Editor’s Note: This morning Gayle Bates of the Comox Valley Regional District’s 5Rs fame talks a bit about looking at caring for the planet by getting to know the Winter traditions of people from different cultures all across the globe. Then, you can check out a few great spots to give gifts of planetary stewardship this holiday season. Enjoy!
I am always talking about the planet Earth from the perspective of environmental issues, so you might expect that this will be about a planet friendly holiday season, however Bevin Clempson wrote a terrific column about greening your holidays. Check it out HERE. So, this month I am looking at some of the wonderfully diverse holiday celebrations in different places on Earth.
What a fascinating world we all share!
The last part of the year has so many great opportunities for celebrations: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, St. Nicholas Day, the festival of St. Lucia, and Winter Solstice, to name some of them.
Our Big Earth has some fun and easy tools for helping kids get to know different cultural traditions including the following pieces:
As it is Christmas that is most common to us here, I started to look at how it is celebrated here and elsewhere. Although there are differences, there are a couple of common themes.
Food, feasting, treats and special dishes – did I mention eating? – are often an important part of Christmas celebrations, and the traditional dishes include an amazing range.
- A turkey, goose or ham with potatoes, cranberry sauce and veggies is the most common Christmas dinner enjoyed in Canada, the USA and the United Kingdom, served either on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day.
- In Sweden, the traditional meal of ham, herring fish and brown beans is eaten on Christmas Eve, while in Transylvania, stuffed cabbage is eaten both Christmas Eve and for lunch on Christmas Day.
- In Portugal, a special meal of salted dry cod-fish with boiled potatoes is eaten at midnight on Christmas Eve, and many Italians serve eels for dinner on Christmas Eve.
- The Christmas Eve meal in Poland features fish, sauerkraut, potato pancakes and beet soup. Many countries and cultures include special cakes, bread and puddings in their celebrations, such as the rice pudding with the hidden good luck almond in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, or the sweet breakfast bread in Belgium.
In many countries and cultures there is a Santa Claus character, and he leaves special things – gifts, candy and food, in various special places, at a variety of times.
- In Latvia, Father Christmas places presents under the decorated tree on each of the 12 days of Christmas, starting on Christmas Eve.
- On the 6th of December in Hungary, Tel-apo or Mikulas puts red bags containing small gifts into children’s shoes, which are left near the door or window for his convenience. But on December 24th, children go to visit relatives or to the movies, because little Jesus brings a tree decorated with edible treats and presents to their house.
- Der Weihnachtsmann places presents under the tree in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve for children in Germany, although Saint Nicholas may also deliver candy and other sweets on December 5th for enjoyment on December 6th, Saint Nicholas Day.
- In France, Pere Noel puts gifts into the children’s shoes which are lined up in front of the fireplace.
- In the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemborg, Saint Nicholas is accompanied by his servant Swarte Piet or Black Pete.
- However, in Argentina, Puerto Rica, and Venezuela, it was traditionally the wise men that leave presents for the children on the eve of Epiphany, and gifts for children in Italy, were believed to be brought by a kindly old witch, La Befana. Exchanging of gifts between family and friends is also widely practised.
As we here in the Comox Valley reflect on how much we have this holiday season and are thinking more about helping people around the world have the same goodness, there are some great ways to honor cultures around the world and help families out through gift giving.
A 3-way win gifting solution is to purchase livestock, wells or other necessities for families near or far, or to make a donation to a group or an organization, and tell our loved ones what we have done in their honour.
Check out the following websites to see all of the amazing ways to give:
www.CHF-partners.ca
(formerly Canadian Hunger Foundation)
www.FreeTheChildren.com
www.metowe.com
www.tenthousandvillages.ca
What a spectacular way to celebrate the holidays and think globally this time of year.
MEET GAYLE
Gayle Bates is one of the Comox Valley Regional District Waste Reduction Educators. She's got the charm, the savvy and the eclectic style to give you the skinny of going green while keeping it real. You can always connect with her through the CVRD.
Great links!
Just popping in to say again how much we love your site! Everything you have on here is just great and so helpful! These links are really awesome…thanks so much for sharing!
XOXO Bitchin’ Lifestyle Crew