Netherlands -
They refer to Santa Claus as Sinterklaas. Children are told that he sails from Spain on his feast day, Dec. 5th with Black Peter. Black Peter is called that because he slides through the chimneys. The children fill their shoes with hay and sugar for Sinterklaas's horse and find them filled with gifts the next morning. This means that on actual Christmas they don't open any presents. There are Christmas Eve church services and a big dinner. I got to try some delicious Dutch Christmas candy Monday night!
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| Interesting, huh? |
References:
http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/traditions/holland.htm http://www.santas.net/netherlandschristmas.htm
China-
Santa Claus is referred to as Dun Che Lao Ren which translates to "Christmas Old Man." Chinese children also hang stockings like we do. Their big celebration is Chinese New Year since most of them are not Christian.
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| Chinese New Year Dragon |
References:
Spain-
Christmas is celebrated hard core in Spain! The season starts Dec. 8th which is when they have the feast of immaculate conception. The children fill their shoes with straw for the camels, on Jan. 6th shoes can also be placed to receive gifts from the Wise Men. As for the Catalans region, a porcelain doll with his trousers down is hidden somewhere in the nativity scene. In Kansas, we usually used a pickle, but in this region they use a doll that is defecating somewhere. In another region they paint a smiley face on a log and on Dec. 8th the children beat the log and eventually throw the log into the fire. While doing this they sing a song that translates to entice the log to "shit presents." Those are the real translations too. Not 'poop' or 'feces,' but 'shit.'
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| I can't make this 'shit' up. :) |
References:
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