Growing up in South Africa we followed most of the British Christmas traditions albeit in a warm climate. Yes we did have Christmas BBQs but we also ate the rich heavy foods ideal for a cold snowy day, sang carols about sleighs and sleigh bells and sent out Christmas cards with pictures of intricate snowflakes. To be honest I never questioned it. Christmas was celebrated on the 25th of December and was all about snowy conditions. As a teenager I discovered that Germany celebrated Christmas on the 24th of December, but still assumed it was a similar affair. Until as an adult when I moved to Germany and discovered that the foods were different and the gifts were not brought by Father Christmas but by the Christ Child. Through my good friend from Catalonia in Spain I discovered that the Spanish receive their gifts on the 6th of January. And so it slowly dawned on me that Christmas was not the same everywhere and that each country had so many different and wonderful traditions.
I have been fortunate to have lived an Expat life for a number of years I have had the privilege of meeting many different nationalities. I have discovered so often in chatting to different people that there are many different celebrations during the Festive Season around the world. Ranging from the Dutch Sinterklaas arrival in mid-November, through to the start of Advent in many countries, St Lucia and Las Posadas in Mexico in mid-December, ending I thought with the Three Kings on the 6th of January. But then I discovered that in many Orthodox religions the season continues to the 2nd of February when baby Jesus was presented at the temple for the first time. Some festivals included here have nothing to do with Christmas itself, like the Dutch Sinterklaas or Swedish St Lucia. But they are such important festivals in the run up to Christmas and build up the magical atmosphere of the festive season.
Celebrations in the Festive Season
Why is Christmas celebrated in January in some countries?
The Julian calendar introduced in 46BC by Julius Caesar measures a solar year as 365.25 days. This figure has been rounded up by a small percentage meaning that every four centuries the calendar gains 3 days when compared to the observed equinox and seasons. In 1582 the Gregorian calendar was introduced to take into account this difference and has been adopted in most of the world today. Some Eastern Orthodox religions however, still follow the Julian calendar when determining the dates of their feasts and celebrations. Currently the Julian calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar resulting in Christmas being celebrated on the 6th and 7th of January in Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches.
6th December: St Nicholas
This feast arose in the Middle Ages to celebrate St Nicholas (270 – 343), the patron saint of children. He was a Greek Bishop of Myra in present day Turkey. He was famous for his anonymous gifts and kindness to children and is also the patron saint of sailors because of the help he gave sailors. This is why in Dutch tradition he travels on a steamboat to Holland.
2nd February : Candlemas
This celebration goes by many different names in different countries including the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin at the Temple and The Feast of our Lady of Thunder Candles. It is one of the most ancient Feasts celebrated in the Christian calendar with records of this sermon dating back to 312 AD.
Candlemas in brief represents three events celebrated in one Feast. According to the Torah it was required to present a male child at the temple 40 days after birth. In addition the mother needed to be presented at the temple for a ritual purification following childbirth. Until this point the mother was confined at home to take care of her infant and recover. Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Temple in Jerusalem on this day to fulfil these obligations. This largely marks the end of the Epiphany season. In Armenia it is celebrated on 14th of February, since the Armenians celebrate Christmas on the 6th of January. In Sweden it is celebrated on a Sunday between the 2nd and 8th of February.
Traditionally this is also the feast where candles which are to be used throughout the year are blessed and in some Churches there are processions with lit candles.
Mary and Joseph would have been required to sacrifice a lamb on this occasion but as they were too poor they took the option of presenting two turtle doves as an offering on this occasion.