Celebrating Christmas is a tradition found on all continents of the world. Nevertheless, not all countries know Santa Claus, nativity scenes and presents under festively decorated Christmas trees. We invite you to take a walk through the most interesting traditions of celebrating Christmas around the world!
Slovakia
According to Slovakian tradition, the Christmas dinner must begin with the heads of the family up to the ceiling throws a spoonful of Loksa – traditional Slovak dishes made from bread, water and poppy seeds. According to tradition, the harvest will be as good as the unusual mixture that will stick to the ceiling.
Ireland
The Irish Christmas tradition is very popular even in the 21st century. The Irish must use it for Santa Claus leave a snack of meat pie and the most popular Irish beer, Guinness. What man wouldn't want to be Santa Claus in Ireland?
China
There are few Christians in China who celebrate Christmas. They call it Sheng Dan Jieh, which means the Festival of the Holy Nativity, and the holiday is celebrated by decorating homes with paper lanterns, red paper chains, flowers and a tree of lights, all of which symbolize joy.
READ MORE: Lighting of Christmas lights here and around the world
Norway
An old Norwegian tradition says that on Christmas Eve, witches and other evil spirits steal brooms from houses, on which they ride across the starry sky. That's why some Norwegians still hide brooms and other cleaning tools for Christmas, and men sometimes go to the sky several times in front of their houses shot with guns and thus drive away all evil creatures.
Russia and Ukraine
Since the Orthodox Church in Russia and Ukraine still uses the older, Julian calendar for religious holidays, Christmas is celebrated only January 7th. According to the old tradition, the Christmas dinner on January 6 consists of twelve dishes, symbolizing the twelve apostles.
Ethiopia
Even in Ethiopia, due to the Julian calendar, the Orthodox Church does not celebrate Christmas until January 7. Then the believers, everyone dressed in white, attend the ceremony in the church, and twelve days later, on January 19, the celebration of the 3-day Timkat holiday, which commemorates the baptism of Christ, begins.
Czech Republic
The most unusual ritual is certainly the one that is supposed to be performed on December 24 according to tradition single women in the Czech Republic. On the day before Christmas, they were supposed to leave the house and turn their backs to the front door. Then they allegedly took off their shoe and threw it over their shoulder. If the heel of the shoe was facing the door, it meant that the girl would still be single in the next year. But if the heel was facing the street, it was a sign that she would get married in the next year and that she could start preparing for the wedding.
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