Merry Christmas: What are the customs or activities of Christmas in Europe and America?

There are many Christmas customs, including secular, religious, national and Christmas-related, which vary greatly from country to country. Most people are familiar with Christmas symbols and activities, such as Christmas tree, Christmas ham, Christmas firewood, holly trees, mistletoe and gifts, which were absorbed by Christian missionaries from the early Asachu pagan winter solstice festival Christmas. Long before Christianity arrived in northern Europe, people widely celebrated the winter solstice. Today, the word Christmas is still a pagan festival in Scandinavia. Christmas trees are thought to have first appeared in Germany.

Pope Eliot I did not try to ban popular pagan festivals, but allowed Christian priests to reinterpret the meaning they gave to Christianity. He allowed most of the customs to continue, but made some modifications and even remained unchanged. Religions and deals between government authorities and celebrants keep Christmas alive. In areas where Christian theocracy prevails, such as Cromwell's England and early New England colonies, celebrations are prohibited. After the Russian Revolution, the Soviet communist party regime banned Christmas celebrations for 75 years. Even in today's Christian sects, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, some fundamentalists and Puritans, Christmas is still regarded as a pagan festival without biblical recognition and refuses to celebrate.

[Edit this paragraph] Folk customs

Since the custom of celebrating Christmas became popular in northern Europe, Christmas decorations and the myth of Santa Claus have appeared in winter in the northern hemisphere.

Santa Claus and his gifts:

Santa Claus has almost become a global habit to give presents at Christmas. The concept of mysterious people bringing gifts to children originated from Saint Nicholas, a kind bishop who lived in Asia Minor in the 4th century. The Dutch imitated him in giving gifts on Saint Nicholas' Day (65438+February 6th). In North America, British colonists integrated this tradition into Christmas celebrations, and Sinterklaas became Santa Claus or Saint Nick accordingly. In Anglo-American tradition, Santa Claus always comes happily on Christmas Eve in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, climbs into the house from the chimney, leaves gifts for the children and eats the food left by the children. He is busy making gifts and monitoring the children's behavior and recording it at other times of the year.

In French, Santa Claus is called Père Noel (almost exactly like Santa Claus). Its red and white clothes once inspired Coca-Cola Company to draw the image of Santa Claus all over the world in A.D. 1930. In some cultures, Santa Claus is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, or a guy named "Black Peter". In some versions, gnomes in toy workshops make holiday presents, and sometimes Santa Claus and his wife are husband and wife. During Christmas, there are Santas in supermarkets in North America and Britain, and their children can ask for gifts.

In many countries, children prepare empty containers so that Santa can put some small gifts, such as toys, candy or fruit. In America, children hang Christmas stockings on the fireplace on Christmas Eve, because Santa Claus said he would come down from the chimney and put presents in Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve. In other countries, children leave their empty shoes outdoors so that Santa can give presents on Christmas Eve (or Saint Nicholas Day 65438+February 5). Giving gifts not only means Santa Claus, but also family and friends give gifts to each other.

Gift giving time:

In many countries, Saint Nicholas' Day is still a day to exchange gifts. In many places in Germany, on the evening of February 25th, 65438, children took out their shoes and put them on the windowsill. The next morning, they will find their shoes full of sweets and small gifts. In Germany, the main gift-giving date is 65438+February 24th. Santa Claus brings gifts or puts them under the Christmas tree. The same is true in Hungary, except that the gift giver is a "young master", not Santa Claus.

In many areas, including the Netherlands, Christmas still retains its religious nature. In Spain and other countries with similar traditions, the people who gave gifts on epiphany on June 6, 65438 were priests (Magi), fortune tellers and pagan priests.

The song "Christmas 12" tells a custom of giving gifts. It describes that the British traditionally give gifts to each other every day from Christmas to Epiphany. In most parts of the world, Christmas presents are given on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Until recently, the British gave presents to their friends on Boxing Day.

Christmas card:

Christmas cards (Christmas cards) are very popular in the United States and Europe, and are also regarded as one of the ways to keep friends and relatives far away. Many families attach annual family photos or family news to their greeting cards. News generally includes the strengths and specialties of family members in the past year.

Christmas socks:

It used to be a pair of red socks, regardless of size. Christmas socks are children's favorite things, because they are used to hold gifts. In the evening, they will hang their socks by the bed and wait for presents the next morning.

Christmas hat:

This is a red hat. It is said that wearing it at night can not only make you sleep soundly, but also keep you warm. The next day, you will find more gifts from your relatives in your hat. On the carnival night, it is the protagonist of the whole audience. Wherever you go, you will see all kinds of red hats.

[Edit this paragraph] Christmas dinner

Just as people in China eat New Year's Eve dinner during the Spring Festival, Europeans and Americans also attach great importance to the whole family sitting around the Christmas tree for a festive meal.

The custom of eating turkey for Christmas dinner began at 1620. This custom prevails in America. The Christmas dinner in England is roast goose, not turkey. On Christmas Eve, Austria likes to invite relatives and friends of the whole family to a restaurant for Christmas dinner in droves. Among them, turkey, preserved chicken, roast cowboy meat and pork leg are essential. With famous wine, everyone has a good time.

The origin of eating turkey at Christmas

Roasted turkey is an indispensable dish on the traditional Christmas table. In some Asian countries, it may be eaten only at Christmas every year to celebrate this festival; But in Europe and America, especially in the American continent, turkey is a very common meat and a traditional food for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Turkey is a specialty of America and was domesticated by Indians before Europeans came to America. The English name of Turkey is "Turkey". Because Europeans think it looks like Turkish clothing: black head and red body. Europeans like roast goose very much. After immigrating to the United States, there was a requirement to eat geese before raising them, so I ate turkey and found that turkey was more delicious than goose. There are many turkeys in North America. So roast turkey has become a big dish for Americans and an essential food for important festivals. This custom has a history of more than 300 years. It is said that on Christmas Day in 1620, a large number of immigrants from Britain arrived at Plymouth Mountain in the American continent. At that time, there were only turkeys in Shan Ye, so they grabbed turkeys as the main course of the festival. Therefore, apart from ham, sweet potatoes, vegetables, raisin pudding, fruitcake and cocktails, of course, turkey is indispensable for Christmas dinner!

The most traditional turkey cooking method is very simple. All you need to do is smear the inside and outside of the turkey with salt and pepper, and then bake it in the oven for about 3 hours. Turkey has been eaten for nearly 400 years. The "diner" in the "Christmas dinner" and "Thanksgiving dinner" symbolizing bumper harvest and reunion did not originally refer to dinner. It should be eaten at noon. Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday of June165438+1October every year. It is very close to Christmas, the biggest festival of the year. Christmas is a time to thank Jesus for coming. Therefore, the turkey dinner symbolizing gratitude extends to Christmas.

Christmas decoration

In western countries, Christmas is also a family reunion and festive festival, and Christmas trees are usually decorated. Whether Christians or not, Christmas in the west should be prepared with a Christmas tree to increase the festive atmosphere. Christmas trees are usually made of evergreen trees such as cedar and cypress, which symbolizes the longevity of life. The tree is decorated with all kinds of lights and candles, colorful flowers, toys and stars, and hung with all kinds of Christmas presents. On Christmas Eve, people sing and dance around the Christmas tree and have fun.

Christmas decorations include Christmas trees decorated with Christmas decorations and Christmas lights, and indoor decorations are decorated with garlands and evergreen plants. Special holly and mistletoe are traditionally used materials. In North and South America and some European regions, outdoor lighting is traditionally used, including sleigh, snowman and other Christmas images decorated with lights.

The traditional Christmas flowers are poinsettia (alias poinsettia, poinsettia, scarlet, pink, milky white, etc. Christmas plants also include holly, red amaranth and crab claw orchid.

General municipal authorities will also support Christmas decorations, hang Christmas slogans on streets or place Christmas trees in squares. In the United States, decoration has also been sued many times for containing religious themes. The prosecution believes that this is the government's recognition of specific religious acts and violates religious freedom.

[Edit this paragraph] Christmas song

For a long time, there are three popular Christmas songs, one is Silent Night; One is "Listen, angels bring good news"; The third is Jingle Bells.

Santa Claus Santa Claus originally refers to Nicholas, the bishop of Asia Minor in the 4th century A.D., who is famous for his affability and generosity in helping the poor in Wan Li. In the 6th century, the East called him saint nicholas. Because Nicholas's legends are all related to children and gifts, Santa Claus has become the image of a kind old man who gives gifts to children at Christmas. /kloc-in the 0/8th century, through literature and painting, Santa Claus gradually became the image of an old man with a red coat, white beard and eyebrows.

This song was written in 18 16 by Joseph Moore, pastor of a small village church in Austria. Composer Franz gruber is an unknown local music teacher. It is said that the organ in the chapel was broken, so Father Moore asked Mr. gruber to write this song for him with a guitar. The soundtrack was later taken out by the organ repairman and let the outside world know the song. This song spread quickly and was loved by people. Today, she has almost become the official "holiday song" of Christmas. She has been translated into many languages. There are 67 different languages 105 different versions of lyrics on the above webpage. Liu Tingfang, a translator in China, is also a member of "May 4th New Culture Christianity" and "Life Society". It is said that he is a thin but sociable "general". . . )

This well-known song has beautiful tunes and beautiful lyrics, and it is full of a heavenly peace. I can imagine that before Christmas, the unknown father Moore was in the Austrian countryside on the hillside, looking at the scenery under the moon, thinking about the record of the birth of the savior in the Bible, and feeling God's redemption through the incarnation of the son, which was a feeling of gratitude and inspiration. Write down this "quiet night! The immortal poem of Heirignat. Father Moore lived a cold life, and his only wealth was devoted to local schools and nursing homes. He died penniless, which truly embodies the traditional Christmas spirit of "loving Hui Shi". The composer of Silent Night is so unknown that later people didn't know his name for a long time, so there were times in history when composers were classified under Beethoven and Handel. God alone once again "subverts" the famous and the unknown. He composed and left this famous Christmas song for the world with an unknown priest and an unknown amateur composer in a small village church. The origin of Silent Night itself can be said to be a miracle.

In this busy festival, let's forget those chores for a while! Be quiet, listen to the soft singing from the heart of Silent Night, and think about the real significance of the baby born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago to human beings, history and your personal life.