Christmas around the World Australia

How Children celebrate Christmas

On this page you can read some fun facts about Christmas around the World. Read how kids celebrate Christmas and get some interesting insights about Christmas traditions and celebrations.

At Christmas, Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditional Christmas decoration often can be admired and festive celebrations can be joined in most countries, even in many of the countries where Christianity is not the religion of the majority of people. Christmas trees are a popular decoration as are tiny sparkling lights in windows and on walls.

Christmas all over the world is celebrated on Christmas Day, the 25th of December. Some countries however have different Christmas traditions and Christmas traditions and celebrations take place over a longer period of time. Below you will find some interesting Christmas facts for various countries. If you want to learn more about other interesting Christmas traditions in those countries simply click on the links to go to our country specific Christmas pages.

Christmas Around the World:
France

In many regions in France, Christmas celebrations start with St Nicholas day on the 6th of December. Then children get sweets and little gifts. Cities are decorated in France, especially in the Alsace region, where they say the first decorated Christmas trees appeared as far back as the 14th century.

On Christmas eve, Children put their polished shoes out in front of the chimney and hope that ‘Père Noël’ (Father Christmas) fills the shoes with sweets. Christmas Day, 25th of December is a public holiday and families get together for a big feast. On this day also presents get exchanged.

Christmas around the World:
Italy

In Italy, a nativity scene, a ‘presepe’, is usually put up in churches, town squares and often in houses and is for many the most important parts of Christmas decorations.

The nativity scene display with a crib filled with straw, originally stems from Italy and is now common occurrence in many countries around the world. In Italy, ‘Babbo Natale’, that's how Father Christmas is called in Italian, hands out presents to children on Christmas Day. Still in many families, gifts are exchanged only on January 6 that is the day of Epiphany. The people wish each other ‘Buon Natale’, which means Merry Christmas.

Christmas in Germany

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Christmas markets are set up on main squares in many cities.

Houses are often decorated with lights and ornaments in December, however the Christmas tree is usually only put up in the homes only in the morning of the 24th of December.

Festive Christmas celebrations in Germany begin on the 24th of December, on Christmas Eve. Shops close early on Christmas eve, so remember that you have to get your Christmas shopping done until lunchtime.

Christmas in England

In England, Christmas decorations start early. Many families decorate their houses with lots of fairy lights and sparkling displays.

Often the house owners collect donations from visitors to their displays in aid of local charities. So remember if you like a display place some spare coins into the honesty boxes and help the good causes.

Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Day, the 25th of December.

Christmas in Norway

In Norway, children wait for ‘Julenisse’, the Norwegian Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, the ‘Julenisse’, brings presents to the children. During the month of December, children wait eagerly for ‘Jul’, that is how they call Christmas.

Christmas in Iceland

In Iceland, children put their shoes on the windowsill so the ‘Juletide Lads’, the Santa Claus, fills the shoes with little goodies.

Christmas celebrations in Iceland start on 24th of December, Christmas eve. Families get together and enjoy good food and many visit midnight mass.

Christmas in the Philippines

In the Philippines there is a special tradition of having a Christmas lantern, which is called ‘paról’; the lantern is star-shaped, remembering the star of Bethlehem, and mainly made out of bamboo and paper. In the image below you can see how the lanterns look.

The Christmas lanterns are on sale during Christmas time in the many markets in the Philippines.

Christmas around the World:
Singapore

In Singapore, about two in ten people are Christians. Christmas however is very commercialised in Singapore and Christmas decorations with masses of tiny fairy lights.

Stunning decorations can be seen everywhere in the main shopping district, Orchard Road as you can see in the image below.