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Attributed with magic powers and not only<br />
considered by druids to be holy: in England,<br />
mistletoe is used as a Christmas decoration.<br />
Spain: waiting for the three kings<br />
Advent in Spain is a very quiet time.<br />
The first high point of the Christmas period,<br />
which lasts for fourteen days, is Nochebuena<br />
(Christmas Eve). It is celebrated in<br />
close family circles with a sumptuous meal.<br />
Then people go to midnight mass (“Misa del<br />
Gallo”) and watch the king’s Christmas<br />
speech on television. New Year also tends to<br />
be celebrated with the family. A typical tradition<br />
in Spain is to eat one grape with each<br />
of the last 12 strokes of the gong before midnight,<br />
so that the New Year brings you luck.<br />
But the most important part, at least for<br />
Spanish children, is Twelfth Night (Día de<br />
los Reyes) on the 6th of January, which also<br />
marks the end of the Christmas season. On<br />
the evening before, the children put out<br />
food and drinks for the three wise men and<br />
their camels to fortify them from their long<br />
journey. The next morning brings presents<br />
for children who have been good and coal<br />
(coloured sugar) for the naughty ones.<br />
Germany: Christmas trees and stollen<br />
The much-loved tradition of putting<br />
up a decorated Christmas tree inside the<br />
house has its origin in Germany. In 1419,<br />
the first Christmas tree was put up by the<br />
Freiburg Guild of Bakers. The custom<br />
quickly spread in Central and Northern<br />
Europe, and in the 19th century to Great<br />
Britain and as well to North America.<br />
Even then, the presents were put under<br />
the tree. Presents are exchanged here in<br />
Germany on Christmas Eve, the 24th of<br />
December. The evening meal is often potato<br />
salad and sausages. On the following<br />
days, carp, goose, pheasant, turkey or<br />
roast pork might be served up, according<br />
to personal taste. There is a huge variety<br />
of cakes and pastries to be had around<br />
Christmas time. In Germany, Christmas<br />
wouldn’t be Christmas without Stollen<br />
(fruit loaf), Lebkuchen (a kind of gingerbread)<br />
and a huge number of different<br />
little biscuits.<br />
Scandinavia: a sauna, celebration meals<br />
and Christmas beer<br />
Christmas is very important to the<br />
northern Europeans. After a long, dark<br />
autumn, it marks a turning point in the<br />
year when the light begins to take the upper<br />
hand over the darkness again. The<br />
Julfest, as Christmas is known in Scandin-<br />
Cultures 18/19<br />
avia, is celebrated differently in each<br />
country. It might sound like a cliché, but<br />
it’s true – the Finnish Christmas festivities<br />
traditionally begin with a companionable<br />
trip to the sauna and continue with a<br />
huge celebration meal. In the afternoon<br />
and early evening, people go to the cemeteries<br />
in remembrance of the dead. In<br />
Sweden, the Christmas season begins on<br />
the first Advent Sunday and ends on 13th<br />
January of the following year. The highlight<br />
is Christmas Eve, when Jultomte,<br />
the Swedish Father Christmas, brings the<br />
presents. Christmas in Norway tends to be<br />
very merry – and there is also plenty to<br />
eat. The celebration meal, which can consist<br />
of as many as 60 different dishes, is<br />
washed down with Juløl, a dark Christmas<br />
beer, and Jule-Aquavit. The Danes<br />
also treat themselves to a special Christmas<br />
meal. On 24th December, they eat rice<br />
pudding in which a single almond is hidden.<br />
The person who finds this almond on their<br />
plate will be blessed with good luck the<br />
following year.<br />
<strong>sig</strong>.<strong>biz</strong>/<strong>combibloc</strong> 03/03
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