Cross-Cultural assesments
Christmas Around the World-celebrations of different culturals
Author angeldugger1
-
internet page
1Christmas in Mexico
Mexico's Christmas Traditions and Customs Few North Americans recognize that the roots of these treasured “Christmas” traditions were active long before the birth of Christ. In fact, most evolved from pagan winter solstice rituals of the Celts, Druids, Scandinavians and indigenous groups, and the much older Jewish Festival of Lights. While the most beloved Mexican Christmas traditions are firmly based on the birth of Christ, the timing of the celebration coincides with Mexico’s ancient worship of the sun. During the nine darkest days of winter, the Aztecs celebrated the God of the Sun, pleading for his return and praising both the Sun and his virgin mother goddess.
http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3141-christmas-in-mexico-navidad-en-mexico-a-mexican-holiday-resource-page
-
internet page
2Christmas in Africa
Christmas is celebrated throughout the African continent by Christian communities large and small. There are approximately 350 million Christians in Africa. On Christmas day carols are sung from Ghana on down to South Africa. Meats are roasted, gifts are exchanged and family visits made. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December in their calendar, which is the 7th of January for most of the rest of us. Kwanzaa is not celebrated in Africa, as it's an African-American holiday. And unless you're in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, there's little chance of anyone enjoying a white Christmas in Africa.
http://goafrica.about.com/od/peopleandculture/a/christmas.htm
-
internet page
3Christmas in Europe
The celebration of Christmas in the Lunigiana region of northern Tuscany, where I spend a good part of the year, has become a bit commercial over the years, and yet traditions like Presepe Vivente, living nativity scenes, and Natale Subacqueo, or "underwater Christmas" are still part of a long history of Christmas celebration in Northern Tuscany.
http://goeurope.about.com/cs/festivals/a/christmas.htm
-
internet page
4Christmas in Asia
Spread across South Asia is a forgotten people too numerous to count. They’re despised by their countrymen and viewed as subhuman. Even the shadows they cast are believed to be contaminated by their filth. They are the Dalits, the "Untouchables" of South Asia. Their life is valued at less then the animals whose dung they clean from the streets. Banned from the rest of society, they find employment removing trash, discarding animal carcasses and cleaning out latrines and sewers.
http://www.christmasinasia.org/