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Christmas 2024: From hanging calendars to visiting cemetery, unique traditions and celebrations around the world
Christmas 2024: From lighting candles in Colombia to visiting the cemetery in Finland, here’s how people around the world start their holiday season.
Christmas 2024: The season of joy is here. Every year, Christmas is celebrated with a lot of pomp and grandeur all over the world. The holiday season is about to begin and we are waiting with bated breath. Christmas celebrates togetherness, the joy of giving and also ending the year on a happy note and welcoming a new year. Around the world, different traditions mark the start of festivities. As we gear up to welcome Christmas for this year, here are a few unique traditions and celebrations observed around the year. Also read | Merry Christmas 2024: Easy Santa Claus, Christmas trees drawing ideas for kids and classic poems for school
Hanging calendars in Germany:
Advent translates to coming. In the 19th century, the tradition of counting down to Christmas four Sundays before the festivities began became popular. Later, Gerhard Lang commercialised the idea by making it more Christmassy. Adding chocolates to the advent calendars, hanging giant advent calendars from buildings in Germany are popular in the recent years.
Noche de las Velitas in Colombia:
On December 7, in Colombia, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is honoured with Noche de las Velitas (Night of the Little Candles). Colombians light up their homes and the streets with millions of white and coloured candles. This tradition marks the start of the holiday season in Columbia. Also read | Christmas 2024: History, importance, significance of the festival and why it's celebrated on December 25
La Quema del Diablo in Guatemala:
La Quema del Diablo translates to ‘Burning of the Devil’. People in Guatemala believe that burning an effigy of the devil on the auspicious day of December 7 can cleanse their homes and their lives, making space for positive things to arrive.
Dancing around the Christmas tree in Denmark:
It is a fun tradition observed in Denmark where families hold hands and rock around the Christmas tree. They dance, sing and laugh as they observe this tradition, right before opening the Christmas presents of the year. Also read | 5 reasons why Christmas is celebrated: Birth of Jesus Christ to message of love and compassion
Visiting the cemetery in Finland:
On Christmas Eve, families in Finland visit the cemetery to light candles on the graves of their deceased family members and ancestors. Christmas sauna is another tradition followed in Finland, where the family members enjoy a sauna together on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
