Journal FortKnox's Journal: Foreign Christmas Traditions? 26
OK, I was watching a "Wiggly wiggly Christmas" with my sick son yesterday (We TiVo "The Wiggles" cause its his favorite show). There was something seriously wrong, though. The Wiggles is an Aussie kids show, so they were talking about taking a Christmas picnic out onto the beach and stuff like that. I realized, 12/25 (err... 25/12 I guess) is summertime in Austrailia. Go fig.
This made me wonder what Christmas time is like in foreign countries. Anyone care to explain what their countries (and cultures) Christmas's include? Hey Canadians/UK'ers... how about explaining "Boxing Day" for us US'ers?
This made me wonder what Christmas time is like in foreign countries. Anyone care to explain what their countries (and cultures) Christmas's include? Hey Canadians/UK'ers... how about explaining "Boxing Day" for us US'ers?
Boxing day (Score:2)
Re:Boxing day (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Boxing day (Score:2)
Re:Boxing day (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Boxing day (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Boxing day (Score:2)
Google's definition feature was (unusually) almost stumped by this one, turning up only this [princeton.edu]: Boxing Day -- (first weekday after Christmas). On the other hand, Snopes has an entry [snopes.com], debunking the myth that the name derives from disposing of empty boxes after Christmas day, and giving a few different possibilities. The one I've always heard is that this was the day on which the Church "poor box" was opened, and the contents distributed
Boxing Day and Christmas in Germany (Score:2)
That's the story I've heard as well (or somewhat similarly, that Boxing Day was the day that alms/donations for the poor were boxed up and given to the recipients). The Encyclopaedia Britannica also agrees, although in an oddly hesitantly phrased entry ("Explanations for the origin of the name have varied, with some believing that it derived from the opening of alms boxes
boxing day (Score:2)
In Brooklyn (Score:2)
In TN also. (Score:2)
Christmas in Finland. Well, at least in my family. (Score:1)
And by the way, Santa lives on Korvatunturi ("Ear Fjeld"), not on the North Pole.
Traditional foods are ham (or turkey)
Re:Christmas in Finland. Well, at least in my fami (Score:2)
Where do you tell children that is (is there a real Ear Fjeld)??
Oh yeah, at noon on the 24th, "Christmas peace" is proclaimed
When's "Christmas Peace" over? Midnight 26/12?
Thanks for the input. Cool stuff
Re:Christmas in Finland. Well, at least in my fami (Score:1)
http://www.korvatunturi.fi/ [korvatunturi.fi]. There's a map that shows where in Finland Korvatunturi is. And yes, that's what we tell children.
When's "Christmas Peace" over? Midnight 26/12?
On 1/13, but people don't make a big deal out of it. I had to look it up with Google...
One more thing... (Score:2)
Re:One more thing... (Score:1)
Now that there aren't any kids that believe in santa in our family, we just put all the presents under the tree and at around 6 pm we gather around the tree to divide the loot. It's not nearly as fun...
Re:One more thing... (Score:2)
Re:One more thing... (Score:1)
Santa living on the North Pole is a lie spread by jealous foreigners.
Re:One more thing... (Score:2)
Especially considering that the north pole is water surrounded by land [nasa.gov].
"We're having a picnic on the beach..." (Score:1)
My kids aren't quite ready for the concept of hemispheres and axis tilt and everything, so I just tell them that it's "warm where they live."
Re:"We're having a picnic on the beach..." (Score:2)
I spent a good solid 10 minutes explaining the concept of the globe and axis and seasons and everything to him.
His respone was "No. Get down, daddy" which is two-speak for "I want to go play, set me down"
Re:"We're having a picnic on the beach..." (Score:2)
On a completely off topic note, my wife and I found it confusing that when holding my 17month old daughter she would often yell "Up! Up! Up!" and we would say "You are up. You want down?"
Then it dawned on me -- when she is in her high chair and done with lunch, we will ask her "You want to get up now?" which really means "Out of the chair and down on the floor." Thus has she apparently associated "up" with "walking around o
Christmas here in Australia. (Score:2)
It is quite common for people to go to t
Canadian here... (Score:2)
We have a quaint custom in our family (don't quite know where it comes from -- an old Scottish tradition, perhaps?) where we are allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve just before turning in, and then the rest of the presents Christmas morning -- but only after breakfast. It also has to be light out before we can have breakfast, but I thi
New Zealand Christmas (Score:1)
It's the only day that TV is ad free, and then on boxing day there is an international cricket match at the capital's basin reserve cricket field. This year it's NZ vs Pakistan.
There is only annoying xmas songs on the radio, so we just go visit our friend