Christmas Cultures

• Armenia
• Australia
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Costa Rica
• Czech Rep.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Denmark
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Greenland
• Holland
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Ireland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Malta
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Palestine
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Russia
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sweden
• Trinidad and Tobago
• U.K.
• U.S.A.
• Vietnam
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Christmas in Greece

On Christmas Eve, children, especially boys, often go out Carol singing in the streets. They play drums and triangles as they sing. Sometimes the will also carry model boats decorated with nuts painted gold. Carrying a boat is a very old custom in the Greek Islands.

If the children sing well, they might be given money or nuts, sweets and dried figs to eat.

Going to a Midnight Mass Service is very important for most Greeks. After the service people can go home and end their Advent fast.

In Greek Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Kala Christougenna'. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.

People in Greece also celebrate Epiphany on the 6th January. Children get their presents either on the 1st January or on Epiphany. 1st January, New Years Day, is St Vasilis's Day who is also known as St Basil the Great.