Love and Christmas

Christmas is great.

Christmas traditions vary significantly around the world, reflecting unique cultural and historical contexts. For example, in Japan, a popular Christmas tradition has emerged in recent years, where families celebrate with feasts of Kentucky Fried Chicken, thanks to successful marketing campaigns by KFC. This has become so ingrained that KFC offers special “Christmas Party Barrels” that include salad, cake, and fried chicken.

In contrast, Alpine countries have a beautiful tradition of carrying a statue of St. Joseph to a different home each night during Advent, symbolizing the journey to Bethlehem. Neighbors gather at these homes, singing carols and enjoying baked goods as they count down to Christmas Eve. Similarly, in Poland, Christmas Eve is marked by the sharing of oplatek (an unleavened religious wafer), where each family member breaks off a piece and exchanges wishes for a blessed holiday season. The start of dinner is traditionally delayed until the first star appears in the night sky, adding a magical touch to the festivities.

In other parts of the world, such as Ukraine, Christmas is celebrated with a focus on traditional garments and walk-throughs of towns, singing carols. A dish called kutya is a popular treat, made with cooked wheat mixed with honey, ground poppy seeds, and sometimes nuts. In Portugal and Brazil, families come together on Christmas Eve, often dining as late as 10 p.m. before exchanging gifts at midnight, followed by Missa Do Galo (Rooster Mass) and fireworks in the town square.

These diverse traditions highlight the rich tapestry of Christmas celebrations around the globe, each with its own unique customs and cultural twists.