Merry Christmas! Nadolig Llawen! Joyeux Noël! Frohliche Weihnachten! Feliz Navidad!
Ever wondered how other countries celebrate Christmas? In collaboration with travel bloggers around the world, PackThePJs has compiled this A – Z to give a taste of festivities across the globe. Today we are focusing on V – X: Venice in Italy, Wellington in New Zealand, and Xalapa, Veracruz in Mexico.
V: Venice, Italy
Venice is magical at any time of year, and the same is true at Christmas. It’s also a surprisingly quiet, intimate time to visit the city, right in the middle of the winter low season.
The city is very atmospheric during the festive season, with many of the streets illuminated by Christmas lights. Some gondoliers also join in by draping fairy lights along their boats.
Venice is also a great city for Christmas shopping. There are a few small markets around the city, and one of the best is at Campo San Polo. This is a large neighbourhood square a ten-minute walk from the Rialto bridge, with an ice rink for the kids.
Venice is also renowned for its glassware, made on the nearby island of Murano and sold there and all over the city, and this makes for some great Christmas gifts.
Christmas Day in the city is quiet, with a few restaurants open, no water-buses and most of the city’s workers at home having Christmas dinner. Many of the churches hold Midnight Mass and Christmas morning services, and these are a great way to see in the festive season.
Thanks to Delve Into Europe
W: Wellington, New Zealand
Christmas in New Zealand is celebrated in much the same way as it’s celebrated in the UK or the USA. People enjoy spending Christmas with family, swapping presents, singing Christmas songs, and going on holiday. We eat and drink far too much and justify it by saying: “it’s okay, it’s Christmas!”. Then we make ourselves feel better by making New Year’s resolutions to eat and drink less.
Christmas is a time for being happy and thankful for the good things we have in our lives, and not so thankful for the hole it’s made in our wallets …
There’s just one crucial difference between Christmas here in New Zealand and Christmas in other Western countries: Christmas in NZ is in summer! Instead of spending the holidays wrapped next to the fire or having snowball fights in the street, here in NZ we spend Christmas on the beach!
In Wellington, it’s traditional to head down to the beach, have a BBQ and then head out for a swim! If you decide to spend a Christmas in Wellington and you’re used to experiencing it in the cold, it’ll be a shock to see people celebrating on the beach in their swimming costumes and Santa hats.
New Zealand is renowned for its beautiful scenery, and the Wellington region has some of the best in the country. A great way to spend Christmas here is by taking a trip out to some stunning surrounding areas like Castle Point or Makara. Take a Christmas picnic with you, and don’t forget the champagne!
X: Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Xalapa is the capital of the Mexican State of Veracruz, also known as the Athens of Veracruz for its cultural fervour. Like all of Mexico the population is very Catholic. Christmas is a very heartfelt and important religious festivity, mostly among the elderly population. The first and most important event is the mass on the 24th at 8pm in the main cathedral or in the other smaller churches in the different boroughs, and then people tend to celebrate with the family members having dinner together. Not everybody exchanges presents, although it is a tradition as well. Turkey is what is eaten the most, but also saltfish with mayonnaise salads.
There is a typical desert that is made especially for Christmas which is called muñuelo and eaten with Miel (honey) de Piloncillo. Piloncillo is an extract of the sugar cane, commonly used here as a substitute for sugar.
Schools organise parades with children playing, singing and dancing, while dressed like Father Christmas, stars, snowflakes, and many other different characters. I had the pleasure to assist one of them. It’s cute, colourful and happy. The majority of the houses are all dressed up with fancy lights and fake snowmen to create the atmosphere. The main square and main roads are decorated with coloured lights and a huge Christmas tree.
The most characteristic thing, though very traditional, is for the kids to go door-to-door to ask for an offer, between December 15th until the 24th. They dress up in different costumes and hold a branch of a tree; they quote a poem or a song in exchange for a treat. This is normally a seasonal fruit.
In many businesses they celebrate Christmas organising posadas, which is basically a party organised normally in hotels or restaurants, where the company offers the meal and sometimes prizes to the employees. Everybody looks forward to it.
Among the young generation Christmas has lost its original meaning. It’s more like an occasion to party or exchange gifts; while among the older generation it remains a very important religious celebration.
Thanks to Boundless Roads
We hope you have enjoyed reading this post of our A – Z Series. Please come back tomorrow for the next three letters of the alphabet!
