Christmas is one of the world’s most celebrated holidays. But there’s practically no rule book on how different cultures celebrate Christmas annually – or what day Christmas ought to be celebrated.
While common Christmas cultures include Santa Claus, fir trees, and gift exchanges, many other countries add a native touch to the holiday to create a unique experience from the global festivity.
5 Unique Christmas Traditions Worth Knowing
Below are 5 unique Christmas traditions in 2024 you want to know – from Tanzania’s annual “Great Migration” to Germany’s Hanging Calendars and Italy’s Midnight Mass. Here we go.
1. Germany’s Hanging “Advent” Calendars
Advent, derived from a Latin word meaning "coming", refers to a period beginning four days before Christmas in Germany. 19th Century German Protestants counted down the days to Christmas by marking 24 chalk lines on a door and rubbing off one daily in December. Technological advancements in the 20th Century replaced chalk lines with "Paper" Advent calendars.
Gerhard Lang was the first to mass-produce Germany's Advent calendars, introducing the idea of cardboard calendars with doors that could be opened. Mid-20th Century Advent Calendars included chocolates, marking the beginning of modern-day giant Advent calendars and other adorable Christmas decorations.
Today, whether you're in North Rhine-Westphalia or Bernkastel-Kues in Moselle Valley, German cities and towns have pretty large Advent Calendars on building facades counting down to December 25 every year.
2. China
Most of China has no religious affiliation, and Christmas isn’t a public holiday. However, Christmas is “commercialized” in the Asian country. This much is evident in their adoption of many other Western festivals, though Chinese Christmas still has some unique features.
Santa Claus almost always has a saxophone, while people share "peace apples" with others. Incidentally, the Chinese word for apple, "pingguo" and Christmas Eve sound similar to ping'an ye, which means "peaceful night."
3. Colombia’s Night of the Little Candles
Noche de Las Velitas (Night of the Little Candles) and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a honorary ceremony for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Colombians light up their houses and streets with millions of white and colored (velas) in patterned paper lanterns.
The December 7 celebrations have witnessed significant growth, morphing from a small-scale family-centric affair into a more creative and sophisticated ceremony with electric lights, music, and fireworks.
4. Ethiopia’s January Celebrations
About 44% of Ethiopians belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and like many Orthodox denominations, they celebrate Christmas in January. Unlike many other cultures, Christmas in Ethiopia doesn't involve Santa or a gift exchange but is rather more religion-oriented.
Many Ethiopians also participate in a 43-day abstention from eating meat, eggs, and dairy products, ending on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day (also called Ganna or Genna), which annually falls on January 7, Ethiopians dress in white to attend mass, with most wearing the traditional tela – a thin white cotton scarf with brightly colored stripes across the ends.
5. Rome’s Midnight Mass
The idea of midnight mass reportedly originated from pilgrims in Israel. A 4th Century pilgrim from Rome joined a group of Christians in a vigil in Bethlehem on the night of January 5 – Christmas Eve in the Eastern tradition.
The vigil preceded a torchlight procession to Jerusalem, peaking in a dawn gathering. Pope Sixtus III reportedly introduced midnight mass on Christmas Eve to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore Chapel, a tradition that has since spread to many Christian nations globally.
Final Remarks
If you’ve wondered how your friends in other parts of the world would spend this festive season, you likely have an inkling. While their Christmas celebrations may differ from your experience, it doesn’t take away the center of all Christmas festivities everywhere – the Immaculate conception and birth of Jesus Christ in ancient Israel.