Christmas is a global festival and though people around the world
celebrate this festival with the same sentiments and feelings but the
way it is celebrated varies from place to place. It is interesting to
see how different countries celebrate Christmas. The traditions
surrounding the celebration of this season are almost as numerous as the
people who celebrate it. Through the years, the celebration has been
adapted to local customs, culture, and history and so has produced an
amazing variety of Christmas traditions around the world. Some, such as
the giving of gifts or the use of a star, arose directly or indirectly
out of the biblical nativity stories. Some, such as the legends of Saint
Nicholas, have their origin in church history, historical fact that
became legendary as it was embellished in story. Others, such as the use
of Christmas tree evergreens and the Yule log, have pagan origins but
were transformed into distinctively Christian traditions. Others, such
as the use of a crèche or caroling, arose first as local
traditions in certain countries or regions that became widely adopted.
And still others, such as, reindeer, elves, the North Pole, etc., have
largely secular origins and are only loosely associated with the holiday
in popular imagination or marketing techniques.
There are legends associated with each and every Christmas symbols and
its origin. Each of them has a special significance in the festive
celebration. As far as Christmas in India is concerned Christians in
India decorate banana or mango trees. They also light small oil-burning
lamps as Christmas decorations and fill their churches with red flowers.
They give presents to family members and money, or charity, to the poor
people. In India, the poinsettia is in flower and so the churches are
decorated with this brilliant bloom for the Christmas Midnight Mass. In
South India, Christians put small clay lamps on the rooftops and walls
of their houses at Christmas, just as the Hindus do during the festival
of Diwali. In some countries, especially the United Kingdom, France, and
the Scandinavian nations, many families burned a Yule log at
Christmastime, as there are some legends associated with it. Though the
ways of celebration are different but the Christmas spirit is the same
around the world. Irrespective of our individual customs and traditions
we should celebrate Christmas as bond of love, care and togetherness.
