Holiday Traditions

            What is your favorite thing about the holidays? It could be getting a break from school, giving and receiving gifts, eating more than you should, or playing in the snow. All of these things are great, but many would agree that the best part of the holidays is being with your family? Millions of families all across the world come together to celebrate the holidays, participating in special, yearly traditions.

            Traditions can be something as simple as sitting down to a vast dinner with the family, or something crazy that no other family in the world would think of. Possibly the most popular tradition seen around the holidays is waking up early on Christmas morning to the excitement of children tearing into gifts beneath the tree, left by Santa Claus. No matter what the tradition may be, or which families celebrate which things, there’s no doubt that no matter where you are, there’s always one thing in common with the holidays: family. It’s no surprise that Christmas serves as various importance in different countries, but you may not know that Christmas can be celebrated much differently by people throughout the United States.

Here are various traditions celebrated by families across the U.S., and throughout the world.

• Arizona celebrates a Mexican tradition called Las Posadas, where families play out the parts of Mary and Joseph searching for somewhere to stay, and then visit friends' and neighbors' homes, admiring Nativity cribs.

evolutivity.info

• Polish Americans celebrate Christmas by scattering hay throughout their kitchen, to remind them of a stable and manger. Then, they set two extra places on the table, in hopes that Mary and the Christ Child take their offering of shelter.

inglesiesalarnes.blogspot.com

• In Greenland, children go from hut to hut singing songs, while women enjoy the only night that they are waited on by men.

worldstampnews.com

• In Egypt, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, where people fast, eating no meat or dairy products for 40 days. 

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• Although only one percent of Japan's population believe in Christ, many people respect the beliefs of Christian followers, and decorate stores and homes in bright Christmas lights. A Buddhist monk plays the role of Santa Claus, bringing presents to each Christian household for the children.

destination360.com

For more interesting holiday traditions celebrated throughout the world, visit http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm