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Cultural Traditions

Celebrating Christmas Around the World

By Katherine Bontrager

No one does Christmas quite like Americans. We break out the holiday music, commercials, displays and decorations before the Halloween candy is even devoured, and without a doubt, Christmas is one of the biggest and brightest times of the year in America, especially for children.

But it's important to show the little ones there is more than one way to celebrate the holiday. To drive home how special your own family traditions are, you may want to share with them how others around the world celebrate this special day.

In Australia, where Christmas lands in the summer months, there's no snowmen, sleigh rides or hot chocolate. In fact, Santa, despite his round belly, can often be spotted wearing little more than red bathing trunks and sandals, or "thongs" as the Aussies call them.

Don't expect to see reindeer pulling his sleigh either. Instead, the big man is known to surf and water ski, enjoying the warm weather. "He also wears one of those corked hats to keep away the flies," says Lee Beijer of Perth, Australia.

The typical turkey feast is not as popular in the land down under as it is in the United States. Instead, says Beijer, "Our traditional Christmas dinner would be a barbecue outside."

Christmas shopping is done in T-shirts and shorts to boot, and it is not unusual to see a decorated palm tree rather than a pine tree.

Adam Bryer understands the difference in cultural holidays more than most. He spent a few years of his childhood in the United States before returning to his native London, England, where Christmas is not so different.

Bryer says that Santa, otherwise known as Father Christmas, looks much like his American counterpart and comes complete with all his reindeer.

The big difference is in the British take on cookies and milk – the typical snack left for Santa and his horned friends. "People write letters to Santa and put them on burning fires to send to him, and people often leave out 'mince pies' and sherry for Santa on Christmas Eve," says Bryer. Mince pies are little pastries filled with beef suet, covered in sugar and normally accompanied best with sherry.

The rest of the holiday is similar to America's, complete with gifts, carols and large meals with family and friends. Parents take children to visit Santa, and recently, says Bryer, "The extreme has become a fascination with going to Lapland to visit a so-called real Santa Claus."

Want to see more?

• Recommended Reading List for the Holidays for Preschoolers
• Hanukkah: A History of Tradition
• Kwaanza: A Magical and Meaningful Holiday
• Talk about it!

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