Christmas is one of the most important holidays in almost every country in the world. Meet him in every corner at different times, but equally reverent and amicable. Catholic Christmas is celebrated on the night of the 24th to the 25th of December.
Traditions of celebrating Catholic Christmas
Celebrating Christmas in Catholicism is given far more preparation than New Year's Eve. This is the most important and solemn holiday. The celebration of the Nativity of Christ is accompanied by three divine services, which are performed at midnight, then at dawn and during the day. Celebrate Christmas for eight days:
- December 26 is considered a commemoration day of St. Stephen;
- December 27 is dedicated to the holy apostle Evangelist John the Theologian;
- December 28 is the day of the memory of the holy Innocent Infants of Bethlehem;
- a holiday of the holy family is celebrated on Sunday, falling out for one of the eight days;
- On January 1, the celebration ends with the day of the Holy Mother of God.
How to celebrate Christmas in Catholic countries? On the eve of the holiday everyone observes the post, which is called Christmas Eve. The post received its name from the ostrovo dish, which is made from wheat grains with honey. Fasting lasts until the appearance of the first star, which is the beginning of the holiday.
In England, a must-eat dish, baked with sauce, is considered a must. There, it is prepared with gooseberry sauce, and in the US, a sauce is made from cranberries.
In France, a holiday is not represented without a turkey in a wine sauce, while at the same time drinking it with champagne. In Germany, dishes from nuts, raisins and apples are considered obligatory.
Traditions of celebrating Orthodox Christmas
When did they start celebrating Christmas? When Christianity was adopted in the 10th century in Russia, all the holidays were closely intertwined with pagan traditions. Because of the traveler in the calendars, Orthodox Christmas comes 13 days later than the Catholic one. But in the celebration of Christmas in all countries there are many similar traditions and preferences.
How is Orthodox Christmas celebrated? With the beginning of Christmas, Christmas Eve begins. During this period, by tradition, people dressed up in costumes and went to caroling. At this time, it's common to guess. It is believed that you can very accurately predict your future. The main dishes on the festive table are kutya and Uzvar. In addition, there must be 12 lean dishes on the table.