The Nativity of Christ is celebrated by all Christians. And although the Christmas traditions of Catholics and Orthodox Christians differ from each other, in general, great attention is paid to the celebration of this bright holiday in any country.
Catholic Christmas traditions
It is customary to celebrate Catholic Christmas on the night of December 24-25. This difference from the Orthodox Christmas holiday is caused by the use of the Gregorian calendar in the chronology system.
Christmas among Catholics is the main winter holiday, surpassing even New Year in importance. Celebrating Catholic Christmas is more family than religious. It is customary to give gifts to all family members, friends and acquaintances, so the pre-Christmas period is always accompanied by massive trips to shopping centers.
While Orthodox Christians are fasting, Catholics have Advent time on the 4th Sunday before Christmas. Catholics, who are especially careful in observing religious customs, also try to restrict themselves a little from eating certain foods and use the Advent period for repentance and prayer.
Home decoration
With the advent of Advent, preparations for the holiday begin. Houses and the surrounding areas are decorated with garlands and paper lanterns. The symbol of Advent is a wreath of spruce with 4 candles, and a new candle is lit every Sunday before Christmas.
Christmas trees are decorated on the street or in the house. Residents of Europe, who care about the safety of trees, have recently often bought trees in pots with soil so that after the holiday they can plant them for further growth and save them from death. In addition to spruce, it is customary to decorate the house with mistletoe. For Catholics, this plant is considered a talisman that protects the house.
Christmas for kids
At the start of Advent, children receive a gift of Christmas calendars corresponding to the number of days left before Christmas. Every day a new window of the calendar opens, behind which are hidden chocolate delicacies, and sometimes parables on a religious theme or fairy tales are included.
The main hero-symbol of Christmas among Catholics is Saint Nikolaus, or Santa Claus, an analogue of the Russian Father Frost. It is he who brings gifts to children, which they ask for in letters. Only he does not put them under the tree, but leaves them in a specially hung Christmas sock.
Festive table
The main Christmas dish for Catholics is baked goose or turkey. But depending on the country, variations are possible - some prefer lamb, rabbit or venison to goose. The dessert table should include dishes such as "Christmas Log" as well as Christmas cookies. It is made in the form of snowflakes, stars and various figures, and is subsequently decorated by all family members and hung on the tree.
