Central Europe In many areas of
Central Europe,
Saint Nicholas (, , , , , ), or Santa Claus, does not come for Christmas. He visits families earlier, on the dawn of
Saint Nicholas Day on 6 December. For the well-behaved children, he has presents and candy bags to put into their well-polished shoes that were set in the windows the previous evening. He neither parks his sleigh on rooftops nor climbs chimneys, and his visits are usually accompanied by a diabolic-looking servant named
Krampusz (in Austria, Slovenia, and
Croatia, Krampus; in Czech and Slovak regions he is simply , i.e., 'devil', without any name) who gives golden coloured birches for so-called badly behaved children. All children receive both gifts and golden birches (Hungarian: ) in their shoes, regardless of their behavior.
Austria and Germany In some German-speaking communities, particularly in Catholic regions of western and southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria,
South Tyrol and
Liechtenstein, as well as in other Catholic regions of Central Europe, the
Christkind (literally 'Christ child') brings the presents on the evening of 24 December ('Holy Evening' or ).
Austria , Austria In Austria, Christmas trees play a very important part in Christmas celebrations. Every town sets up its own huge tree on the main square, all decorated with electric candles, ornaments, and various decorations resembling candies or other sweets, and frequently, there will be an extra one, adorned with breadcrumbs, for the birds. In families, the tree is decorated with gold and silver ornaments or stars made out of straw, sweets, and candy wrapped in tinfoil, gilded nuts, etc. The feast of
St Nicholas marks the beginning of Christmas in Austria. On Christmas Eve (24 December), the tree is lit for the first time and the whole family gathers to sing
Christmas carols like "" ("
Silent Night").
Germany Basilica,
Füssen,
Bavaria , Germany The
Sorbs, a minority in Saxony and parts of Brandenburg who speak a language similar to Polish, have specific traditions. In
Jänschwalde, the or
Janšojski bog ('gift child'), a girl dressed in local costume and veil, visits the neighbors and goes around with two companions on the Wednesday before Christmas. As with Saint Nicholas, smaller presents like sweets are given, and blessings are offered, but she remains silent. s as Christmas light bearers Currently, the actual Christmas gift-giving () usually takes place on
Christmas Eve. This tradition was introduced by
Reformer Martin Luther, who believed that one should emphasize Christ's birth rather than a saint's day, and do away with the notion that gifts must be earned through good behavior. The gifts should be seen as a symbol of God's grace in Christ. The culinary feast either takes place at supper on Christmas Eve or on the first day of Christmas. Traditions vary from region to region; carp is eaten in many parts of the country.
Czech Republic and Slovakia in Prague, Czech Republic – Christmastime In Catholic Slovakia, the tradition of
Jasličkári involves young men dressed as shepherds or angels visiting their neighbors and presenting recitations and songs about the birth of Jesus.
Hungary Although the role of gift-giver on Christmas Day itself is assigned to the Christ Child, on the night before Saint Nicholas Day, Hungarian children traditionally place a boot on their windowsill waiting for Mikulás to come by and fill it with treats. in Budapest
Poland '' meal '' (Christmas wafer) in a basket In largely Catholic Poland, Christmas Eve begins with a day of fasting, followed by a night of feasting. The traditional Christmas meal is known as
Wigilia ('The
Vigil'), and being invited to attend a dinner with a family is considered a high honor. On the night of Christmas Eve, the appearance of the first star in the sky is watched for, in remembrance of the
Star of Bethlehem; it has been given the affectionate name of "the little star" or (the female counterpart of Saint Nicholas). On that evening, children watch the sky anxiously, hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star has come!" After the appearance of the first star is declared, the family sits down at the dinner table. Christmas Eve ends with
Pasterka, the Midnight Mass at the local church. The tradition commemorates the arrival of the
Three Wise Men in Bethlehem and their paying respects and bearing witness to the newborn Messiah. The custom of Christmas night liturgy was introduced in the Christian churches after the second half of the 5th century. In Poland, that custom arrived together with the coming of Christianity. The next day (25 December) begins with the early morning mass followed by daytime masses. According to scripture, the Christmas Day masses are interchangeable, allowing individual parishioners greater flexibility in choosing religious services.
Romania and Moldova Romanian food served during the holidays is a hearty, multi-course meal, most of which consists of pork (muscle, fat, and organs). This is mainly a symbolic gesture for
St. Ignatius of Antioch.
Eastern Europe Ukraine Sviata Vecheria or 'Holy Supper' is the central tradition of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Ukrainian homes and takes place in most parts of the country, from many years on 6 January and from 2022 onwards on 24 December. In Western Ukraine, especially in
Carpathian Ruthenia, due to historical multi-culturism, until 2023 Christmas can be observed twice—on 25 December and 7 January, often irrespective of whether the family belongs to
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the
Roman Catholic Church, one of the
Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, or one of the Protestant denominations. The Western Ukrainian tradition of two Christmas celebrations, since 2017, is also celebrated nationwide, but the traditions in the western regions, given the
Russian invasion of Ukraine, were standardized in 2022 for celebrations within the whole of the nation; with the date finally unified in 2023, the Western Ukrainian form has become the official standard.
Northern Europe Denmark Christmas dinner Danes celebrate on 24 December, which is referred to as (literally 'Yule evening'). Another recent Danish tradition is the concept of television , special Christmas-themed, advent calendar-type television programs with a daily episode shown on each of the first 24 days of December, culminating on ''''. Several television stations produce their own programs, most of which are targeted at child viewers. Some television advent calendars become extremely popular and are reprised in subsequent years.
Estonia Finland Christmas is a thoroughly prepared celebration centered on family and home, though it also has a religious dimension. The Christmas season starts from December or even in late November, when shops begin advertising potential Christmas gifts. Christmas decorations and songs become more prominent as Christmas approaches, and children count down the days to Christmas with
Advent calendars. Schools and some other places have the day before Christmas Eve (, 23 December) as a holiday. Still, at the latest on Christmas Eve (, 24 December), shops close early and stay closed until 26 December. The main Christmas festivities are held on Christmas Eve on 24 December, while Christmas Day () and the following day (, 'St. Stephen's Day') are mandatory
public holidays in Finland. Schools continue holidays up to the New Year. . Finnish people clean their homes well before Christmas and prepare special treats for the festive season. A sheaf of grain, nuts, and seeds is tied on a pole, which is placed in the garden for the birds to feed on. Spruce trees are cut or bought from a market and taken to homes on Christmas Eve or a few days before, where they are decorated. Candles are lit on the Christmas tree, which is traditionally decorated using apples and other fruit, candies, paper flags, cotton, and tinsel, in addition to
Christmas ornaments such as stars or baubles. Actual candles are no longer used, being replaced by incandescent or LED lamps. A star symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem is placed at the top of the tree. Just before the Christmas festivities begin, people usually take a
sauna for Christmas. The tradition is very old; unlike on normal days, when one would go to the sauna in the evening, on Christmas Eve, one goes before sunset. This tradition is based on a pre-20th-century belief that the spirits of the dead return and use the sauna during the usual sauna hours. celebration in Iceland starts four Sundays before Christmas proper, which begins on 24 December (Advent) and ends thirteen days later on 6 January. Thirteen days before 24 December, children will leave their shoes by the window so that the
Yule Lads can leave small gifts in their shoes. most stores close early. Church bells chime in the Christmas holiday between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. In some families, the Christmas story from Luke 2 will be read from the old family Bible. The main Christmas meal is served in the evening. Common main dishes include pork rib,
pinnekjøtt (pieces of lamb rib steamed on a grid of birch wood). Many people also eat
lutefisk or fresh, poached cod. Rice porridge is also popular (but most commonly served as an early lunch rather than for the main Christmas dinner), an almond is often hidden in the porridge, and the person who finds it wins a treat or small gift. In some parts of Norway, it is common to place porridge outside (in a barn, outhouse, or even in the forest) to please . In many families, where the parents grew up with different traditions, two different main dishes are served to please everyone. If children are present (and they have behaved well the last year), (Santa Claus) pays a visit, and gifts are stored under the Christmas tree. 25 December is a very quiet and relaxed day. Church services are well attended. The old tradition of a very early-morning service before breakfast has been replaced in most areas by a late-morning service. Afterward, many families get together for a large festive meal.
Saint Lucy's Day (locally known as ) is the first major Christmas celebration before Christmas itself. The eldest daughter, arising early and wearing her Lucy garb of white robe, red sash, and a wire crown covered with whortleberry-twigs with nine lighted candles fastened in it, awakens the family, singing "Santa Lucia", serving them coffee and
saffron buns (
St. Lucia buns), thus ushering in the Christmas season. Christmas is an occasion celebrated with food. Television also plays a big role, many families watch the Disney Christmas special (
From All of Us to All of You),
Karl Bertil Jonssons julafton (animated short), or a re-run of the
Svensson, Svensson episode "" ('Merry Christmas') on the TV channel
SVT1. Many Swedes still adhere to the tradition that each present should have a rhyme written on the wrapping paper, to hint at the contents without revealing them. After 24 December, the Christmas celebrations have more or less come to an end. Some people attend the
julottan, an early morning church service on 25 December. This service was historically the main service of Christmas—nowadays, the
Midnight Mass has become increasingly popular. Others attend a simpler service called
Christmas Prayer in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, but many Swedes do not attend church at all during Christmas as the country is very
secular. Even so, most families do set up a ('
Christmas Crib'). On 13 January (locally known as or 'twentieth-day Christmas'), 20 days after Christmas, the Christmas celebrations come to an end, and all Christmas decorations are removed.
Bulgaria , Bulgaria In Bulgaria, Christmas (,
Koleda or more formally , , 'Nativity of Jesus') is celebrated on 25 December. It is preceded by Christmas Eve (, ). Traditionally, Christmas Eve would be the climax of the
Nativity Fast, and thus only an odd number of Lenten dishes are presented on that evening. The table is usually not cleared after the dinner and until the next morning, to leave some food for the holy spirits – a custom which probably comes from pagan pre-Christian times. On that day, a
Bulgarian budnik is set alight. On Christmas, meat dishes are already allowed and are typically served. Among the Bulgarian Christmas traditions is
koleduvane, which involves boy carolers (, ) visiting the neighboring houses starting at midnight on Christmas Eve, wishing health, wealth, and happiness. Another custom is the baking of a traditional round loaf (,
pita). The pita is broken into pieces by the head of the family: a piece is given to each family member, a piece is kept as a valuable possession, and a piece is set aside for God. A coin is hidden inside the pita, and whoever gets the coin will have luck, health, and prosperity in the coming year.
Italy , Italy , in front of the
Milan Cathedral, Italy in
Rome, Italy in
Merano, Italy in
Gubbio, Italy, the tallest Christmas tree in the world The Italian term derives from the
Latin , which literally means 'birth', and the greetings in Italian are (
Merry Christmas) and (
Happy Christmas). The Feast of the Immaculate Conception () on 8 December is a
national holiday in Italy. Christmas decorations, including the
presepe (nativity scene), as well as the Christmas tree, are usually put up on this day. Some modern takes on this holiday involve them hanging
vultures to symbolize the cleaning of their spirits.
Saint Lucy's Day () is celebrated as a Catholic holiday in
Sicily and the northern regions of Italy on the supposed
shortest day of the year, which is 13 December. Christmas is celebrated in Italy similarly to other Western European countries, with a strong emphasis given to the Christian meaning of the holiday and its celebration by the
Catholic Church, also reinforced by the still widespread tradition of setting up the , a tradition initiated by
Saint Francis of Assisi. It is quite common to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and practice the old custom of abstinence from meat on the day. A popular Christmas Day dish in
Naples and in
Southern Italy is female eel or , which is a female eel. A traditional Christmas Day dish from
Northern Italy is
capon (gelded chicken).
Abbacchio is more common in
Central Italy. The Christmas Day dinner traditionally consists by typical Italian Christmas dishes, such as
agnolini,
cappelletti,
Pavese agnolotti,
capon, lamb,
eel,
panettone,
pandoro,
torrone,
panforte,
struffoli,
mustacciuoli,
bisciola,
cavallucci,
veneziana,
pizzelle,
zelten, or others, depending on the regional cuisine. The ancient Christmas festival called
Ndocciata is celebrated on 8 December and Christmas Eve in
Agnone,
Molise, with a parade of torches leading up to the "Bonfire of Brotherhood". On Christmas Eve, in the squares of many towns of eastern
Sicily, a large bonfire, , is lit to warm the
Baby Jesus. Traditions regarding the exchange of gifts vary by region, as this might take place on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Presents for children are left underneath the Christmas tree either by Santa Claus (called
Babbo Natale) or, according to older traditions, by Baby Jesus himself. In some regions, children receive gifts earlier (at Saint Lucy's Day) or later (on Epiphany). In 1991, the so-called
Gubbio Christmas Tree (a structure in the shape of a tree set along a mountain slope), 650 meters high and decorated with over 700 lights, was entered in the
Guinness Book of Records as the tallest Christmas tree in the world. In Italy, Saint Stephen's Day became a public holiday in 1947, where previously it was a normal working day; the Catholic Church also celebrates it as a religious holiday, even if not as a
precept, as it is in Germany and other German-speaking countries. The reason for the public holiday in Italy, not required by the Catholic Church despite the fame of the saint, is to be found in the intention of prolonging the Christmas holiday, creating two consecutive public holidays, which also happens in the case of
Easter Monday, a non-religious holiday, but which only wants to lengthen Easter. Before 1947, the two days were working days, with banks and offices open. On 6 January (Epiphany, in Italian ), decorations are usually taken down; in some areas, female puppets are burned on a pyre (called
falò), to symbolize, along with the end of the Christmas period, the death of the old year and the beginning of a new one. While gifts are now given at Christmas by an American-style Santa Claus as well, Italy holds fast to its tradition of native gift-givers. On the eve of the 6th,
la Befana, the good Epiphany witch, is thought to ride the night skies on a broomstick, bringing good children gifts and sweets, and bad ones charcoal or bags of ashes. In other areas, it is the
Three Wise Men who bring gifts, especially oranges symbolizing gold, and chocolate symbolizing their kisses to good children. In some municipalities, most famously in
Milan, the custom of the (Three Kings' Procession) is elaborately celebrated with a parade welcoming the Wise Men and the distribution of sweets. In other places, such as
Treviso, the day is celebrated with bonfires, the sparks of which are said to predict the future of the new year.
Turkey In Turkey, Christmas is observed mainly by the
Eastern Orthodox Christian minority and not the Muslim majority. Though Turkey has no direct link to Christmas, it was home to Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop in
Anatolia (then part of the
Byzantine Empire) and the inspiration for the folklore of
Santa Claus.
Western Europe France and other French-speaking areas in Paris, France
Christmas in France ( on the
French calendar) is celebrated mainly in a religious manner, though secular ways of celebrating the occasion also exist, such as Christmas decorations and carols. In France and in other
French-speaking areas (see also
Canada section), a long family dinner, called a
réveillon, is held on Christmas Eve. The name of this dinner is based on the word (meaning 'waking'), because participation involves staying awake until midnight and beyond. In Belgium, the
monarch gives a televised speech to the nation on New Year's Eve, in which the year's national and international events are addressed, usually ending with a message of hope.
United Kingdom in London
Mince pies are traditionally sold during the festive season and are a popular food for Christmas. It is common in many UK households for children and adults to put up Advent calendars in their homes, which may either contain chocolates or Christmas scenes behind their doors. On Christmas Eve, presents are supposedly delivered in stockings. The
Royal family opens their gifts on Christmas Eve, following German tradition introduced by the
Hanoverians.
Queen Victoria as a child made note of it in her diary for Christmas Eve 1832; the delighted 13-year-old princess wrote, "After dinner ... we then went into the drawing-room near the dining-room ... There were two large round tables on which were placed two trees hung with lights and sugar ornaments. All the presents being placed round the trees..". Since the first commercial
Christmas card was produced in London in 1843, cards are sent in the weeks leading up to Christmas, many of which contain the English festive greeting
Merry Christmas. On Christmas Day, a
public holiday in the United Kingdom, nearly the whole population has the day off to be with their family and friends, so they can gather round for a traditional
Christmas dinner, traditionally comprising a
turkey with cranberries, brussels sprouts, parsnips,
Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes, quite like the
Sunday roast, and followed by a
Christmas pudding. During the meal,
Christmas crackers, containing toys, jokes, and a paper hat are pulled. Attendance at a Christmas Day
church service has become less popular in modern times, with fewer than 3 million now attending a Christmas Day Church of England service. Television is widely watched. The
monarch releases a
royal message on Christmas Day, in the form of a short programme carried on radio and television. The messages typically reflect on topics such as the year's events, the state of the
royal family, and themes such as unity. The message averages seven million viewers, and is often one of the most-watched programmes of the day on Christmas. The monarch's speech, writes J.M. Golby and A.W. Purdue, has "come to represent the unity of the nation at Christmas time". , London Top-level
football competitions such as the
Premier League have traditionally held fixtures on Boxing Day. Public transport and vital transport services are closed-down on
Christmas Day. The Christmas wind-down starts early, with last trains running out of the major cities as early as 19:00 on 24 December. Bus, night bus, and underground services are also unavailable from about 21:00 hours. Individual transport companies start making announcements as early as October, and while one
train operating company may choose to run no trains on Boxing Day another may run a limited Saturday service but totally close major stations.
England In England, telling ghost stories, local legends, and other strange, bizarre, and fantastic "winter stories" (as Charles Dickens – author of
A Christmas Carol – termed them) was a centuries-old tradition, to which
William Shakespeare contributed with ''
The Winter's Tale'' (1623) but which was well known even before Shakespeare's time. (In contrast, Ireland, Scotland, and the USA favor Halloween as a time for telling ghostly tales.) Colin Fleming details other contributors to this tradition in the
Paris Review.
Wales Wales has a tradition of singing
caneuon plygain, which is done on the week before Christmas Day. In addition, the tradition of
Noson Gyflaith (Toffee Evening) used to be participated mainly in North Wales. This is where people gathered to play games, tell stories, and create
toffee by taking turns pulling the confectionery slabs to make strands.
Scotland Christmas in Scotland was traditionally observed very quietly, because the
Church of Scotland never placed much emphasis on the Christmas festival. In Catholic areas, people would attend midnight or early-morning mass before going to work. This tradition derives from the Church of Scotland's origins including
St Columba's monastic tradition, under which every day is God's day and there is none more special than another; thus Good Friday is not an official public holiday in Scotland. Christmas Day was commonly a normal working day in Scotland until the 1960s, and even into the 1970s in some areas. The New Year's Eve festivity,
Hogmanay, was by far the largest celebration in Scotland. The gift-giving, public holidays, and feasting associated with mid-winter were traditionally held between 11 December and 6 January. Since the 1980s, the fading of the Church's influence and the growing influence of the rest of the UK and beyond have meant that Christmas and its related festivities have surpassed Hogmanay and New Year's Day. The capital city of
Edinburgh now has a traditional German
Christmas market from late November until Christmas Eve.
Bannock cakes made of oatmeal are traditionally eaten at Christmas. which averages at approximately €4,000 for every single person in the country. It is traditional to decorate graves at Christmas with a wreath made of holly and ivy. Even in the most secular homes in Ireland, the traditional crib takes center stage alongside the Christmas tree as part of the family's decorations. Some people light candles to symbolize hospitality to
Mary and
Joseph. Therefore, it is common to see a white candle or candle set placed in several windows around people's homes. The candle was a way of saying there was room for
Jesus's parents in these homes even if there was none in
Bethlehem.
Netherlands and Flanders Christmas traditions in the
Netherlands are almost the same as those in Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium (
Flanders). The Netherlands recognizes two days of Christmas as public holidays, calling 25 December ('first Christmas day') and 26 December ('second Christmas day'). in the Netherlands as a giant Christmas tree == Oceania ==