In Japan, for example, celebrating Christmas has only become widely celebrated in the last few decades, and because there isn’t a high population of Christians in Japan, it is seen as more of a family celebration than a religious holiday. One Christmas Eve and Christmas Day tradition in Japan is the eating of fried chicken! It is the busiest time of year for restaurants like KFC and people often order their meals in advance.
In China, although it’s not a public holiday, major cities have Christmas trees and lights in shopping centres, while in some African countries the emphasis of the season is on church and family visits. Santa Claus is called Shengdan Laoren, or old Christmas Man, and sometimes postal workers dress up as Santa when delivering letters before Christmas. In France, Santa Claus is more called Père Noël, and in eastern parts of France he is accompanied by Père Fouettard, who dispenses coal to children who have been naughty.
While most Christmas celebrations around the world include a Christmas tree, they’re not always fir trees. In New Zealand, the Pōhutukawa tree has been associated with Christmas since the mid-1800s. Renowned for its vibrant red colour, the Pōhutukawa tree is considered sacred in Māori culture. It’s thought that the earlier the Pōhutukawa trees flower, the hotter the summer will be, and the longer it flowers, the longer the summer will be.
However you choose to celebrate Christmas, we hope it is a celebration filled with love, joy, and goodwill. I love hearing about how people enjoy and celebrate the holiday season, so drop me a line and share your Christmas stories. If you’ll forgive the pun, may the only cross words this season be found in your Lovatts magazines.
Happy Christmas, and happy puzzling!
