Ah Christmas, it is said to be the most wonderful time of the year. In the United States Christmas is a time of giving and receiving, spending time with your family, and in most Christian families, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is hands-down the most highly commercialized holiday celebrated by Americans. In fact, according to CBS news, the average American will spend $700 on gifts this holiday season, totaling for a whopping $465 billion spent nation-wide. From mall Santas as far as the eye can see, to hearing Christmas music in every retail store you enter. Christmas is a time of high spirits and high spending in the U.S. What about other countries though? Is the Christmas season all about giving and receiving gifts? Are children in Spain rewarded by Santa with gifts and toys on Christmas Eve? In this essay we will look at what Christmas season means in Spain, and what traditions are prevalent in their culture. We will also look at the Christmas related traditions of Americans, and how those compare and contrast to those in Spain. First of all, the Christmas season in Spain runs longer than the American Christmas season. While Christmas season in America has no real set beginning, the celebrations end on December 30th. The Spanish Christmas season officially starts on December 8th, with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception; and ends on January 6th, or El Dia de los Reyes Magos (3 Kings Day). In between this time period there are four other celebrations, including the Day of the Innocent Saints occurring on December 28th, “Nochebuena” (The Good Night) being celebrated on Christmas Eve, Navidad (Christmas) being celebrated on Christmas Day, and Nochevieja (The Old Night) being celebrated on New Years... ... middle of paper ... ...g the children gifts. Instead Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar do! The children often leave their shoes filled with barley and wheat on balconies, porches, or under the Christmas tree, for the 3 kings to leave presents in during the night. In the morning the barley and wheat is replaced with toys, candy, and other gifts! In conclusion, the Christmas season in Spain is a more holy and traditional event than in the United States. If you were in Spain during this season you would be likely to see large feasts among family and friends, people worshipping in the streets, and children swinging and singing Christmas songs. Gifts are given at this time, but the Spanish people view it more as a time of worship and family togetherness. Although they generally spend less money on the Christmas season in Spain, it is as just as an important of a holiday as it is in America.
Christmas is a very important celebration in most parts of the world. It is an annual festive celebration where families come together. In Mexico La Navidad is one of the most special celebrations that include many different events. Christmas in this part of the reign is not a one-day celebration; it starts on December 9 and ends January 6. Some of the most popular celebrations during Christmas are Las Posadas, La Cena de Nochebuena, and Los Reyes Magos.
Gift-giving nowadays is no longer an act of kindness, but rather a political measure, taken to ensure one’s status with one’s acquaintances. While the general feeling of "goodwill towards men" still pervades the season, albeit filtered through television and municipal decorating projects, there is a great tension that precedes the actual Christmas holiday itself. I remember Christmases of my youth as enjoyable times, to be sure, but also as times when it was best to stay clear of my mother, who was inevitably in
Latin America has seen 500 years of integration of the cultures of the native Indigenes (indigenous people), Spanish colonizers and African slaves. And Christmas season is one of the most beautiful times of the year to witness these traditions. The Christmas season is a time for the Latin American community to showcase their culture, customs and traditions.
Christmas is a holiday celebrated by most of the world. Christianity is very popular in the US and Hispanic cultures. In the US, Christmas is celebrated with going to Church on Christmas Eve, spending time with their families, and many other things. People also reenact the nativity scene, sing Christmas carols, and do
There are a lot of similarities and differences in holidays of Spanish-speaking countries and the United States (US) including the types of holidays, dates they are celebrated, and traditions. donQuijote said, “In Spain there are many regional and national holidays which means that there is a Spanish festival or Spanish fiesta being celebrated somewhere in Spain every month of every year. Every town, city and region has its own traditional holidays or Spanish fiestas in honor of a patron saint, founder or important historical event.” (“Spanish Fiestas”.)
Christmas is a holiday filled with tradition, family, and happiness, but what most people don’t know is that Christmas is celebrated all over the world, not just the United States. Latin American countries are especially passionate about Christmas. The way Hispanic people celebrate changes throughout each country. Each one has its own unique Christmas culture. In this essay I am going to write about some of these different countries, and tell how each one is similar and different in showing their Christmas spirit.
Another food is stuffed turkey and roasted stuffed pig. During Miranda(a event where a pig gets fried) a Christmas party in thrown with family, friends and neighbors. Also, families decorate Christmas trees. On Candle day, which is December 7th, candles are lit in window sills and and in streets to celebrate December. Most of these candles are red and blue. On the 16th of December families, neighbors and friends pray for 9 days. Santa does not exist in Colombia, instead Jesus gives them presents. A way that children hope to get presents is on the day before Christmas Eve, children write notes to baby Jesus and put these notes in the pesebre (nativity). These notes also can be called Carta Niño Dios. On Christmas, which is the 25th, they eat leftovers from Christmas Eve. On Christmas people in the U.S. eat ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, ham, stuffing and bread. In the U.S. people decorate Christmas trees with ornaments and lights. Families also hang stockings above fireplaces, bed posts, stair cases, window sills, door knobs and other places. Also, some children leave out cookies for Santa, they also write letters to him. It is believed that Santa Claus eats cookies that are left out for him, and he leaves presents under the Christmas trees for all the good boys and girls, and if you don’t be nice you get coal in your stocking instead of candy. Also, a tradition that started in 2005 is Elves
Few people can confidently say why the United States celebrates Christmas on December 25. And I imagine even fewer people know why we give gifts, or why we pucker up when we find ourselves under some mistletoe. The answers to these questions are under a thick layer of rich human and mythological history. For me, the majority of these discoveries were absolutely shocking—Christ was never in Christmas.
Today it seems as though Christmas has fallen victim to materialism and commercialization. Rather than it being a time of loving and giving, it has become a stressful season of greed. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, it is important for us to recognize the true reason of the season, and celebrate in a fashion that exemplifies that reason.
Holidays have always been known to affect our consumer culture for many years, but how it all began eludes many people and very few studies have been completed on it. Even though some say that the subject is too broad to precisely identify how holidays, especially Christmas, directly affect our market, I have found that people’s values, expectations and rituals related to holidays can cause an excessive amount of spending among our society. Most people are unaware that over the centuries holidays have become such a profitable time of year for industries that they now starting to promote gift ideas on an average of a month and a half ahead of actual holiday dates to meet consumer demands.
Who wouldn’t think Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year? Santa comes to give presents to good people who have done good things each Christmas. People anticipate to see what presents they will get for Christmas each year. Families get together for the holiday and play games, talk, and celebrate what Christmas is all about. Christmas is all about Christ, and people learn about Him by listening to the radio, which may play Christmas carols, such as Carol of the Bells.
Carols, snow, mistletoe, cookies and milk. These are all synonymous with the Christmas season. However, for many, the true staple of Christmas is Santa Claus. Every child has felt the joy of Christmas Eve, spending time with family, leaving treats out for Santa, tossing and turning in their beds in anticipation for old St. Nick’s arrival. Although what Santa does is well known, his origins are slightly less familiar to most. The man we identify with Christmas has developed over a long time and has encountered many changes. “The original St. Nicholas is for the most part a shadowy figure, lost in historical mists and religious myths. (Myers 318).
Although it was never celebrated in biblical times, Christmas is celebrated in local churches here in Visalia, California in praise of the fact that God loved us so much; he sent his one and only son to earth. He was wholey god and wholey man. Whereas we have succumbed to the temptations of this earth, Jesus was able to overcome all temptations and live a sinless life. He was then crucified as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. One cannot understand why we celebrate the birth of Christ without seeing the other end of his life. He was crucified for our sins and resurrected.
Christmas is a magical holiday and it is celebrated everywhere in the world by creating a fantasy scenery on the streets and in every shop and house. Around Christmas time, all the big cities in the world turn into a magical place, decorated with huge Christmas trees and with thousands of Christmas lights. But that is not all. In many cities around the world, no matter whether they are the capital city of a country or a small town, there are organized Christmas Markets every year. The Christmas markets fill the streets with a wonderful smell of traditional delicacies related to Christmas and so everybody is attracted to the markets by the wonderful, fantasy-like smell coming from there. In these markets, people can also find original, unique ideas to buy as gifts for their loved ones, as merchandisers usually sell hand-made items in these markets. And let’s not forget about the beautiful Christmas decorations, which you can also find at any of these markets.
As Christmas time approaches, many Americans start to get excited about returning home to all of the familiar festivities. They imagine the smell of the Christmas tree mixed with the aroma of apple cider or think about all of the Christmas specials on television that they will watch. They can not wait to relax in front of the fireplace with their families and to open all of the Christmas gifts piled under the tree.