CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN WALES

Holly and mistletoe were the decorations at this time of year and thought to have magical properties.The Druidic ceremonies invariably involved mistletoe and was noted by Roman writers.
 
On Christmas morning a special service was held in Churches as early as 3.a.m called the Plygain when particular carols would be sung in three or four part harmony - a custom which is still practised in some areas.
 
New year's day.

In the morning children would go round and sing songs in return for a few coins. I did this every year between about 7 and 12 and the big prize was twelve new pennies form a Mr Adams.
 
An old custom still practised in some places was called the Mari Llwyd. The Mari Lwyd was a mare's skull with false nose and ears and taken round on a pole by a group of poets  who would knock on the doors and then compete with those inside in strict metre poetic verse.
 

Aneurin Hughes

CHRISTMAS IN BELARUS

Remember in your childhood you dreamt about receiving a present from Santa Claus? Perhaps you still do? Then you should definitely come to Belarus, the country where people celebrate not just one but two Christmases! How is it possible? Today most of the world lives according to the Gregorian calendar. The Orthodox Church, however, still adheres to the old, Julian calendar. This is why all holidays are celebrated with the 13-day delay.

Most of Belarusians are Orthodox Christians, but the share of Roman Catholics and Protestants is also verysignificant. That is why major religiousholidays like Christmas and Easter aremarked as non-working days in theofficial calendar. People are free tochoose which one they want to celebrate.

In Belarus, the ritual of Christmas is therefore closely tied to the folk holiday of  Kaliady, with people not only going to church, but also observing rituals of pagan origin, and both traditions fused into a single fest. In the present Belarusian language the word “Kaliady” describes the whole period of Christmas celebrations. It originates from the Latin word Calendae – the name of the first day of each month in the Ancient Rome. Belarusian Kaliady is a folk holiday, which has its roots in the prechristian time. It is connected to the winter solstice when the day begins to grow longer and the year turns towards the summer. As Christianity became the main religion on Belarusian territories, Kaliady were timed to the holidays of Christmas and Epiphany.

The main idea of Kaliady ritual of the pre-Christian time was to precipitate the spring and ensure the rich harvest through certain rituals. In every family, three Kutsia (sacral suppers) should be served during Kaliady.The first one, Lenten (or Great) Kutsiais celebrated on the evening beforeChristmas. The table is full of Lentendishes – herrings, all kinds of pancakes,fish and mushrooms, oatmealkisel (a dessert made of fruit, berries and potato starch and sometimes served with milk). There is straw beneath  the tablecloth. Each family member picks straws in order to determine who will be the most long-living. The dish served last is Kutsia itself – porridge with honey, poppy seeds, nuts and raisins. The master of the house is the first one to try Kutsia. A spoon of this traditional porridge is always being placed on a separate plate outside  the house for the night. In the ancient times it was the offering to Zuzia, the god of winter.

Kaliadavanne is one of the most characteristic  Christmas traditions in Belarus. Groups of dressed-up people wander  from house to house, singing Kaliady songs – “kaliadki” and “shchadrouki”. The most characteristic personage of this performance is  Kaza  (goat), the person dressed and maskedlike a goat. The master of the housevisited during Kaliadavanne is supposedto treat the group with sausage,snacks, and sweets.

The Rich (also known as Fat, Generous)   Kutsia is served on the New Year’s Eve. During this evening one finds on the table Kustia porridge with butter and fried bacon, as well as various meat dishes. Another Lenten (also called Hungry) Kutsia is served right before Epiphany – that is why it is sometimes called Water Kutsia. Kaliady are also used for telling fortunes, especially by young unmarried women. The fortune telling is done in all kinds of ways. Here are some of them:

On the first day of Kaliady, in the morning or in the evening, a young girl goes to a crossroad, with a piece of a pancake or a bit of Kutsia porridge with her and listens from which direction dogs will be barking. Her future husband should take her away from home in the same direction. Young men and women go outside and hug a fence, reaching with their hands as wide as they can. If the number of the hugged poles is even, that means that they will be in a couple next year. A married woman hides some items – for example a piece of bread, a ring, a brush, a needle, and other small things, and asks her girlfriends to come into the room one after another and find the items. The one who finds bread will have a rich husband; a ring promises a handsome husband; the brush will bring a bad-tempered one; the needle means her future husband would be a tailor.

Of course, with many Belarusians living in large cities, it is becoming quite difficult to observe these rituals. But urbanization is not the only reason why Christmas traditions are not preserved by most Belarusian families.

During the Soviet times all holidays connected with religion were fiercely eradicated. Churchgoing as well as Kaliady rituals were strictly forbidden – especially for the younger generation. Owing to the efforts of Soviet ideologists, Christmas was substituted by the atheist New Year. It is no longer “Svyaty Mikalaj” (Saint Nicolas) who is bringing presents to children, but “Dzed Maroz” (Daddy Frost). Now the traditional Christmas is slowly coming back. People are free to attend Christmas services – and many do so. Those who don’t often watch Christmas services live on TV. Kaliadavanne ritual is also being slowly revived. What is the typical post-Soviet New Year’s ritual in Belarus like?

Picture yourself as member of a typical Belarusian family, living in a two room flat in a panel apartment block in Minsk. On December 31 your father takes a good nap before the exhausting festive night, which, he knows, will involve a lot of eating. The mother doesn’t have this privilege – she is busy cooking: similarly to the traditional Christmas celebration, the New Year’s table should be full. The main “sacred” New Year’s dish is “Olivje” salad – a mix of mayonnaise, potatoes, green peas, pickles, and some other ingredients. Don’t be deceived by the French-sounding name – French people have never heard of such a salad. The children have winter holidays: they eat tangerines and watch New Years’ movies on TV. The evening comes and the table is set. The mother is already tired from all the cooking, the father is rather hungry – he’s been saving his appetite for the New Year’s festive meal. Your TV will not be turned off – it will lead the family through the celebration, providing entertainment, music, and necessary ideological sermons. The traditional assortment of TV entertainment includes: never-ending stand-up comedies, pre-recorded music shows, and re-runs of old Soviet comedy films. The comedy “S Legkim Parom” is an absolute “must” – it is shown on every single New Year Eve. The name can be translated like ‘have a light steam’ – this is a saying which people tell each other after sauna. Filmed in the 70s, the movie is a story of a man, who, having had too much vodka in sauna with his friends, ends up in Leningrad instead Moscow, in a typical Soviet apartment, which he mistakes for his own. The lady living there wants to throw him out, but in the end fells in love with the uninvited guest.

At 11 p.m. New Year comes to Russia (Moscow is in another time zone than Minsk). Russian TV can be received by most Belarusians, and many of them watch Putin’s speech, which precedes the chime of the Kremlin clock. An hour later, shortly before midnight the familiar image of Alyaksandr Lukashenka appears on the screen. This year he will deliver his annual New Year’s address to the nation for the 14th time. Every time Alyaksandr Lukashenka tends to speak long enough to get people anxious about missing long-awaited 12:00 Of course, this never happens since the address is most likely pre-recorded.

When the New Year arrives, people pour in “Soviet Champagne” into their glasses (another relict of the Soviet times) and attack the food. Children run to the New Years’ Tree in order to find their presents. By 1 a.m. everyone is completely full. Nevertheless, many people find strength to go for a walk downtown. Such New Year strolls are especially favoured by Minsk citizens. The main avenue of the city is closed for transportation, allowing huge crowds to wander up and down, drinking beer out of bottles or champagne out of plastic glasses, listening to the Belarusian pop music from the street loudspeakers and waiting for some miracle to happen. They come home late after midnight, exhausted, tipsy, with running noses and shiny eyes. Someone is happy; another one is looking for his/her cell phone that had been lost somewhere on the corner of Lenin street while calling an aunt in a faraway village.

The New Year has begun.

By Ales Kudrytski

CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND

In Ireland today, Christmas is a time for families coming together and
with the recently acquired wealth, this coming together is a great
excuse for a boom in buying (expensive) consumer goods especially for
children who normally are at the centre of most of the festivities.  We are
very much in the mainstream of Western European customs, taking the
Christmas Tree from Germany, the turkey and plum pudding from
England - although there was a tradition, especially in rural areas, to
have a goose, rather than a turkey.

For the main meal on Christmas Day.
Ireland is very much a religious country and even with growing
secularism, Christmas is very much a religious festival, with carol
singing, live cribs, and decorated windows in the main stores. This also
brings out little quirks in our attitude towards religious feast days.

In Britain, the day after Christmas, is known as 'boxing day' a name I
always have some confusion with. Many Irish people also use the term
'boxing day', but over recent it is usual to refer to this day as St
Stephen's Day, which is the proper name listed in the Church Calendar.

Going back to pagan times there is an old tradition, particularly in the
Dingle Peninsula, of hunting the 'wren', whereby a group, mostly young
men, dress up as wren boys in rather garish costumes, featuring straw as
a large element of the dress, gathering on St. Stephen's Day and move
around the community receiving sustenance from the neighbours, which may
be the whole point of the exercise.  The tradition has remained in
Dingle for many decades but within the last 20 years it has spread to
Dublin, to Sandymount, near Donnybrook and Dublin Bay and a large number
of people, young and old, male and female, famous and not so famous,
gather to follow in the hunt for the wren.

TERRY STEWART

Dublin

"Natal em Portugal" -  Christmas in Portugal 
 

Christmas (Natal) is a very important period of the year in Portugal: in the past for the strong religious symbol it represented and nowadays for the deeply rooted traditions and shared values of Family, Friendship, Peace and Charity.

Christmas Eve (24) and Christmas Day (25) are celebrated with lots of Joy and enthusiasm bringing Families and people together to share gifts and gastronomic delights. 

In the beginning of December children start writing letters to "Pai Natal" (Santa Claus) asking him to bring gifts and sweets to be put in their shoes near the Christmas tree (or the chimney) during the night of 24^th December.  Decoration of the Christmas tree and preparation of the "Presépio" (Nativity) is a magic moment for children (and parents alike).  

In the kitchen the activity goes crescendo from mid-December on to prepare all the traditional dishes and desserts until the 23rd when the "Bacalhau" (codfish) is put into large basins of water to lose its salt, the turkey is stuffed and the last desserts are prepared such as "Rabanadas" (fried slices of bread rolled in sugar and cinnamon); "Toucinho do céu" (a delicious and rich cream prepared with egg yolks, almond powder, sugar and walnuts); "Sonhos" (a kind of pumpkin doughnuts served with a light sugar syrup)… 

On December 24 the whole Family and close friends gather in the evening to celebrate "Natal".The table is covered with the most beautifully embroidered linen white table-cloth. In the most traditional families diner is served quite early in order to allow the group to go to Church to celebrate the "Missa do galo" (midnight mass) and "Nascimento do Menino Jesus" (birth of Little Jesus).

The most traditional dish one can find on all tables, poor or rich, is the "Bacalhau cozido" (boiled codfish) served with boiled potatoes, eggs, vegetables and seasoned with olive oil, vinegar and raw garlic. In the Northern Oporto regions it is also very common to eat octopus. 

As a second service, a variety of meat roasts is brought to the table: turkey, lamb or "leitão assado" (suckling piglet) all served with puffed potatoes or rice. 

Then comes the most incredible variety of desserts which recipes differ slightly from region to region but have one thing in common: they are prepared with lots of eggs, sugar, almonds and all sorts of nuts!  

The "Ceia" (Supper) is in the programme for those coming back from the "Midnight mass": a hot "Canja" (chicken or turkey soup) or in the Northern regions "Caldo Verde" (a soup prepared with green cabbage) is served. 

Then the most magic moment - specially for the Children – arrives: the opening of the gifts by order of age: the younger first !In some families, probably the most disciplined,  kids go to bed and only open their gifts the next morning meaning that in some places anxiety is at it's maximum until very early on 25 December. 

That day is usually passed with siblings or with other people who could not be present during the Christmas Eve. The atmosphere is in general warm and  relaxed: some delicious special preparations are made with the left overs: just to mention "Roupa velha" (kind of stew prepared with onions and garlic fried in olive oil, mixed with the rest of cod fish, octopus, potatoes, vegetables, olives, hard boiled eggs and fresh herbs such as coriander and parsley). 

Until the dawn … 

The New Year's Eve is also a moment of celebration and partying: the most courageous run the "São Silvestre's" night race or plunge into the sea (average: 15 ° C) on the first day of the New Year. The rest - to which I belong - dance, drink and eat all night long … until Sunrise. 

The Season's Celebrations come to an end on "Dia dos Reis": on 6^th January where a special cake is prepared with dried and crystallised fruit. A "fava" (kidney bean) is hidden in the middle of the pastry and the one who gets it in his or her slice wins the King or the Queen's crown!  The Year may begin under the best auspices. 
 

Ana Paula Figueiredo-Laissy  

Bulgarsk historie og bulgarsk mad

Den bulgarske madlavnings særlige karakter har naturligvis en historisk baggrund.

Den bulgarske nation opstod ved en assimilering i perioden mellem 300-tallet og frem til 800-tallet
af hovedsagelig tre folkeslag, som hver bragte deres bidrag til den nye nation og til madkulturen.
Vort kendskab til madkulturen på den tid bygger ikke alene på arkæologiske fund, men også på beretninger fra græske og romerske rejsende, der nedskrev deres indtryk fra besøg i de egne.

Den første gruppe var trakerne, der kendte til at dyrke druer og lave vin. De bragte også oliven og
olien derfra med sig.

Den anden gruppe kaldes protobulgarere. De var optaget af kvægdrift og jagt. De spiste kød såvel
stegt som tørret og de drak mælk fra får og køer.

Den tredje gruppe var den slaviske, som dyrkede jorden, kværnede hveden og lavede brød. Dyrkede kål, de små stærke peberfrugter, linser og hvidløg.

DRUER OG HVAD DERAF KOMMER

Om sommeren flytter bulgarerne udenfor. Ved næsten hvert eneste hus er der en lille gård, der er
overdækket af tætte vinplanter. Her leves livet sommeren igennem. Her står der ofte en elektrisk kogeplade, og her laves det meste af maden sommeren igennem. Her sidder man og spiser og nyder aftenen. Hen på sommeren begynder vindrueklaserne at hænge ned fra ”loftet" og snart kan man
sidde der og plukke modne druer.

Man drikker tit vin til maden. Rejseberetninger fra gammel tid bl.a. fra korsfarere udtrykker en vis
forundring over, at både mænd og kvinder gerne drak vin hver dag. Bulgarerne laver mange slags
udmærkede vine og de hjemmelavede er ikke de ringeste. Der findes den tradition, at man skal drikke røde vine i måneder med ”r”, og hvide vine i de andre dvs. maj, juni, juli og august. I de senere år er der kommet stadig flere kvalitetsvine frem på markedet, og en del kan man finde i Danmark.

Man laver også mousserende vin i Bulgarien. Den smager ganske udmærket. Som noget specielt har man en rød mousserende vin. Den er fin i letkølet tilstand.

Endvidere laver man et destillat på druer. Det bliver til den herligste rakija.

Rakija er den bulgarske snaps, som laves på et afgæret frugtmæsk, der kan være baseret på blom-
mer, druer, pærer eller andre frugter. Slivova rakija- dvs. blommebrændevin - anses for at være den fineste, og det er den eneste som kan købes i Danmark endnu.

I de senere år er der kommet mange nye mærker på markedet i Bulgarien også nogle som i stil med de gode whiskyer har ligget på træfade i mange år nogle af de bedste fremstilles ved Sortehavet ikke langt fra Varna, og falder man over en sådan, må man ikke lade den gå ens gane forbi, den hedder Euxinovgrad rakija. Et andet fornemt mærke er fra byen Sliven og hedder Perla endnu en hedder Karlovska misketova rakija. De er alle baseret på druer.

De mennesker, som holder på at blommerakijaen er den bedste, peger på Stara tirojanska slivova som det bedste af den skuffe.

Men helt bortset fra mærkevarerne, så er nogle af de bedste rakija'er i Bulgarien hjemmelavede. Og del ganske uanset om de så er lavetpå pærer, ferskner eller det mere traditionelle blommer eller druer.

Bulgarerne destillerer nemlig stadig selv. Og de må godt - med visse begrænsninger. De har ret til
at destillere et vist antal liter hvert år, som de svarer skat af. Men skatten er ubetydelig og antallet af litre synes at kunne strækkes uendeligt. Rakija'en fremstilles i landsbyens rahidzliinitsa - et lille afsides beliggende skur, hvor man på en heldig dag kan finde et hyggeligt par, som over cigaretter og kortspil får tiden til at gå ved siden af noget, som mest ligner en vild Storm.P-konstruktion. Og hele tiden lyder en liflig dryppen. Som regel er de gavmilde med smagsprøver.

Til forretterne drikkes rakijaen ren og i store mål - det normale mål for en bulgarsk genstand er 10 cl.

Om eftermiddagen vil man mange steder kunne se folk sidde og slappe af i skyggen med et stort
glas med en mælkeagtig væske i. De drikker den kølende mastika, som er krydret med anis. Ligesom sin franske søster Pernod bliver den mælkehvid, når den tyndes med koldt vand.

Efter maden drikker man tit kaffe. De fleste steder i dag er det espresso-typen, men enkelte steder og i private hjem kan man stadig få tyrkisk kaffe, som tilberedes i en lille fortinnet kobberbeholder, som hedder en djezve. Man blander 1 tsk. kaffe og 1 tsk. sukker (eller mere) med en kop vand. Det får lov at koge op og tages af ilden indtil kaffen falder ned igen. Sættes igen over ilden og koger op og det hele gentages en tredje gang, før kaffen er færdig til servering. Den står et par minutter, før den hældes op i kopperne. Der bliver selvfølgelig grums i bunden af koppen, men den bruger man til at spå i!

Kan meget fint laves i et lille ildfast fad.

Man starter med at lave f'yldet: bulgarsk hvid ost eller feta rives og røres sammen med blødt smør og olivenolie. Så smøres formen, og to lag filo lægges i bunden: der pensles med smør og lægges endnu to lag filo. Halvdelen af fyldet bredes ud over. Overpå lægges igen 2 lag filo. Resten af fyldet hældes på og dækkes af 2 lag filodej, som smøres. Til sidst lægges to lag filo øverst.

Youghurt, mælk, æg, salt og bagepulver blandes godt sammen og hældes over. Hæld langsomt, så det trænger ned gennem lagene.

45 min. I ovnen ved 200 gr.

Kan fint lunes dagen der på.

Smager godt i sig selv og sammen med næsten hvad som helst.

Bulgarsk Jul.

Den 24. december fejres Budni aften – dagen før den store Jule dag (25. december). På Budni aften venter alle sammen på Jesus Kristus’ fødsel.

Der er særlige traditioner til maden på Budni aften. I gamle dage skulle der være alt, som bulgarerne producerede igennem året på deres gård: hvede, korn,græskar, vindrue, vand melon, melon, pære, svesker, mælk, spæk og så videre. Disse produkter blev anrettet på halm, der var lagt på gulvet, og retterne skal være repræsenteret i et ulige antal. Der skulle altid være banitsa, som er en af de meste populære bulgarske specialiteter (tynd dej, som er rullet med en blanding af bulgarsk hvid ost, æg, yoghurt og smør) og andre traditionelle bagte specialiteter og kogt hvede med honning og valnødder, som drys, samt kogte svesker sammen med andre tørrede frugter. På Budni aften laves et specielt Julebrød med en sølv mønt inde i. Der skulle også være fyldte peberfrugter og fyldte hvidkålsblade med en blanding af ris, gulerødder, løg, porre, rød peber og andre krydderier. På Badni aften spiser man kun retter uden kød og produkter, som kommer fra fjerkræ og andre dyre. Kødretterne er kun stiller på bordet, man spiser dem ikke, fordi Badni aften er den sidste Jule fastedag.

På Budni aften inviterer man Gud til at komme og spiser sammen med familien.

Aftensmaden begynder med at de ældste personer af familien knækker i stykke Julebrødet. Den første styk er for Jomfru Maria og bagefter gives til alle fra den ældste til den mindste. Ham som får stykket med møntet i skal vær mest heldig i gennem det nye år. 

 
Julefesten begynder med de første timer på 25. december. Den er en naturlig fortsættelse af Budni aften. Navnet Koleda kommer fra de romerske fester – Kalendi, hengiven til den vinter sol .

I det tyvende århundrede tilføjede bulgarerne et anden element til deres Jule tradition – Jule træet, det kommer fra vest Europa. Jesus Kristus kommer ned på jorden til at bringe lys til menneske og deres himmerige. Derfor hænger man på Juletræet stearinlyser, engle, julemand, kugler, guirlander og så videre, som symboliserer den hellige natur af Jesus Kristus (lys, kundskab, renhed, sandhed).

Folketraditionen er forbunden med en sædvane, der hedder koleduvane (fra Koleda, der betyder Jul). Det handler om mænd i den giftefærdige ælder – det vil sige unge mænd der kunne forventes at gifte sig i nær fremtid. Forberedelsen for koleduvane begynder lang tid før Jul, hvor mændene lærer Julesange, deles op i grupper og vælger en leder for hver gruppe, som er ældre og gift. Mændene er påklædt i folkedragter, og har en blomst, samt en dekoreret gren i hånden. Mændene samles ved midnat og begynder at besøge alle husene, og går i gennem byen i med retning mod øst. De skal være færdige inden morgengry. I de gamle dage troede man at der fandtes vampyrer, skræmmebillede, bussemand og so videre.

Alle sammen går til kirken. 

25. december er den første dag efter Jule fasten, derfor er Julefrokosten meget stor, der er alt mellem himmel og jord. Det er obligatorisk at der er et stor udvælg af banitsa, fuldt med forskellige ting bl.a. kød, øst, valnødder, græskar, purløg, spinat, svampe, kål m.m. De hoved retter er lavet med svinekød. Der er også stegt høne, stegt lever og festbrød. Og så skal man ikke glemme – at det også i Bulgarien er om morgenen den 25. december at man giver hinanden julegaver.

JUL I NORGE

Egentlig begynner jula 1. s i advent .

Huset er pyntet i lilla, og vi har adventsstake med fire lys. Det er bevisst at vi tenner et nytt lys for hver av de fire søndagene.Det blir lysere og lysere jo nærmere jul vi kommer.Nå er de syvarmede lysestakene (jødenes minorah)på plass i vinduene -og adventstjernene. Advent, som betyr "komme", er lilla som er botens farge i kirken. I gammel tid var dette en fastetid. I dag er det en sammenhengende fest i motsetning til da vi var små, og jula begynte julaften. 

Folk pynter balkonger og trær i hagen med lys, og i Oslo har Frelsesarmeen et vanvittig høyt juletre på Universitetsplassen.Dit valfarter skoleklasser og barnehager og legger pakker til trengende under treet.Det er masser av førjulskonserter.Dette er også tiden for lutefisk som brukes på adskillige "julebord" dvs fester som mange arbeidsplasser har.

Gløgg drikkes det mye av - og det spises pepperkaker. Alle foreninger har kosestunder nå. Det øves på sanger, og mange baker fremdeles syv kakeslag .

Hos meg er det kransekake, fattigmann, smulteringer, rosettbakkels,krumkaker, sandkaker og pepperkaker. Da barna var små, måtte det være pepperkakehus. En gang laget vi en hel bondegård. Så lages det godterier :marsipan (hvis vi ikke kjøper Odense - marsipan), brente mandler,peppermyntekonfekt,karameller, kokoskuler osv osv.Det er juleverksteder over alt. Aldri er vel hobbyiveren større.

13. desember er det Lucia - feiring , en trad. av nyere dato som vi har fått fra Sverige. Alle skoler har det. Hos oss lager skolekjøkkenet lussekatter som de deler ut i klassene.

Opp til vår tid har det vært en selvfølge at skolene er i kirken . De fleste skoler ønsker dette fremdeles, og det er alternative samlinger på skolen.

Lille julaften . Nå pynter de fleste juletreet, som oftest er gran. Noen bruker furu. Det drysser ikke så mye som gran, men nå får jo vi edelgran fra Danmark.......

Vi har risengrynsgrøt med mandel etter at treet er pyntet. Den som får mandelen, får en marsipangris i premie. Restene blir riskrem senere i julen.

Nå setter vi opp julenek til fuglene.

Julaften . Mange har riskgrøt på formiddagen. Vi tar hull på julepålegget(trad. fra vårt barndomshjem) og drikker kakao med krem. En kjempestor del av befolkningen går i kirken julaften om de aldri går ellers. Det er lange køer utenfor .(Hos oss er det fire gudstjenester, og enda kommer ikke alle inn).

Så er det julemiddag . De fleste spiser svineribbe, noen pinnekjøtt(røkt saueribbe) og 1 % spiser torsk.Til svineribba er det surkål, kokte poteter medisterkaker og medisterpølser og tyttebærsyltetøy Til pinnekjøtt er det kålrotstappe. Vi MÅ ha multekrem. Veldig mange har det .En del spiser riskrem.

Så er det gaver ,kaffe, godter og kaker.

Første juledag De troende går i kirken . Man er sammen med familien. Få går i juleselskaper denne dagen.

Romjula . Juletrefester, selskaper og julebukk dvs at barna kler seg ut ,går rundt til folk og synger og får godterier.

Dette var vel noe vi gjør nå. Det er saktens en del mer fra gamle dager, men mye av dette er også tidløst.

Solveig Tønnesen

Oslo

Christmas in the Netherlands

Traditionally, Christmas is celebrated on 25 December in the Netherlands. That is probably one of the reasons why in my country 26 December is an official holiday. I am from a catholic background, so we used to go to church at midnight for a special Christmas mass. On the morning of 25 December we had Christmas breakfast. The table was nicely dressed with all kinds of Christmas decoration and at that occasion special food was served: sausage bread, weihnachtstoll, tangerines. I remember my father always put a little envelope with some money under our plates, and although this was always the case, every Christmas we acted as if we were surprised to find this money. Apart from that we got no presents at Christmas. In my country people exchange gifts on 6 December at the occasion of Saint Nicolas. In the evening we used to have a big dinner with nice food and, of course, turkey meat.

My mother used to dress a Christmas tree and underneath was the cradle with the little Jesus surrounded by his parents, the donkey, shepherds, lots of sheep, and, as from 6 January, the three wise men.

On the tree she hung lots of special Christmas candies and we loved them, of course.

I remember however that Christmas day always seemed very long to me. I was told this was an occasion to be with your family, so we could not go and play with friends. So my father took all society games out of the cupboard and we all played and often got into a row because someone was cheating. I must admit that this was not one of my favourite occasions, because in fact I felt trapped at home. Nowadays I celebrate Christmas on 24 December here in Brussels, and, as you will have understood, I still have the possibility to celebrate Christmas with my family in the Netherlands…. On 25 December! 

Nora David-Hagemeijer 

Noël en France

Etant d’origine catholique, Noël pour moi en France se déroulait dans mon enfance de manière très traditionnelle, partagé entre la messe de minuit, le repas de fête et les cadeaux à découvrir le 25 au matin. Avec le temps la messe de minuit est un exercice de moins en moins pratiqué, en dépit des efforts de l’église pour la faire à 17 heures, à 20 heures, voire même le 25 vers 10 heures. Ceci laisse ainsi plus de place à la déviance consumériste. Le repas traditionnel était souvent composé de fruits de mer, saumon, dinde aux marrons, fromage, gâteau Plus récemment la dinde semble céder le pas au chapon. Autre évolution notable : de plus en plus  de gens fêtent Noël sans savoir de quelle fête il  s’agit. Ayant vécu des décennies en Afrique, j’ai pu constater que  la fête de Noël s’est universalisé et que de nombreux amis musulmans africains fêtent Noël avec entrain sans avoir la moindre idée de la référence religieuse qui s’y attache. Ceci nous permettait en contrepartie de fêter le Ramadan avec eux. Dans la tradition, après le dîner, les parents sous la surveillance attentive des enfants qui les espionnaient, se cachaient pour  disposer les cadeaux dans la cheminée ou au pied de l’arbre de noël. Au petit matin, lorsque  les enfants se réveillaient, même les plus incrédules s’esclaffaient : merci Papa Noël !

Dominique David