foot into a Church for my Cousins Wedding or to admire the Architecture and the Artwork while traveling. I have never been to a Christmas Man, or on Sunday to Church, but even though I don’t celebrate the Birth of Christ on Christmas Eve, doesn’t mean I don’t love Christmas. Or the Christmas Season.

The Christmas Season is about the magic in the Air, it is about wearing way too many layers to not freeze while visiting a Christmas Market. It is about everything that makes it special. It is about baking Christmas cookies, drinking Hot Chocolate and watching the Snow Fall. All while you have a few Candles lit up inside the house, to fight through the Darkness. That to me is the ideal Christmas Pre Season.

A lot of the Christmas Season is about Traditions, each Country has their own Christmas  Tradition and Customs, yet all somewhat similar. In some Homes, Santa Claus comes for a visit, while other the Christ child will visit the Children of the World.

So to kick off the Advents Calendar Traditions and Customs around the World let do 10 facts, and Traditions you may not have heard about that are happening around the World.

The Advents Wreath

The Advents Wreath has become a stable in a lot of our Advents time. I like to think of it as bringing in a little more light in the dark season, although I know that there is a whole Christian History and story to this.

From what I have understood the circle represents God everlasting love, the four candles the weeks leading up to the big event. Some Advents Calendars have a white Calendar in the Middle representing the child Jesus.

Regardless of how you create or design your Advents Calendar for should have Joy in it. Anything is possible the use of Straw traditionally a Norwegian Style, of a Wreath out of Bread a Danish Tradition.

This is what Lora from craftydesign.com says:

In order to create a meaningful home at Christmas, I wanted to include the tradition of the Advent Wreath in our holiday celebration. During Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, by lighting each candle in our modern Advent Wreath. It’s a bit of a twist on the traditional wreath, in order to meld with our modern, farmhouse-style home. If you are new to this tradition, check out my tutorial and grab a printable which explains each candle.

Photo Credit : Lora from craftydesign.com

 

Ukraine – All the houses must be thoroughly cleaned before Christmas, and all the field work and harvest must be done by December 4th.

Germany – Advents Calendar date back to the 1800s in Germany, which is still kept until today. You can never be too old for an Advents Calendar.

Denmark- Calendar Candles are very popular, and they get burned down a certain amount each night until it’s finished on Christmas Eve.

Finland – They often have Ice or Snow lantern with a Candle burning inside in their yards.

The Netherlands – December 6th, Sinterclass (St. Nicolas Day) is a big day in the Netherlands. Sinterclass arrives on a boat are huge parades are held. The Sinterclass delivers Candy, Treats, and Nuts to children who leave their Boots out for him to fill.

Scandinavia and Italy

Photo Credit : https://www.coraevans.com

December 13th, St. Lucy’s feast day. St. Lucy is known as the “saint of light.”

Traditionally on the Morning of the 13, the oldest girl in the household will get up early, dress as St.Lucy, wearing a white dress with a red sash and a crown of Candles on her head. She will then create a Breakfast feast for her Family.

China – People will hang colorful paper laters in their homes.

Australia – Unlike the rest of the World, it’s Summer in Australia. It is time for a good Barbie (BBQ) and lots of Summer fun. Did you know that only in the least few years you could get Santa on the Beach Christmas Cards? Before there was a lot of Snow, which was not down-under.

These are just an example of a few Traditions, in the next weeks we will explore a lot more traditions and Customs to maybe be able to ingrate some of them and make them your own traditions.

Do you have a Family Christmas Traditions and Customs that you would not want to miss? Share them below.

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