Different places, different traditions

Christmas Around the World

Christmas is celebrated in many different ways, and no short guide can capture every regional or family tradition. These examples show how the season can look very different while still sharing familiar themes of food, light, gathering and gift-giving.

United Kingdom

Christmas dinner often includes roast turkey, potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and Christmas pudding. Crackers, paper crowns, Christmas television and Boxing Day are familiar parts of the season for many households.

Germany

Christmas markets are one of Germany’s most internationally recognised traditions. Advent calendars and Advent wreaths also have strong roots in German-speaking Europe, helping shape the way many countries now count down through December.

Sweden

Saint Lucia’s Day on 13 December brings candlelight and singing into one of the darkest periods of the year. Christmas celebrations often include a julbord — a festive buffet with a wide range of dishes.

Italy

Christmas traditions vary by region. Nativity scenes have an especially important place in Italian Christmas culture, while Epiphany on 6 January is linked with the figure of La Befana in popular tradition.

United States

American Christmas traditions draw from many immigrant communities and regional customs. Large outdoor light displays, stockings, Santa Claus and Christmas films are especially prominent in popular culture.

Japan

Christmas is not a national religious holiday for most people in Japan, but seasonal illuminations, cakes and commercial celebrations are widespread. Christmas Eve is often treated as a social or romantic occasion.

A shared idea, many versions

There is no single “correct” Christmas. The most enduring traditions are usually the ones people choose to repeat because they create a sense of occasion and belonging.