Christmas Around The World With Ocean Florida

A popular festive tradition in the Atlantic provinces is to have lobster around the Holidays. It’s not the main Christmas meal, but my family will have a big Lobster boil on Christmas Eve and then lobster sandwiches for lunch on Christmas Day. This is a huge tradition on the south shore of Nova Scotia; where the height of lobster season is from November to May.

For Christmas dinner we tend to have the typical turkey dinner with dressing, lots of potatoes and plenty of corn. Some years we even add some roast ham too!

Oh yes! Although, it's not just Santa who gets a snack at our house. Rudolph and his friends have oats and a carrot waiting for them on our lawn. Old Saint Nick gets a mince pie and glass of Port to keep him warm.

Mulled wine is a favourite in our house once the festive season begins. Mulled cider is also quite big in the South West of England where we live.

Food in Italy is one of the best in the world! On December 24th and 25th families reunite and eat together around the table to celebrate. Here in Italy, you will find all sorts on the dinner table - different types of pasta, lasagna, fish (although if you are a catholic, meat is prohibited on 24th), vegetables, fruit, cakes, and (ofcourse!) Panettone. Lunch and dinner last for hours too - dinner time is the perfect opportunity for us adults to chat whilst the children play with their new toys.

Rolled Turkey with croquettes is a popular festive dish in our house.

With Sinterklass (Santa) arriving on the 6th of December; we always leave a carrot and a piece of sugar for his horse and, ofcourse, not forgetting some beer for Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet!

Lots of nic-nacs and mandarins are my go-tos at Christmas time!

There is nothing better than a 'Glühwein' (a German-style mulled wine).

A lean Christmas Eve meal is served consisting of seven dishes that include local vegetables and regional fish. For Christians, each of the seven dishes represents one of the sorrows of the Virgin Mary. The table remains set like this till 26th December, as these are the three main celebration days. After dinner on Christmas Eve, any leftovers remain on the table for the angels, so that they can join in the festivities while the family is at Midnight Mass.

The most delicious of all our Christmas traditions is the ‘thirteen desserts’, which symbolise Jesus and his twelve apostles at the last supper. Traditionally, people have the desserts after Midnight Mass. These will be made up of pastries, candied fruits, dried fruits and nuts, and fresh fruit.

We leave a glass of milk or coffee for Santa and some carrots for the reindeer to enjoy.

You can't beat chocolate truffles!

Yes, mulled wine (‘vin chaud’) is popular, and we also drink different kinds of spiced tea (cinnamon, for example).

Many people in Bavaria eat German sausages with sauerkraut (or fish as an alternative) as they are hungry after church (and it also means they don’t have to cook). Once dinner is eaten, everyone sits around the Christmas Tree, chars and opens their presents.

Most households in the UK enjoy a traditional roast turkey dinner on Christmas day with roast potatoes, parsnips and the somewhat controversial brussel sprout. Brussels get a bit of a bad wrap and it’s become a challenge to make this traditional Christmas vegetable more palatable at this time of year, perhaps by adding bacon or chestnuts. Love them or hate them though, a few will end up on your plate if you are spending Christmas in the UK.

Some households may have a regular breakfast they like to treat themselves to on Christmas morning. Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs seems a popular choice but there are many variations on this theme. When it comes to Boxing Day, we and many other households in the UK will be making the most of the Christmas Dinner leftovers - turkey curry goes down particularly well in our house.

You might also find bowls of nuts, oranges and plenty of chocolate if you are visiting our house this Christmas. With the colder weather we start adding hot chocolate to our evening routine, and the odd glass of mulled wine too. Anything yummy and warm to make the winter’s evenings more cosy.

We always prepare a snack for him and his reindeer on Christmas Eve because of how hard he’s been working. We will keep an eye on where he’s been delivering presents on the santa tracker and even pop out to the garden and see if we can spot him passing by. We leave a carrot and some milk and biscuits inside, but we also make a bowl of reindeer food from oats (no glitter or anything that might harm the reindeer or the wildlife) to leave in the garden. This has become really popular with children in recent years and I can see it being a regular tradition in our house for many years to come.

Santa isnt as important here as the 3 Kings. We sometimes leave some food for the camels on 5th January.

There are lots of yummy treats to enjoy in the lead up to Christmas. You will find Mantecados and polvorones in almost every household at Christmas - cakes made with lard and flour. Turron's are also incredibly popular - a spanish nougat made with almonds and sugar. And my personal favourite, Aniseed Liquer!

While Christmas Day is not a big cause for celebration here, Christmas Eve is a family affair in Spain. Families gather for a lavish, multi-course meal that usually consists of a seafood broth and boiled seafood, followed by a rack of lamb or roast turkey, all capped off with champagne, wine and beer. In my husband's family, we eat a lot of charcuterie and cheese, as well. Following the meal, many families will go to the misa del gallo, which is midnight mass. Our family also has a tradition of eating leftovers after going out for beers the next day - on Christmas!

In Spain, the Three Wise Men, or the Reyes Magos, deliver presents on the Epiphany. Rather than leaving milk and cookies for Santa, we leave polvorones and mantecados, traditional lard cookies, and a glass of brandy for them.

Christmas treats vary slightly from region to region but it's typical to have endles amounts of polvorones and mantecados, which are crumbly cookies made with lard and flavored with anise, lemon, or chocolate to name a few. Because they're quite dry, many households put out both the sweets and the libations!

Throughout the Sinterklaas season children leave their shoes by the radiator to see what Sint (and his helper Piet) might bring them. Children leave carrots or a bit of hay in their shoes as a treat for Amerigo, Sint's white horse. Leading up to December 5th, good children can expect to find Kruidnoten, pepernoten (mini spice cookies) and marzipan in their shoes. (They also pass out these treats along the streets of Dutch cities during the Sinterklaas season.)

A favorite dutch treat of the winter season is Oliebol, literally ""oil ball."" Oliebollen is fried dough covered in powdered sugar. A variation of the Oliebollen has apple pieces inside. Whatever you choose they are served hot and on the cold Dutch days they are delicious! Street vendors set up to sell them from Sinterklaas through to the New Year.

You will find mulled wine at all the seasonal celebrations, like the lighting of the town Christmas tree!

No celebration is complete without food! Kenyans are good at preparing various delicacies. Every community has a traditional delicacy. However, 'Nyama Choma' (roasted meat) is at the centre of every festivity in Kenya. Prepared over an open fire of charcoal, or firewood, Nyama Choma brings people together. 'Chapati' is another Kenyan delicacy that is often enjoyed during the festivity. Though not unique to this season, a majority of homes in rural Kenya will prepare this dish accompanied with suitable stews as a way of celebrating Christmas. At the Kenyan Coast, coastal dishes of pilau, biryani will be prepared.

Unlike other countries where people especially children leave some foods or snacks for Santa, Kenyans do not have this tradition

Tusker beer is the signature beer of Kenya. Although we do not have a specific drink for the festive season, beer drinking in parties, family gathering and during special occasions is very much a part a Kenyan Christmas party. It is a tradition for beer to be accompanied a meal of some nyama choma.

On Christmas day itself, in individual upcountry homes; goats, cows and sheep will be slaughtered for roasting. Nyama choma is a big deal on that day, and some women get assigned to kitchens to cook chicken, pilau rice, chapati (Kenyan roti), and kachumbari (salads) Not everyone is religious of course, and many men and women will prefer to toast to the Birth of Christ with ample alchohol, and nyama choma (roast meat) in their celebratory mood."

The staple Christmas meal in Nigeria is Jollof Rice and Chicken

No, we do not. Santa does not deliver presents to us. Often, parents will take their kids to events where they would be ‘Santa’ – we call him ‘Father Christmas’ in Nigeria but he does not visit our homes. We know our parents buy us our presents

Besides the usual turkey, seafood, and in particular, prawns, is very popular for Christmas in Australia.

In Russia we have a special salad that we all cook for New Year - Olivier Salad (a salad with potatoes, meat, peas, eggs, mayonnaise. Other ingredients may vary depending on family recipes).

On New Year night we have a tradition: while the clock bell rings 12 times you have to write your wish on a paper, burn it, put ashes in a glass of champagne that you are holding and drink the champagne before the bell finishes. For this reason our special drink is champagne.

Most people in Portugal eat bacalhau for their Christmas meal. Although the Portuguese have more than 365 different recipes for bacalhau, some of which are incredibly rich and decadent, the recipe used for the Consoada (the Christmas meal) is very simple: boiled eggs, bacalhau, and cabbage. Most people cover their bacalhau in very generous helpings of olive oil, so this does make it a little more decadent, but the real treats are all the different cakes and sweets. Dishes like fatias douradas, sonhos, azevias do grão e amendõa, and filhos all make an appearance along with desserts like flan, arroz doce, aletria, and a very strange-looking fish made out of egg yolks (Lampreia de natal).

The sweets mentioned above are usually available in the cafés and so, by the time it gets to Christmas, I’ve usually had all of them at least once. I also really enjoy a slice of bolo rei or bolo rainha; the Portuguese Christmas cake.

Portugal has lots of drinks like Port and Amarguinha that, even though they’re not specifically seasonal drinks, have a very Christmasy feel to them.

Sweet potato pie is one of the most decadent, delicious treats. I’ve got a secret recipe for one using coconut – it always goes down well with my group of friends. In Florida, we also take our gingerbread houses very seriously! There a competitions between friends and family all over the state.

I make it my mission to work through all of the Christmas drinks on the Starbucks menu. Who can resist a Chestnut Praline Latte?!

You can always find a hot spiced apple of hot cider drink during the Christmas period. They smell incredible and taste even better.

The night before Christmas is usually a movie night in our house - something festive like 'The Christmas Chronicles' with Kurt Russell - accompanied by popcorn and mulled wine for the adults. Once the kids are in bed; there's always lots of last minute wrapping to do!

Santa delivers presents and, so far, has been able to keep up with our nomadic lifestyle. I don't think we're spent Christmas in the same place since our first daughter was born six years ago. We have either been on holiday or staying with relatives.

We always celebrate Christmas on 25 December with plenty of family get-togethers and days out on either side.

Every year we make up stockings for our girls to open before breakfast on Christmas morning. These always contain a few small gifts like hair accessories, new pencils and note books, a few chocolate coins and a piece of fruit. They often get more excited by these than their main presents, which we open once everyone is up and dressed.

The night before Christmas is spent around the table with your family, eating and then playing some traditional games like Tombola (a kind of Bingo) or playing cards. The Catholics then go to Mass at 23:00 waiting for the nativity.

Babbo Natale' aka Father Christmas.

Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, but it's quite common for people to have one week of holiday to celebrate the occassion!

Well, being winter, people go ice skating or go to visit the little Christmas markets. In the evenings, the teenagers reunite themselves to play cards or Tombola with real money at stakes (almost every night!)

The Christmas songs start in stores from end-October onwards, and, like Thanksgiving (also a very unThai holiday), roast turkeys with all the trimmings (stuffing, mashed potatoes, baked hams) go on sale at upscale supermarkets. Major shopping malls set up their own Christmas trees and decorations, and normal everyday Thais start doing photo sessions there once the weather gets cooler (usually the beginning of December). At upscale shopping centers like Emporium, even the security guards have to get involved, wearing Santa Claus outfits complete with fake white beard. The Christmas sales of course commence, with free gift wrapping services also available. These services last until after the New Year, the ""real"" holiday that Thais are shopping for.

With most of Thailand (95+%) being Buddhist, Christmas tends to be another working day for the vast majority of the population. However, it doesn't mean that ""Christmas"" as a ""party"" and opportunity to go shopping goes unacknowledged.

Many families will enjoy a special Christmas Eve dinner before going to Midnight Mass (if they are Christians). Our family has a nice meal together and then we spend the evening playing board games.

Personally, we don’t, but those who attend Mass may sing Christmas hymns.

Père Noël!

We celebrate on the 25th, and then celebrate with the other side of the family on another day. Some families in the north of France will exchange gifts on 6th December (St Nicholas’ Day), many will do it on Christmas Eve in the evening after the meal, and some will even wait until January 6th, the Kings’ Day, to symbolise the three kings bringing gifts to the baby Jesus.

It really depends on each family; our family celebrates for around six days, spending three days with one side of the family, and three days with the other. However, for some, the celebrations begin on St Nicholas’ Day on 6th December and do not finish until the 6th of January (the Kings’ Day). Most people in France will be celebrating in some way from 24th-26th.

Some children will leave their shoes or socks by the fireplace, if they have one, so that Santa can fill them with small presents and sweets. Otherwise Santa normally leaves all the presents under the Christmas tree. Some people have also adopted the American tradition of hanging Christmas stockings.

I have spent a few Christmas’s with my family in Lower Bavaria who have some very distinctive Christmas traditions! For starters all Germans celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December and this is also the day when they receive their presents. The 25th and 26th is reserved for the ""other family”meaning they travel to visit grandparents, aunts and uncles. It’s a very Catholic area which means a typical day is spent at church where they play the Christmas story of how Jesus was born. Christmas Day is called “Erste Feiertag” ('first celebration') and the 26th December is known as ""Zweite Feiertag” ('second celebration') and also “Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag” which translates as Boxing Day (although it doesn’t literally mean that).

We love to go and explore the Christmas Markets (which tend to start in December). Germany is very well known for it's Christmas markets, where all sorts of yummy Christmas food and wonderful decorations are sold. Wandering around the markets has got to be one of my favourite things to do - the smell of cinnamon, apple and mulled wine lingering in the air is devine!

We do! Along with the traditional one made of card that are used in many countries, there are ones made out of a wreath of Fir tree branches with 24 decorated boxes or bags hanging from it. Each box or bag has a little present in it. Another type is called a 'Advent Kranz' and is a ring of fir branches that has four candles on it. This is like the Advent candles that are sometimes used in Churches. One candle is lit at the beginning of each week in Advent.

For us, it is Nikolaus (St. Nicholas)! There is a scary character ""Krampus"" who accompanies Nikolaus (St. Nicholas) on the 6th of December. He is big horned monster clothed in rags and carries chains. He is meant to punish the children who are on the naughty list! At the start of the festive season, children write to the 'das Christkind/Christkindl' asking for presents. The letters to the Christkind are decorated with sugar glued to the envelope to make them sparkly and attractive to look at. Children leave the letters on the windowsill at the beginning of or during Advent.

Traditional presents are always a pair of socks or something to wear but the children get more generous ‘proper’ presents.

We have family over for a festive buffet and watch Christmas movies. We let the children track Santa and we put out snacks for him and the reindeer before bed. We leave Santa a magic key as well as we don’t have a chimney for him to climb down. So far it’s worked pretty well!

The children sing Christmas carols at school and we always look forward to the Rotary Club coming down our street. Some how they convince Santa to join them and make an early appearance to sing christmas Carols to us. We don’t go out ourselves - there are far better singers out there than us!

Santa of course - we keep the magic alive

We celebrate Christmas on the 25th December - but we like to do lots of festive activities throughout December.

We use the same stockings every year for the children - they always get very excited when it’s time to put them out to be filled up.

Yes, for us they are called 'Villancicos'.

Santa Claus for some families but for all families its the Three kings

On 24th December, we have our celebration dinner at 10pm with family; our next big celebration happens on 6th January when we have a celebration lunch for the 3 Kings.

From 5th December until 7th January

Traditional presents in Spain are often related to food. Spanish ham is something that is given to employees or a food hamper, and perfume is very popular too!

Although many Christmas carols have a translation into Spanish, there are others, typically religious, called 'Villancicos'. At Christmas lunches, groups often break out into song after the meal has been served.

Christmas begins in Spain on or around December 8th, which is the Immaculate Conception Day, and continues through to the Epiphany Day on January 6th. It is truly a test of stamina - for your liver and gut, your wallet and your sleep cycle. Christmas Eve is reserved for solemn remembrance, though gifts are not given until January 6th, following a huge parade in which the Three Wise Men and their pages throw copious amounts of candy and small gifts to onlookers.

Gifts are brought by the Three Wise Men on the night of January 5th, much like the Three Wise Men brought Baby Jesus his gifts.

Gifts are given by Sinterklaas on the evening of December 5th (Saint Nichola's feast day is Decembrer 6th), it is thus referred to as Pakjesavond, literally 'package day."" An elaborate rouse is put on to discover the gifts, asking neighbors to knock on doors all over the house or arranging a little scavenger hunt to find the sack of gifts. Gifts are not wrapped, but placed in a burlap sack for the children to retrieve. Traditionally, bad children risked being kidnaped by Piet as they went to grab their sack.

Sinterklaas' has a whole set of songs that goes along with it. You will hear them playing everywhere around the Netherlands during that time. Each night, when children leave their shoes they sing a particular song though that translated is: Sinterklaas, little capon, Throw something in my little shoe, Throw something in my little boot, Thank you dear Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas with the help of his helpers all called 'Piet'.

December 5th is package day when Sinterklaas drops off a sack of gifts for the children. December 25th is a family day when Jesus' birth is celebrated through family gatherings, church service and a small exchange of family gifts.

Sinterklaas is celebrated from the second Saturday in November through December 5th. Christmas celebration takes two days - called Christmas Day and Second Christmas Day.

Sinterklaas delivers small gifts and treats into children's shoes until December 5th when a burlap sack of gifts is given to children.

Kenya is majorly a Christian country and most churches will have a vigil service or mass for catholic that culminates at midnight marking the beginning of Christmas. The service is marked with Christmas carols, often translated to local dialects.

During the season there are various family gatherings just to enjoy some Nyama Choma as family. Most festivities will commence immediately after Jamhuri day public holiday i.e 12th December, a holiday that marks the date that Kenya became an independent republic. Kenyans will only celebrate Christmas and boxing day before returning to their everyday life. Those who are in formal employment will have the holiday extended to the new year. However, this is at the discretion of the company and is not mandatory. Hence some organization will have their staff working by 27th December. The public and banking sector will have their staff return to work on 27th December and only allow their staff to take a break on Midday of Christmas eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Christmas carols are buzzing from all music shops in downtown Nairobi.

As we enter December, the run up to Christmas will be marked by a frenzy of activity. The bosses in workplaces will offer bonuses and give a break of two weeks from mid-December until early January when offices re-open again. In the capital city, as well as other smaller cities, stores will be decorated, with some having a Father Christmas standing at the entrance with his little bell to usher people in. There'll be alot of fanfare, eating and shopping..and folks will begin to travel upcountry to celebrate with relatives

On Christmas eve, in the capital city Nairobi, people will sing Christmas Carols at various churches. In rural areas too, the Christmas Eve will be marked by singing Carols. Of course, in the morning, many families go for morning service.

For religious people, this may be spent in Church. Most churches have a carol service the day (or a few days) before Christmas. There are no special rituals to celebrate. Sometimes, we spend the night before cooking and frying up beef and chicken in preparation for the next day.

We do, in churches or special events organized for fun

Our parents. Usually an outfit, the day before Christmas. Many adults don’t indulge in gift giving during that season.

December 25th

There are 2 main choices: to celebrate with your family or with friends. Family celebration usually means that all the family members come together, share a dinner while talking to each other about anything and everything. Around midnight we start watching the main TV channels waiting for the president's speech and the following clock strike. A celebration with friends is a bit different. Friends come together and have a big party, usually full of drinks, talks, games and enjoyment. In both cases we wear very fancy clothes because we believe that the way you meet the new year the same way your year will go. And obviously we want to be beautiful and fancy the next year. Also for this reason we have a LOT of food on the table - to have a lot of food and prosperity in the following year.

Yes! We have plenty of Russian songs related to the New Year celebrations.

Russian Santa ""Ded Moroz""!

New year celebration is a night from 31st of December to 1st of January. Christmas day is on 7th of January (but very few people celebrate it). Russia is famous for long winter holidays. Usually we have official days off from 1st of January to 10th of January.

Christmas in Portugal already takes place on the eve of the 24th, so there isn’t a night before Christmas in the same way as there is in countries where it’s celebrated on the 25th. On the 24th, you have the big meal and, traditionally, go to midnight mass (Missa do Galo).

Sometimes there are liturgical songs during the midnight mass.

Santa Claus typically brings the presents these days but, traditionally, this was done by the baby Jesus.

Although the 25th is also an important day, the most important day is the eve of the 24th.

Christmas can be quite short in Portugal: some people will be back at work on the 26th, which isn’t a holiday. Officially, though, Christmas ends on the 6th of January.

Traditionally, shoes are laid out for the baby Jesus to put presents in but stockings are more common these days.

The night before Christmas is usually spend with family and friends, getting ready for a big feast the next day.

Good ole Father Christmas!

Christmas is celebrated on 25th December, just like in the UK. The most incredible thing about Christmas in Florida is Disney. Walt Disney World is open on Christmas day, so once we’ve had our Christmas feast, we head into the parks to have a go on a few rides and end the day in the middle of the magic. It’s busy, but so worth it!

Christmas is a one day affair. I tend to be back in the office on the 26th December making sure all of our customers on holiday have had a good Christmas.

December 25th.

Yes, we quite often visit a few. It's starting to make for some interesting discussions about the 'real' Santa and his helpers who meet children in grottos while he is busy preparing for Christmas Day.

My children's school puts on a pantomime and Nativity play every year. The younger children take part in the Nativity, which is always cute to watch. The older kids perform in a pantomime like Snow White or Cinderella - the production that goes into it can be very impressive.

The song that always warms my heart at Christmas time is 'Driving home for Christmas' by Chris Rea. My husband often works away from home and this song gives me such a good feeling about being able to spend time together. Last year he was away over Christmas and New Year so this year will be extra special as he is home.

Our house is decorated outside with lights, inside with a Christmas tree and other Christmas decorations. The tree we used is the Pine, but more and more people use a plastic Pine, a more ecologic choice. You can use it every year instead of pull down a new tree each year.

Playing games.

No

No

All I Want for Christmas, Jingle Bells,...

Yes!

Pine, kanel,...

We very much enjoy eating! Also strolling around the Christmas markets, a tradition that started in the Alsace region of France but which has now spread throughout the country. We also enjoy a little ice skating.

No, we don’t have this tradition in France.

Not really. Sometimes the schools prepare a special concert of Christmas songs or another show not related to Christmas. When I was at school, it was common to have a play about Jesus, but nowadays school is strictly secular, so the shows must not be related to religious festivals.

Jingle Bells!

Yes, as long as they are authentic. We love to visit the markets that sell local, traditional, handmade souvenirs, such as the ones you can find in Alsace.

Cookies and cinnamon.

Our personal favourites are visiting the local pantomime at the theatre and heading to the ice rink for a family skating session. A more recent tradition for us is going to breakfast with Santa. It’s a great way to spend time with the big man before the big day and tell him what we are putting on your list this year. There’s often carol singing, Christmas activities and of course Santa brings a few presents to give to the children that he can’t fit on his sleigh on the big day. It’s not all about going out though. Many Christmas traditions in the UK are simple and are about spending time with loved ones. We enjoy watching our favourite Christmas movies on TV, with a bowl of popcorn and that all important cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine for the grown ups.

Wham - Last Christmas (showing my age)

Yes we love them! it wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to the market for a mug of mulled wine.

Mulled wine - it’s Christmas in a cup, right?

Christmas celebrations here are often different for kids than they are for adults. As a child, my parents would take us to an amusement park or special Christmas parties to celebrate the day before Christmas or the day of. We often used to travel back to Eastern Nigeria to spend it with several other family members who make the trip down. (Think US Thanksgiving). It is a fun affair with lots of cousins and friends. We would go around our neighbor’s homes asking for money and they would give us either money or canned drinks.

The smell of the harmattan breeze signifies that ‘Christmas is in the air’.

Bonny M songs make me feel festive. My parents played that a lot when we were kids.

We will often go on a skiing trip each year! Eating hot chocolate with churros for breakfast is also something we love most about the festive season - as well as the obvious of spending time with family and friends.

Yes, we do! Here we give our wishlist to the pages of the three Kings in a special place in each city.

Sometimes we listen to Rocio choirs singing 'Flamenco Carols' or a performance called a 'Zambomba'.

Peces en el Rio' is one of the most well known ones.

Yes; here out Christmas markets are focused on crafts, food and nativity scene figures!

Roast Chesnuts

Something that is popular around Christmas is Spain is the comida de navidad, or a Christmas lunch. Come December, you will rarely have a free weekend as your place of work, your group of friends and any other social group you belong to gather for a long lunch and a long afternoon of drinks. As the Christmas season in Spain seemingly lasts forever, your gut and wallet fall victim!

As Santa does not traditionally bring gifts, Santa's Village is a relatively new concept to Spain, and one that comes with a very long line!

Spain is a varied country in which each region has its own traditions. In Seville, Los Seises, a group of Spanish boys who dance, perform in the cathedral during the season.

Am I a Scrooge if I say not one?

Christmas markets are beginning to become more popular, especially those that boast handicrafts. I live in Seville, which has a traditional Nativity scene adornment market for the weeks leading up to Christmas. Here you'll find the figurines and all of the fixings, including the caganer. This is a Catalan tradition that has become popular elsewhere in the country and consists of a person - often in the likeness of a famous person or sports figure - in a squatting position. So you have the Holy Family, the animals and shepherds...and a pooper in the corner!

The Dutch love winter activities such as ice skating and covering the town in winter lights. Celebration to welcome Sint are extensive. Each Dutch city welcomes Sint by having his boat arrive into the town as well as watching him parade through town on his White House. Sint and the Piet's visit all the schools. It is possible to book shows and dinners with private visits with Sint. Each year a morning TV segment is dedicate to tracking Sint's boat and all the gifts in preparation for his arrival.

No. Sinterklaas comes from Spain.

No. Sinterklaas has his own performances. Each year there is a new Sinterklaas movie. After Sinterklaas has left many churches will hold Christmas recitals with traditional music.

We are now quite used to the Dutch Sinterklaas songs and enjoy listening to them!' Kinderen voor Kinderen', a immensely popular dutch kids singing group, sings al the hit songs each year.

Yes. The Dutch have some Christmas markets and festivals, but it is very popular to go over the border into Germany to enjoy the markets.

The Smell of Fried Apples and Hot Wine!

Across our cities there is an aura of festivity, there are parties everywhere, people are travelling across towns and cities to be with their loved ones. In rural Kenya, families are getting ready to welcome their loved ones who have not been home for the better part of the year. Christmas is a season for giving thus most well abled Kenyan will offer gifts and food to the less fortunate, which usually includes visiting hospitals, prisons and homes. Families and groups also opt to visit children homes for a day of fun and merry-making for the children. Often corporate organizations, both private and public will plan a Christmas party for the less fortunate.

Traditional Christian hymns that have translated to various local languages, as well as Kiswahili which is Kenya’s national language, are sang during church services.

For those who stay in Nairobi, they will prefer to go to various activities with their children. Some will visit the Nairobi Safari Walk and take walks on the boardwalk as they view animals such as the rare Bongo, White Rhino and Albino Zebra as well as big cats, antelopes and primates. There are also some 150 species of local trees and this can be a learning experience for kids. Those who'd like to interact closely with the Rothschilds giraffes go to Giraffe Centre to feed giraffes. Others go to the Bomas of Kenya to view traditional cultural dances. Not all Kenyans choose to stay in Nairobi or go upcountry to be with family. Some Kenyans prefer to book holidays during the Christmas period, and be domestic tourists. Kenya has a dizzying array of National parks and reserves strewn across the country; there’s the world famous Masai Mara National park where folks can take game drives and view the Big Five, there’s Amboseli which has the largest population of elephants, not forgetting Diani Beach and Lamu where people choose to have snorkeling holidays during Christmas.

My country is a country of winter! I think everyone knows the basics of ice skating here, and we love it indeed! Also we really enjoy skiing, mountain skiing, snowboarding and even snowball fights.

We don't have such things as Santa's grottos, but in every school and kindergarten they organize celebrations for kids with 'Ded Moroz' and his daughter 'Snegurochka' where sweets are gifted to all the children.

We don't - but we do have a famous move about new year which we watch each year! A Russian man by mistake goes to Saint Petersburg from Moscow on the New Year night. And in Saint Petersburg he goes to the same address as his home in Moscow, there is a totally same building, a flat with the same number and his key works for it. During Soviet period it was a normal situation that everything was the same. The movie is a comedy full of jokes and reality. Very nice one and truly a must see for most Russians during the new year eve.

For me, it's the ""Holidays are coming"" song from the coca cola advertisement in Russian translation :) and many other Russian songs about the New Year :)

I do. I love how pretty all the new year markets are. So much decorated and shining. Even if I don't buy anything I feel good to be inside this atmosphere.

Tangerines! :)

Although it’s quite a new phenomenon, you will find ice skating rinks all over Portugal. What I really like to do is go to the market just before Christmas. It’s always busy, although never crazy like supermarkets in other countries are, and there’s just a really nice buzz to it.

Again, this is quite a new thing, but, yes, nowadays, you can visit Santa in a shopping centre.

Nativity scenes are extremely popular in Portugal. You’ll find them everywhere, but particularly in town centres and on roundabouts. One thing that’s unique to Portugal is live nativity scenes where people take part as one of the characters e.g. a shepherd or a wise man.

A lot of the songs that get played in the weeks leading up to Christmas are international Christmas songs. One international song that often gets played but isn’t so common in the UK is the Spanish song “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano.

Christmas markets are not typical to Portugal, but they are becoming more and more common here. And, yes, they’re popular especially anything selling handmade products as these make great gifts.

The smell of roasted chestnuts from street vendors is a very common smell around Christmas!

We don’t get snow in Florida, however there is a lovely town called Celebration in Kissimmee where it ‘snows’ everyday. We always head to the town centre a few days before Christmas to help get us in the Christmas spirit.

The big thing to do in Florida is head to the parks. Each park has it’s one Christmas parade or event going one. One of my favourites is Christmas Town at Busch Garden in Tampa, the food is great and the light shows are beautiful. The parades start in November, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch one before the big day.

Gingerbread and cinnamon

We are quite minimal with our Christmas decorations inside our house - we have a tree and a few ornaments - but we go big on the lights outside. We add something new to the display each year. Our house is a bit of a beacon in the winter! The kids love it.

The house is decorated outside with lights, inside with a Christmas tree and lots of other Christmas decorations. The tree used is the Pine, but more and more people use a plastic Pine, a more ecologic choice which you can use every year!

Yes!

Big Christmas tree

Yes, in the tree and in the living room.

In France, we do much like the rest of the Western world - we decorate the house and Christmas tree with tinsel and other decorations, we hang wreaths on the front door and some people hang Christmas stockings. We also hang traditional painted glass bulbs, made in Alsace. We have a very strong tradition of displaying ‘santons’ - this started in Provence and has been adopted by the rest of France. Santons (‘little saints’ in French) are human figurines that are sculpted from wood or clay by local artisans. The little figures include Mary, Joseph and Jesus but also represent characters of many traditional professions such as bakers, butchers, tailors, greengrocers and many others. They are all placed around the traditional nativity scene that many people will create in their homes.

We have the traditional Christmas tree and many people buy poinsettia plants for their homes and porches too. We actually hang mistletoe on New Year’s Eve - kissing under the mistletoe at midnight brings everyone happiness!

Yes, we do. If you visit the region of Alsace at Christmas (very famous for its strong Christmas traditions and Christmas markets), all the streets and buildings are lit up. It’s like stepping into the pages of a fairy tale - a really magical time of year.

Homes are decorated traditionally in beautiful decorations, candles and wooden carvings.

The Christmas tree is very important in Germany and is said to originate here.

Rather than lights, our house is usually filled with more pretty candles as Bavaria is a strong Catholic household.

We always mark the arrival of the Christmas season with a day spent decorating the tree and the house. This is something the children really love to get involved in - but it’s a lot of fun for us grown ups too. We also love adding fairy lights around the house as it not only adds a bit of Christmas sparkle but it also makes the evenings feel a bit more cosy. The Christmas decorations going up also marks the beginning of the advent calendar - which is a tradition the girls particularly enjoy. Counting down to Christmas Day really adds to the excitement and waking up to a new door to open and maybe a chocolate on the calendar is a small but fun family tradition we love.

This year we plan to visit a Christmas tree farm and pick out a real pine tree because they look and smell amazing. We always add a few handmade decorations the children have made as well as traditional lights and baubles.

We always decorate our house with a traditional nativity scene. As Christmas draws nearer, the 3 Kings on their camels get closer to the stable.

Yes! A mistletoe in Spain is known to be a lucky plant so we gift it to friends and decorate vases with mistletoe brances to bring luck!

Yes, the nativity scene has lights and there are a few to decorate the house inside too!

Traditional Spanish homes don't put up a tree but always have poinsettias, called 'flor de pascua', as well as an elaborate nativity scene, known as a 'belén'. These scenes not only recreate the birth of Jesus Christ but a whole working city of Jerusalem - you'll see artisans, merchants, animals and even twinkling lights and running water in some! Even if your household's display is small, local businesses and churches set them up from the Immaculate Conception Day in early December through the Epiphany.

Lights are uncommon but many homes and balconies will string garland or a nativity flag up. The real decoration is out in the streets on main boulevards and in heavily touristed plazas - they're spectacular!

First you decorate the house for Sinterklaas. Bunting with Sint and Piet is very popular. It is also popular to display his ship and his horse. As many dutch homes have large front windows, it is popular to do drawings or displays in these windows. After Sinterklaas, you will see some nativities and christmas trees going up in homes.

We are always able to find small Christmas trees to have in the house, but it is not as popular as it is in the United States.

Yes. The winter in the Netherlands is long. Lights are a popular way to make it through winter. They often are seen more as a winter activity, then specifically Christmas. In January and February cities hold their ""light nights"" with incredible light displays to brighten up the long winter days.

We put a Christmas tree, known as a 'New Year tree' here! We also put lights and tinsels all around the house and everywhere outside with lots of fairy lights. It's also obligatory for shops to have decorations inside, and sometimes outside!

Although, like everywhere else, religion is in decline in Portugal, the nativity scene is still a very important feature in the home. People go to great efforts to decorate it with moss, bark, stones, and anything else that’ll make it look more real.

Like many other places, Christmas trees are typical. According to tradition, this goes up on the 8th of December and comes down on the 6th of January.

Lights aren’t so typical here, but one thing you’ll see everywhere is a toy Santa scaling the side of an apartment. Almost everyone hangs one from their balcony.

We have a big Christmas tree and lots of lights. Our tree is full of ornaments that we’ve collected from our travels around the world

Palm trees! There are tonnes of them in Florida, so you’ll find palm trees covered in lights outside people’s houses – it makes them look even more special!