Christmas around the World

compiled by Interpreter staff

Christmas brings to mind images of snow, Christmas lights and “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” in the United States, but Christmas is a worldwide celebration. The Interpreter staff asked several of our co-workers at United Methodist Communications what Christmas is like in their home countries.

There are many differences … and many similarities.

Korea

Christmas was introduced to Korea, along with Christianity, by American missionaries 110 years ago. There was no holiday similar to Christmas in Korea, so ways of celebrating Christmas are very similar to America.

Christmas reminds older generations of American soldiers. During the Korean War, we suffered a famine and were very poor and had lots of orphans. Many people survived only by food and aid from American soldiers. Now, Korea has developed pretty much, and younger generations know a lot of America. We can say that they have been “westernized.” They do just like Americans do in the Christmas season.

—The Rev. Sang Yean Cho is a native of Seoul, South Korea, and director of Korean resources.

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Mexico

Christmas is a special time in the Mexican culture. My father was a United Methodist minister who came from Mexico.

My family would gather at Christmas to make tamales, menudo (spicy stew with hominy and tripe) and champurrado (hot chocolate with corn meal). Making tamales was a community family event with everyone in the house with spare hands helping out. This was our time to tell stories and humorous anecdotes and recount the family history.

Mexicans celebrate Las Posadas, the journey of Joseph and Mary to seek shelter for the birth of the Christ Child. On Jan. 6 Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Kings (El Día de los Reyes), when the three kings arrived to pay homage to the Christ Child, and children sometimes receive additional gifts on that day.

—Bilha Alegría is a native of Monterrey, Mexico, and an information consultant with InfoServ.

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Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe and most commonwealth countries, Christmas presents are opened on Dec. 26, known as Boxing Day. On Christmas Day, there is a lot of eating and shopping. Those who can afford them will buy new clothes to wear to church on Christmas Day. It is also customary for your friends in the congregation to buy you presents and leave them under a tree. During the service, someone announces that you have a present under the tree.

—Tafadzwa Mudambanuki is a native of Mutare, Zimbabwe, and a training developer with the Communications Resourcing Team.

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Bolivia

In the southern hemisphere, the Christmas season occurs during our summer. Because La Paz is 12,000 feet above sea level, the weather at Christmastime is warm in the day and cool at night.

In the city’s “open markets” a few days before Christmas, there are street vendors everywhere, displaying all kinds of imported toys, wrapping paper, bows, ribbons and colorful lights. Americans aren’t the only ones doing last-minute shopping!

At midnight on Christmas people walk out of their homes and hurry to the nearest church. They take a baby Jesus figure to the temple and seek the priest’s blessings after the service. When they arrive home, they lay it in the manger of their Nativity display, light candles and pray. Children are allowed to open their presents that baby Jesus brought for them.

As the influence of the media became stronger, so did the influence of goods and cultural traditions from elsewhere. Even though you can still see baby Jesus figures for sale on the street markets today, sadly, He is becoming less popular than the pine tree and Papá Noel.

—Amanda Mostajo-Bachus is a native of La Paz, Bolivia, and director of Spanish resources.

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This story appears in the November / December 2004 issue of INTERPRETER Magazine.