Christmas around the world

Project made by:

Sisinea Andra
Voinea Alexandra
Dobre Adrian
Gabor Sabin
Constantinoiu Cezar
Mihai Andrei
ROMANIA
 Christmas in Romania
1. Music is an important part of Christmas celebration all over Romania. There is a special genre of music, related
to Christmas carols but with more traditional / Christian lyrics. These are named colindA. Although the text of all
colinde is concerned with the events of the Nativity, certain elements of the folk rituals performed around Christmas
are probably pre-Christian in origin, having their roots in the Roman Saturnalia and pagan rituals related to
the winter solstice and soil fertility. Colinde are performed in all parts of Romania (including Moldova), with
regional variations in terms of the number of participants, the exact timing of different melodies and lyrics. In
traditional Romanian rural society, preparations for colinde started well in advance (sometimes weeks) before
Christmas. The village youth (usually boys) would begin to form groups in different places and designate a leader to
practice singing in unison. These groups are called cete de colindători, and their numbers vary from region to
region.
2. Then, starting on Christmas Eve, the groups would go to different houses and begin singing. The families would
then invite them into the house and give them different small gifts such as nuts, dried fruits, and pretzels. There are
also adaptations from international hit carols into Romanian, for example "Noapte de vis" or "O, brad frumos!" 
1. During Christmas, Romanians bake or buy various special dishes, including desserts and sweets. Romanians most usually
bake Cozonac (spongecake), a kind of Panetone made of flour, yolks, yeast and many other ingredients, flavors, condiments and
additions. There are several types of spongecakes, with hundreds of recipes. You can either knead it for hours to be ready in 6
hours, or you can let it rise for 1 hour to avoid kneading it. You can fill the sponge cake with walnuts, cocoa, raisins, Turkish
delight and in Transylvania: poppy seed paste (cozonac cu mac). Plates heaped with small pastries and cakes (corni și baclava) are
prepared to serve to carollers when they call.A molded vegetable and chicken salad held together with mayonnaise and decorated
with olives and boiled eggs are often prepared. It is called Salată de boeuf from the French, although it usually does not contain
beef.Other Christmas dishes include piftie, sarmale, and pork dishes.
2. This dish is present in every cuisine in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Of course, every cuisine has its own tricks up its sleeve,
but, nevertheless, it is definitely a traditional dish to try out when visiting Romania. Minced pork meat, boiled rice, and spices, all
rolled up in pickled cabbage and baked in the oven, along with tomato sauce for flavour! There is nothing more magical than a
house, where cooking is done and nothing more “Christmassy” than the smell of sarmale.
ENGLAND
1. Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the tree is usually a
family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularised the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of
Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas
in England.Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes or other buildings.
2. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they get bigger and better. Thousands
of people go to watch the big 'switch on' around the beginning of November.
3. Like a lot of countries, Nativity Plays and Carol Services are also very popular at Christmas time. Lots of other British churches also
have Carols by Candlelight and Christingle services. The most famous UK Carol service is the Service of Nine Lessons and
Carols which is broadcast on Christmas Eve at 3.00pm from the chapel of King's College, Cambridge.
4. Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. These are normally hung up by
the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas to eat
and drink when he visits them. Now, it's often a non-alcoholic drink that's left because Santa has to drive his sleigh.
1. In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It's normally
roast turkey, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means vegetables like carrots & peas, stuffing and sometimes
bacon and sausages. It's often served with cranberry sauce and bread sauce. Traditionally, and before turkey was
available, roast beef or goose was the main Christmas meal. One vegetable that is often at
2. Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten as well! Trifle is also a popular
dessert at Christmas. It's made in a large bowl and consists of a layer of sponge cake (or sponge fingers) at the bottom of
the bowl (which is often soaked in sherry or brandy) then there's a layer of fruit (normally suspended in a fruit flavored
jelly) and it's topped with a layer of custard and then whipped cream. In Scotland there's a variation called 'Tipsy Laird'
which uses whiskey to soak the sponge and the fruit are raspberries.
3. The dinner table is decorated with a Christmas Cracker for each person and sometimes flowers and candles.
ITALY
1. Christmas in Italy is celebrated over several weeks as Italians celebrate from early December, depending on the region, until the day
of Epiphany, on the 6th of January. Especially the children look forward to the start of the Christmas season in December when
Christmas trees are put up and houses are decorated. In front of St Peters cathedral in Vatican City (see image above), there is a
huge Christmas tree put up and many families buy tickets to get entrance to the festive midnight-mass which is held by the Pope.
There is a festive atmosphere during the whole of December. Christmas markets with various stalls with typical food, Christmas
sweets and gifts can be visited in many towns especially in Italy's northern Alto-Adige Region. In the image above you see the
Christmas market in Bolzano and the image below shows a popular Christmas market in Rome.In Rome, most major tourist sites
are still open daily except for Christmas and New Year’s Day. (The Vatican is also closed in the afternoon of Christmas Eve and
New Year’s Eve.) From late November to early January there is a large Christmas market in Piazza Navona; however, it’s become
quite touristy and lacks the authentic traditions of an Italian market. For a more typical, local experience, head to  Piazza Mazzini.
2. Have a walk through Piazza Barberini as well, where an enormous menorah stands during Hanukkah, and on Christmas Day, be
sure to head over to the Vatican to hear the Pope’s Christmas message while standing beside the massive Christmas tree erected
there. There will also be a huge Christmas tree in Piazza Venezia and Christmas lights all around the historic center
neighborhoods. 
3. For those looking to attend Mass at the Vatican, it’s also important to note that “Midnight Mass” at the Vatican is now at 10pm, at
the request of the Pope a few years ago. 
1. In Italy, Christmas Eve dinner is traditionally lighter with no meat and a lot of seafood, while the Italian-American meal has
evolved into much more of a feast. Bring on the sword fish, tuna, salmon, octopus salad, smelts, calamari, spaghetti with
clam sauce and the famous Italian classic—salted cod, known as baccalà. The Feast of the Seven Fishes can also include
other meatless dishes, which vary by region. For example, gnocchi recipes and stuffed pasta are a hit in Northern Italy,
where Veneto is known for buckwheat spaghetti in a creamy anchovy sauce. No matter where you celebrate, though, the
sweet treats are a certainty: biscotti, pandoro, torrone (nougat candy) and almost always a candied loaf of panettone.
2. The most important of the Natale meals, Christmas Day lunch can last for hours. Unlike Christmas Eve’s meal, Christmas
Day is typically meat-based. Natale lunch begins with a classic antipasto spread featuring dry cured meats, salumi, fine
Italian cheeses, briny olives, artichokes and more. The first course is pasta that varies by region. In Southern and Central
Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional
Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are
common Natale entrées worth CELEBRATING.
GERMANY
1. Christmas Trees are very important in Germany. They were first used in Germany during the late Middle Ages. If there are
young children in the house, the trees are usually secretly decorated by the mother of the family. The Christmas tree was
traditionally brought into the house on Christmas Eve. In some parts of Germany, during the evening, the family would read
the Bible and sing Christmas songs such as O Tannenbaum, Ihr Kinderlein Kommet and Stille Nacht (Slient Night).
2. Sometimes wooden frames, covered with colored plastic sheets and with electric candles inside, are put in windows to make
the house look pretty from the outside. There is also the tradition of Scherenschnitte (paper cutting) where Christmas shapes
like bells and nativity scenes were cut out of paper and then different colored transparent paper was put behind the openings
to make them look like stained glass.
3. Christmas Eve is the main day when Germans exchange presents with their families.
4. In German Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Frohe Weihnachten'. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.
5. Christmas Day is called “Erster Feiertag” ('first celebration') and the 26th December is known as 'Zweiter Feiertag'
('second celebration') and also 'Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag'. This is another day off work and is like Boxing Day in the UK
and some other countries.
1. Germans love eating, the Christmas menu may differ across the country based on the regions. However, there are a few
dishes that remain the same throughout Germany. Of course, over the period of time, the menu has changed a lot. Since
most of the Germans are Catholic s and attend the mid-night mass, they prefer avoiding eating meat for dinner on the 24th.
And therefore, fish dishes make it to the center of the table.Though in some parts, traditions are changing and people also do
enjoy a full course meal that includes meat, duck, goose as well.
2. Fish in the form of salmon, hake, herring or carp are common. Even for the less religious Germans, this custom persisted.
Alternatively, eating poultry, such as goose or turkey, has become popular and enjoying a good sausage during the Christmas
party is also quite typical. A quieter meal of cheese fondue or raclette is also emerging in some areas, accompanied by a wide
variety of vegetables, breads and meats. Weihnachtsgeflügel (Christmas poultry), like a Weihnachtsgans (Christmas goose)
or Entenbraten (roast duck). Although it takes a lot of effort and skill to get it right. It can be served with anything, like Reis
(rice) or Kartoffeln (potatoes).
3. Lebkuchen, a heart-shaped gingerbread cookie decorated with intricate icing patterns, is one of them. Plus, stollen, a
German version of fruit cake, is a common dessert during the Christmas season. Many seasonal German desserts are
flavored with festive spices like orange, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.
FRANCE
1. In France, a Nativity crib is often used to help decorate the house. French cribs have clay figures in them. During December
some towns and cities, such as Marseilles, have fairs that sell Nativity figures. As well as having the normal Nativity figures
in them, French scenes also have figures such as a Butcher, a Baker, a Policeman and a Priest.
2. In French Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Joyeux Noël'. In Breton (spoken by some people in Brittany, Northern France) it's
'Nedeleg Laouen', in Corsican it's 'Bon Natale' and in Alsatian (spoken by some people in Alsace, in Eastern France) it's 'E
güeti Wïnâchte'.  Yule Logs made out of Cherry Wood are often burned in French homes. An old tradition is that the log was
carried into the home on Christmas Eve and sprinkled with red wine to make the log smell nice when it was burning. There
is a custom that the log and candles are left burning all night with some food and drinks left out in case Mary and the baby
Jesus come past during the night.
3. The main Christmas meal, called 'Réveillon', is eaten on Christmas Eve/early Christmas morning after people have returned
from the midnight Church Service. Dishes might include roast turkey with chestnuts or roast goose, oysters, foie gras,
lobster, venison and cheeses. For dessert, a chocolate sponge cake log called a bûche de Noël is normally eaten. Another
celebration, in some parts of France, is that 13 different desserts are eaten! All the desserts are made from different types of
Fruit, Nuts and Pastries.
1. Even French kids love to eat smoked salmon, on blinis or thin white sandwich bread slices. An essential for Christmas that is
now eaten all year long and used as an ingredient for many fancy recipes. Gravlax-style salmon is prepared in many French
houses. As for me, I just love to serve smoked salmon for appetizer or starter: as what we call a mise en bouche bites for
l’apéro (see these puff pastry rolls), toasts with a lemony or yellow mustard sauce, rillettes or mousse.
2. This is the most popular and classic Christmas dish. Capon or Turkey is roasted in the oven with a generous chestnut
stuffing. Sides are classic: chestnut again, green beans wrapped with bacon, truffle mashed potatoes… 
3. Serve green salad with cheese. A French habit that is perfect if you have a long or reach meal. It makes cheese easier to
enjoy, some already a bit full will enjoy having green salad instead of bread with cheese.
4. Bûche de Noël is definitely the one and only Christmas dessert. Traditionally shaped to represent the real wood log placed in
the fireplace on Christmas eve, bûche is often made of garnished swiss roll topped with buttercream or ganache and
decorated with tiny figurines. Entremets or ice cream logs are getting more and more popular among pastry addicts and
chocolate or chestnut are no longer the only beloved flavors. I tell you here where this tradition comes from.
PORTUGAL
1. Christmas in Portugal is a unique experience. For some people, particularly those that come from very cold parts of the
world, it doesn’t feel Christmasy enough. For others, the ability to walk outside and even get a little Vitamin D is a real
Christmas miracle.The more and more time I spend here, the more I look forward to Christmas in Portugal. I look forward
to having a slice of Bolo Rei or a Sonho with my coffee and seeing the Christmas tree in Lisbon. It’s a beautiful time of year
to come to Portugal, and to see how Christmas is celebrated here. Portugal is actually very Christmasy in its own way. One
example is nativity scenes (presépios), something which you’re less and less likely to see in Northern Europe. The tradition
(“Bananeiro”) started when the owner of the banana shop decided to make a little extra money and set up a stall outside his
shop selling glasses of muscatel. One customer, after ordering a glass, asked him if he had anything to eat and the owner
gave him a banana.
2. The shop owner’s son really liked this story and, the next year, he brought his friends to the shop to eat bananas and drink
muscatel. For whatever reason, word spread around Braga that this was the thing to do and it wasn’t long before it became a
Christmas tradition.
3. For a long time, the main place to go for a Christmas market was Óbidos which hosts a Christmas village every year. In
recent years, however, more and more towns and cities across Portugal are putting up Christmas markets. In Lisbon, in
particular, there are small Christmas markets throughout the city as well as a big one in Eduardo VII.
1. No Christmas feast in Portugal is complete without the star ingredient in Portugal, bacalhau or salt cod. Locally caught fish
is usually eaten on Christmas Eve, when families enjoy a light meal known as “Consoada”.All that’s left for you to decide is
how to cook your bacalhau. Some of the most common forms of serving this typical ingredient include pastéis de
bacalhau, battered codfish fritters that make the perfect finger food, or bacalhau da Consoada, simple boiled cod with
potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs with a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Arroz doce is the Portuguese version of rice pudding and is a Christmas staple throughout the country. Although rice
pudding perhaps doesn’t sound like the most appetising or exciting dessert option for the most important celebrations of the
year, trust us, because the Portuguese have perfected their recipe. The soft, creamy rice has a hint of lemon, and usually the
crowning touch of this common dessert is the meticulous decoration of powdered cinnamon which adorns its surface. 
3. The most traditional Christmas cake in Portugal is called “Bolo Rei”, which means “King Cake” and although it is enjoyed
throughout the Christmas holidays, it is typically placed in the centre of the table on 6th January, as it is symbolic of the
Three Kings. This cake, that looks like a wreath, has a bread-like consistency, and is traditionally filled with dried fruit, nuts
and topped with candied fruit and icing sugar. There is also another version that is very similar to the Bolo Rei but without
candied fruit, and this one is called the “Bolo Rainha” or the “Queen Cake”.
 May the Christmas Season bring only
happiness and joy to you and your family.
The gift of love. The gift of peace. The
gift of happiness. May all these be yours
at Christmas.

May your holidays sparkle with joy and laughter.

 MERRY
CHRISTMAS!