2014
Christmas around the World
December 2014


“Christmas around the World,” Friend, Dec. 2014, 24–25

Christmas around the World

Cut out the piece for each day and paste it in its spot on the tree.

Christmas around the World

December 13: In Poland, families decorate booths in the town square with scenes from the Christmas story and give small gifts to people passing by.

December 14: At Christmastime in Canada and the United States, many people honor the Savior by giving food and clothing to those in need.

December 15: In India, families decorate their homes with mango leaves, strings of lights, and an ornament to represent the Star of Bethlehem.

December 16: In Italy they build big nativities (called presepi) early in December with a crib for baby Jesus. On Christmas Eve they add the baby Jesus.

December 17: In China, apples are a common Christmas gift because the Chinese word for apple, ping guo, sounds similar to the word for Christmas Eve, ping’an ye.

December 18: In Denmark on Christmas Eve, they eat risalamande, a rice pudding with an almond hidden inside. Whoever finds the almond in their bowl gets a gift!

December 19: In Mexico, children celebrate Three King’s Day (January 6th) by leaving their shoes outside along with hay and water for the Magi’s animals to eat. When they wake up, there’s a gift in the shoe!

December 20: In Ukraine they decorate Christmas trees with fake spider webs because of an old folk tale about a spider that spun a beautiful web so a poor widow and her children would have decorations on Christmas.

December 21: In New Zealand, people often have barbecues and celebrate Christmas on the beach in the warm summer weather.

December 22: On Christmas Day in South Africa, people sing carols and visit with family.

December 23: In the Czech Republic, families set an extra place for the Christ Child at their Christmas feast.

December 24: In Romania, children walk from house to house carrying a colored star on a long pole while singing carols and sometimes dancing.