Christmas in Italy-from San Lorenzo- sec.school

The mistletoe and the holly are evergreen, symbol of fertility and life: we kiss under the mistletoe to wish a happy wedding.
We also decorate the Christmas tree with coloured balls, flashing lights and a star at the top. Under the tree we put the presents that we will open on Christmas day.
We give our friends a nice plant as a present: it is called poinsettia, it has got exotic origins but it has become very common in Italy. Its leaves turn bright red at Christmastime.

Tombola is the Italian Bingo. We play it on Christmas Day at home after the big meal with all the family. The winner receives some prizes such as money and sweets.
Cards are a tipical Italian game. We play cards on Christmas Day with our relatives.

Midnight Mass is longer and more intense than usually. After the traditional Eve dinner every catholic family goes to church to take part in Midnight Mass and to share with the community of believers the big event of the descent of Jesus Christ on Earth. Midnight Mass closes the period of Advent and opens the great ceremony of Christmas songs, lights, greeting cards, gifts, which witness the deep joy of the presence of Jesus.
Befana is often described as an old woman who flies on a broom. She is usually smiling and carries a big bag full of sweets and gifts for the deserving children, and also with coal for the children who haven’t been so good throughout the year.
According to the tradition, Befana arrives in the night between the 5th and the 6th January and fills the stockings that the children have hang beside the fireplace.

On Christmas Eve in 1223, in Greccio, a little village in central Italy, Saint Francis recalled Jesus’s birth with a live nativity scene.
During Mass a baby in the flesh appeared in the crib, picked up by Saint Francis.
From this episode the tradition of the crib originated.

I don’t celebrate Christmas. I am a Jehovah’s Witness. I consider December 25th a day like all the other ones, I do my normal activities. Why don’t I celebrate Christmas? Because knowing what its origins are in my opinion it is a pagan feast. In fact December 25th was the holiday for the winter solstice and the Catholic church has adopted this date as the birth of Christ.Are there in your school any children who don’t celebrate Christmas? Are there any Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Christmas in Bulgaria- from Vratsa

In the past in Bulgaria the newly married woman in the family had to get the whole dinner ready. She had to get up early, before daybreak. The preparation of the dishes (all vegetarian) took almost a whole day. The woman used to begin with preparing the ritual round loaf of bread, being decorated with different elements made of dough symbolizing all the living creatures in that house. So each one could get to know something about himself. The traditional leek pastry was prepared with cornel buds as fortunes indicating health, wealth and fertility. It was known in advance what each one of the fortunes was intended for. A white beans meal with many seasonings, sauerkraut leaves and peppers stuffed with rice were prepared too, all cooked with oil as people fasted until Christmas Day. The custom required the preparation of stewed dried fruits. Some juice of them was mixed with a little ground garlic. Everyone in the family tasted a teaspoon of it with the wish for good health throughout the year coming. The other members of the family had to clean the house thoroughly, the yard and all buildings used by them. After all was put in order and ready, everyone prepared himself for the Christmas Eve itself putting on their new clothes, while the young people trimmed the Christmas tree. The eldest one in the family brought some straw into the house and on the tablecloth, there were placed the dishes, this symbolizing the Nativity. On this day the whole family gathers, eat on straw and get off the table in the same time. The dishes are left on the table for the night. It is believed that the dead relatives will come to dine too.
In the past there were boys and non-married young men who were visiting the houses, singing carols for wealth and health for the hosts. They were rewarded with money, food and so on. They were bringing long sticks to put kravai (round bread with holes in it). The boys were called koledaris. Nowadays Bulgarians decorate a Christmas tree as all the other Europeans do.

Christmas in Portugal- from Samora Correia

Christmas is undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrations of the Portuguese calendar. Currently, due to globalization, the Portuguese Christmas begins to be influenced by other cultures, especially by American films, one of the facts is the replacement of the Child Jesus by Father Christmas to deliver gifts. However, this does not mean that the Portuguese Christmas traditions have disappeared! On December 24, Christmas Eve, at night in certain parts of the country (especially in the north) takes place a Christmas dinner (called consoada), we serve cod, turkey or octopus, it depends on the region. Also at the end of supper, there is the midnight mass at midnight, although this mass is now falling into disuse. On the 25th, a banquet with meat several improved in some areas of the country in 25 days lunch is served the traditional “Roupa Velha” (old clothes), made from the remains of the supper of the day before. In some areas we burn the “Madeiro” (stump) of Christmas, particularly in churchyards, around which we sing traditional Portuguese songs.

Christmas in Catalonia 1

Christmas in Catalonia is a fun event, in particular for the curious traditions unique to the Catalan region.
Most regions don't even get one poo-related traditional figure, but the Catalans get two (some of you might find the following a little distasteful): Caganer
A little porcelain gnome-like figure with his trousers down, defecating somewhere in the nativity scene. Children enjoy looking for the little guy, who is often hidden among the more traditional items. Caganer has been offering his unique presents to the nativity scene since at least the middle of the 18th or 19th century, depending on whom you believe, although in recent years the Catalan government has banned him from official displays. You can find the most popular people from nowadays politicians, sportsmen or actors disguised as Caganers.

Christmas in Catalonia 2

Christmas Markets
The fair runs from early December until Christmas Eve and can be found in some streets and squares. Here you will find all sorts of hand made gifts, intricate nativity scenes and the Caga Tió log.
Christmas Eve
Midnight mass as Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day is very important in Spain (presumably as the Catholics rush to confess to their Christmas gluttony!)
The biggest 'misa del gallo' is at the Benedictine monastery at Montserrat near Barcelona

Tió de Nadal or Caga Tió
A log painted with a smiley face and cared for from after El Dia de Inmaculada, which is December 8. Then, either on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve (it varies), the children beat the log (and throw him into the fire, if they have one) and sing songs enticing it to 'shit some presents', 'tió' is Catalan for 'log'.

Christmas in Catalonia 3

Three Kings Procession
On December 5, as is the case throughout Spain, the Three Kings lead their procession through the city. The procession starts shortly after five o’clock.
On the night of December 5, children leave a shoe out for the Three Kings to fill (stockings clearly aren't so common in this Mediterranean climate!)

Nativity Scenes

The Catalan word for 'nativity' is 'pessebre' while in Spanish it is 'belén'.

Bayram and the beginning of the new year in Turkey

Our religious bayram (festival) is about helping eachother and sharing. its name is Kurban Bayramı in Turkish. the people who have enough money make the animals (like cow , sheep) cut and they share the meat to the people who haven't got money.and in most of the houses the meats are cooked and are eaten.and also the people meet eachother (relatives, neighbours and friends), the younger people visit the older people ,they give presents eachother , they give candy and money to the children , the children kisses hands of their older relatives,and the people eat sweets especially baklava and şekerpare all together.

In Turkey , we celebrate 31th of December as a beginning of new year. we meet with our relatives or friends in houses or somewhere in outside,if we meet in houses we listen to music or watch tv programmes which are prepared for celebration new year , and we play tombola ( drawing the numbers and making all table with the numbers ),some of us drink alchol and we sleep that night very late...if we meet in outside we dances, make several animations which are prepared ...etc.Some of us decorate the pine trees, give presents eachother.