By: Abbie Schmidt, Staff Writer
Posted December 14, 2015
There are many Christmas traditions all over the world. In one continent, there can be very diverse traditions. If you focus on North America, there are three very different countries with very different traditions.
In Canada, the province of Nova Scotia is known for their fir and pine trees. As a gift to Boston, for helping Canada after the Halifax explosion, Nova Scotia sends Boston its biggest fir tree every year. In Canada, many people open their Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. Toronto has a Santa Claus parade that has been taking place since 1913. On the shores, many Canadians eat lobsters and shellfish for their Christmas protein.
In America, there are many different kinds of dishes that people eat. Some families eat turkey or ham, cabbage dishes, or even lasagna! Some families thread popcorn to decorate their tree. Many Americans decorate their houses with lights and even some streets are decorated with lights.
In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated from December 12th to January 6th. Many Mexicans have Posadas where they celebrate when Joseph and Mary looked for somewhere to stay. Piñatas and fireworks are a big part of Mexican Christmas celebrations. In Mexico, lifesize nativity scenes are common and some households have a whole room devoted to the scene. Many people go to a midnight mass service on Christmas Eve which is finished with fireworks. Many Mexicans also eat the Three Kings Cake which has a figure of Jesus inside. Whoever finds Jesus in their piece is his “godparent” for the year.
Overall, it’s very clear that Christmas traditions vary quite a bit by the country, even while still on the same continent.
