各國圣誕風俗大比拼(通訊員投稿)
[ 2006-12-25 08:24 ]
 In Spain
Christmas is a deeply religious festival.
The Christmas season officially begins on December 8th.
Christmas Eve is known as the "Good Night". It is a time for family members
to gather together to rejoice and feast around the Nativity scenes that are
present in nearly every home.
A traditional Christmas treat is turron, a kind of almond candy.
December 28 is the feast of the Holy Innocents. Young boys of a town or
village light bonfires and one of them acts as the mayor who orders townspeople
to perform civic chores such as sweeping the streets.
Refusal to comply
results in fines which are used to pay for the celebration.
Children
receive gifts on January 6th - the feast of the Epiphany.
Children leave
their shoes on the windowsills and fill them with straw, carrots, and barley for
the horses of the Wise Men.
Their children's favorite Wise Man is
Balthazar who rides a donkey and is the one believed to leave the gifts.
People say "Feliz Navidad" for Merry Christmas.
Santa Claus is
called Papa Noel and some children will also receive presents from him on
December 24th.
In Russia
St. Nicholas is extremely popular.
St.Nicholas is also known as
Grandfather Frost.
New Year Day is the main holiday.
Father Frost
delivers presents on New Years Eve.
Traditionally a figure called
Babushka gave gifts to the children. Babushka is an old woman or grandmother
with a headscarf tied under the chin.
Christmas is celebrated on January
7th.
Christmas day begins at midnight with churches ringing in the day
with magnificent choral chanting.
Christmas Eve dinner does not contain any
meat.
People eat a special porridge called "Kutya." This is made of wheat
berries or other grains, which symbolize hope and immortality, and honey and
poppy seeds, which ensure happiness, success, and untroubled rest.
A
ceremony involving the blessing of the home is frequently observed. A priest
visits the home accompanied by boys carrying vessels of holy water, and a little
water is sprinkled in each room.
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