When Is Christmas Celebrated?
In Europe, “Christmas” (or the local word for it) refers not to the day but the whole season, which stretches well over a month — not to extend the shopping season, but to fit in the many holy days and festivities.
The five countries in question tend to celebrate the season slightly differently. In the UK, the main Christmas celebration consists of a meal usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. Unlike other European countries, Christmas Eve is often a little chaotic in homes and towns up and down the country. For some, it’s the last chance to buy gifts for loved ones – with shops typically closing early.
In Germany, however, Christmas (Weihnachten) is a three-day holiday. The main celebration is on Christmas Eve (Heiligabend), Dec. 24. Shops and offices are usually open until noon (unless it is a Sunday), and then everything closes for a mainly silent and quiet time spent with family. Germans love a traditional Christmas dinner on Dec. 24.
As is the case in Germany, for the Spanish, the most special night is Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), when restaurants and hotels offer extraordinary menus to celebrate it in a big way. Christmas (Navidad) is perhaps the most traditional, family-oriented celebration in the whole world, and in Spain it lasts until Jan. 6.
As for the French, the main Christmas meal (le réveillon de Noël) traditionally took place on Dec. 24, however, tradition is changing and many people in France now celebrate either on Dec. 25 or even both days. It’s not rare for couples to have two Christmas meals as they would spend Christmas Eve with one family and Christmas Day with the other.
For the Italians, Christmas is a season of plenty, and they celebrate with copious feasts spanning up to seven hours on Christmas Day (Dec. 25)! Everyone in the family brings their delectable recipes, giving each gathering its unique flavor. On Christmas Eve, Italians observe the tradition of La Vigilia di Natale and abstain from eating meat.
Where Is Christmas Typically Spent?
Europeans typically spend Christmas in their hometowns, especially the British. Italy, once again, is the least conforming to this trend, with a similar number of Italians visiting other cities in their country as those remaining in their hometowns.
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