8. Christmas In Other European Countries
In Finland, Christmas Eve is the conventional time to set up the Christmas tree and it's also conventional to visit the sauna and for families to listen to a broadcast of the national 'Peace of Christmas' on the radio. Christmas Dinner generally consists of a main dish of boiled codfish that's snowy and fluffy in appearance, served with cream sauce and boiled potatoes. Christmas dinner is rounded out with roast suckling pig or roasted fresh ham and vegetables. Among peasants, there's a tradition to tie a sheaf of grain, with nuts and seeds, to a pole which is put in a garden for birds. Numerous peasants will wait until after the birds have eaten just before having their Christmas Dinner. And Santa Claus is expected to visit homes in individual with his Christmas elves to give out Christmas gifts. Christmas in France is referred to as Noel, from the phrase 'les bonnes nouvelles,' or 'the excellent news,' which refers to the gospel. On Christmas Eve, cathedrals and churches are beautifully lit and filled with the sounds of Christmas carols, ringing church bells and carillons. The tradition among children is to put their shoes by the fireplace for Pere Noel or le petit Jesus to fill them with gifts. In the north of France nevertheless, children receive gifts on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas Day, rather than Christmas. Most French homes will have a Nativity scene or crиche on display throughout the season. In Southern France, some people will burn a log in their residence from Christmas Eve until New Years Day, which comes out of a farming tradition of making use of the log for great luck within the coming harvest. The French also make a conventional cake called the buche de Noel, or Christmas Log, which is shaped like a Yule log and is part of a late supper called le reveillon held after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The principal dish for this meal normally consists of poultry, ham, salads, cake, fruit and wine but varies according to region. The main course in Burgundy is turkey with chestnuts and in Paris it's oysters, foie gras as well as the buche de Noel cake. The wines typically served are Champagne, Muscadet, Sauterne and Anjou. An annual tradition of puppet shows, especially in Paris and Lyons, is popular during Christmas time. In Paris, it's also common for massive department stores to have grand, animated window displays.
Christmas in Italy is known as 'Il Natale,' or 'the birthday.' Christmas season starts eight days prior to Christmas, a period referred to as the Novena, and runs for three weeks. Throughout the Novena, kids dress as shepherds and go from home to home saying Christmas poems, singing and playing pipes. They typically receive funds to buy gifts throughout this activity. The Nativity scene, referred to as the Presepio, has miniature figures, carved in amazing detail out of clay or plaster, of the Holy Family within the stable and is the center of Christmas for families. Families say prayers and kids recite poems around the Presepio. Christmas Eve dinner, known as cenone, is standard dish of roasted, baked or fried eel. In some regions, numerous kinds of fish is prepared for this dinner, along with pork, sausage in a pig's leg or turkey stuffed with chestnuts. Christmas sweets are known as panettone and traditionally have nuts and almonds. On Christmas Eve, kids set out their shoes for a type, old woman or ugly witch referred to as La Befana, who rides on a broomstick down chimneys, to fill them with gifts of toys or candies. If they were poor, their shoes is going to be filled with coal. Some children wait until Jan. 6, the Epiphany, to receive gifts.
Norway is where the tradition of the Yule log started and which gave rise to log-shaped cakes, cheese and other desserts during the holidays. Norwegians today often go into the forest to cut their own Christmas trees, which is secretly decorated on Christmas Eve to surprise children. After the Christmas tree is revealed, Norwegians engage in 'circling the Christmas tree,' a tradition in which everyone joins hands forming a ring around the tree. They then walk around the Christmas tree singing carols. Gifts are distributed after this ritual is finished.
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