Christmas in Brazil In Brazil, Christmas is one of the most important festive days, or “dia de festas”. It is celebrated on 25th December. On Christmas Eve, thousands of devout Catholics attend the “Missa do Galo” or Midnight Mass. Masses are also organized on December 25 in the morning and later afternoon. Christmas decorations in the country involve setting up Christmas trees in individual homes and adorning them beautifully with decorative items such as lights, plastic balls and glass balls. A highlight of Christmas celebrations in Brazil is making huge Christmas “trees” of electric lights that can be seen against the night skies in major cities such as Brasilia, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. Caroling is quite a popular custom here. Various christmas carols are sung during Christmas to commemorate the birth of Christ. Like Santa Claus in the U.S., Papai Noel (Father Noel) is the gift-bringer in Brazil. According to legend, he lives in Greenland and resembles Santa in many ways. Papai Noel can also remind you of Chile’s “Viejo Pascuero” (Easter Old Man). This gift-giver of children is depicted as wearing a red fur coat with boots and carrying a bag full of presents. Except for the high temperatures and the absence of snow, Christmas here is pretty much the same as it is in other countries.
Christmas in Romania Popularly called ‘Craciun’ in Romania, the festival until the country was declared a communist republic in 1947, and Romanians were forced to abandon many of their Christmas traditions was once observed in the country with much fanfare. However, the festival has again begun to be observed since the country regained its independence in 1989, with young adults now experiencing the Yuletide traditions they previously heard their parents and grandparents talk about. A very important Christmas custom practiced in Romanian villages is ‘Ignatius’, the sacrifice of a pig in every house in the honor of Saint Ignatius, five days before Christmas, on 20th of December. A small portion of the pig’s meat is fried and a feast is held. This feast is known as the pig’s funeral feast. But the real celebrations begin with the decoration of the Christmas tree on “Ajunul Craciunului” (Christmas Eve). Gift exchanges take place in Romania in the evening of Christmas Eve. Romanian children believe that ‘Mos Craciun’ (the , 10 Woman’s Essence Magazine
Romanian equivalent of Santa Claus) is the one who delivers them their presents. Christmas dinner in Romania is a rich, multi-course meal of various kinds of pork sausages, along with plum brandy and homemade pickles, ‘Sarmale’, an indispensable item for the festive dinner that consists of pickled cabbage leaves stuffed with a combination of pork and beef, along with rice, pepper, thyme and other spices and red wine. The wine is consumed to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Christmas in China In the People’s Republic of China, December 25 is not a legal holiday. However, it is still designated as a public holiday in China’s special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, both former colonies of Western powers with (nominal) Christian cultural heritage. The small percentage of Chinese citizens who consider themselves Christians unofficially, and usually privately, observe Christmas. Many other individuals celebrate Christmas-like festivities even though they do not consider themselves Christians. Many customs, including sending cards, exchanging gifts, and hanging stockings are very similar to Western celebrations. Commercial Christmas decorations, signs, and other symbolic items have become increasingly prevalent during the month of December in large urban centres of mainland China, reflecting a cultural interest in this Western phenomenon, and, sometimes, retail marketing campaigns as well. In Hong Kong, where Christmas is a public holiday and a major retail period, many buildings facing Victoria Harbour will be decked out in Christmas lights. Christmas trees are found in major malls public buildings and in some homes as well, despite the small living area. Catholics in Hong Kong can attend Christmas Mass.