Christmas Around the World
Christmas in FINLAND
According to Finnish people, Santa Claus lives in the north part of the country, Korvatunturi, north of the Arctic Circle and people from all over the world today address their letters to ‘Santa in Finland'. On Christmas Eve, people eat rice porridge and a sweet soup made from dried fruits and then decorate the tree and in the evening, a traditional Christmas dinner of casseroles containing liver, carrot and potato, with cooked ham or turkey is eaten. Santa Claus then delivers presents on Christmas Day.
Christmas in DENMARK
Christmas Eve is the most important day of the holiday in Denmark and the time-honoured highlight of the Christmas Eve meal is the serving of rice pudding at midnight. A single almond is hidden in the rice pudding and whoever finds it is entitled to a small gift and can expect to have good luck in the coming year.
Christmas in AUSTRALIA
Australia celebrates Christmas in summer. In Sydney's world-famous Bondi Beach is a popular spot for non-traditional barbecues and the occasional surfing Santa. Adelaide's Christmas Pageant is one the most popular holiday parades in the world and annually attracts as many as 400,000 people.
Christmas in the UNITED KINGDOM
Santa Claus is more popularly known as Father Christmas and Christmas crackers containing small toys are still a national tradition at holiday meals. Christmas decorations stay up until January 6th in the UK, but it's bad luck to have them up any later.
Christmas celebration in USA
On Christmas Eve in the UNITED STATES children leave cookies out for Santa Claus and also carrots for his nine reindeer, the most beloved of whom is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.