In Brazil, Christmas is one of the most important festive days or ‘dis de festas’. It is celebrated on December 25. Having a multicultural population, the festivities are influenced by ethnic ways.
Bethlehem is the town where Jesus Christ is said to have been born. Christmas there is a major event and the festival is celebrated in a grand manner. Bethlehem witnesses a longer Christmas celebration; Roman Catholic churches begin on December 24.
Until recently, Christmas was not considered much of a holiday in Greece. But in recent years things have changed and now the occasion is celebrated lavishly. The Christmas season begins on December 6, which is St Nicolas Day and ends on January 6, the day of Epiphany.
In Poland, Christmas is officially known as Bozz Narodsenie, though it is most often referred to as Gwiazdka, meaning ‘little star’. Christmas Eve in Poland is a time for family and reconciliation. A Christmas Eve supper is an event of great enjoyment and high anticipation and a traditional supper consists of 12 dishes.
In Sweden, Christmas Day is observed on December 25. In Norway, on the morning of December 13, the boys dress up as star boys in long white shirts and pointed hats and carry star wands. The youngest daughter from each family puts on a white robe with a red sash and wears a crown of evergreens on her head.
