In Venezuela Christmas is celebrated as a religious holiday. As in Colombia, the presents are brought by “El Niño Jesus” (Baby Jesus) instead of “Papá Noél” (Santa Claus), that still has an important role during this season. The unofficial start of the Christmas festivities is after the celebrations of “Feria de la Chinita”, second half [...]

Christmas in Colombia is celebrated as a religious holiday. Presents are brought by “El Niño Dios” (Baby Jesus) instead of “Papá Noél” (Santa Claus). He is still an important Christmas figure, but his role in gift giving has been downplayed by the church. His presence however is still felt in decorations, and Santa Clauses pose [...]

In most of Brazil, the Christmas is particularly a family celebration and it carries the European traditions, particularly from Portugal, brought by the Jesuits. Between December 24th and January 6th, there is an event in the most traditional regions called Folia de Reis, which consist in processions through the city singing Christmas carols for the [...]

Religious themes predominate in Christmas celebrations in heavily Roman Catholic South America. The secular customs and gift-giving in these countries are an admixture of traditions handed down from European and Native American forebears, plus the increasing influence of American culture. Gift giving traditions include Chile’s “Viejo Pascuero” (Easter Old Man), and Brazil’s “Papai Noel”, the [...]

In the United States and Canada, the Santa Claus traditions are essentially the same, except in Quebec and other French speaking areas, with its réveillon and the Père Noël (“Father Christmas” in French). The Celebration of Boxing Day on the day after Christmas Day is a tradition practiced in Canada, as it is in the [...]

Mexico’s Christmas traditions are based on Mexico’s form of Roman Catholicism and popular culture traditions also called posadas. Over nine days, groups of townspeople go from door to door in a fashion reminiscent of when the parents of unborn baby Jesus looked for shelter to pass the night when they arrived at Bethlehem, and are [...]

In Taiwan, Christmas is not officially celebrated or legally recognized. However, coincidentally, December 25 is the date of the signing of the Constitution of the Republic of China in 1947, officially the Constitution Day (zh:?????). Hence there was already an official holiday on that date designated in 1963 by the Executive Yuan,[3] which is largely, [...]

In Singapore, Christmas is a public holiday celebrated by almost everyone (Christian or otherwise). Typically it is also the boom time for retailers as Christmas season is also the time most people get their year-end bonuses. The entire shopping district like Orchard Road and Marina Centre areas is decorated with colorful lights from mid November [...]

The Philippines has earned the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season. Although faint traces of the holiday arise beginning from early September, it is traditionally ushered in by the nine-day dawn Masses that start on Dec. 16. Known as the Misas de Aguinaldo (Gift Masses) or Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) in the [...]

In Pakistan, December 25th is a public holiday that coincides with the birth anniversary of Jinnah – the founder of the nation. Christians constitute approximately 1 percent of the population, mostly from Punjab who were once outcaste before British Raj. In Christian households, cards and presents are exchanged. People wear their best new clothes and [...]

Christmas is a public holiday in Malaysia, however, much of the public celebration is commercial in nature and has no overt religious overtones. Occasionally, Christian activist groups do buy newspaper advertorials on Christmas or Easter but this is largely only allowed in English newspapers and permission is not given every year. The advertorials themselves are [...]

Christmas is a state holiday in Lebanon, a country in which 40% of the population is Christian. Most Lebanese Muslims celebrate Christmas with Christian friends. Commercialization and open markets are bringing a more secular celebration of Christmas to the public. Churches are open all night for praying and people go to visit friends and families, [...]