We celebrate the holidays in many ways. However you celebrate the 2020 Christmas and New Year holiday period, may you enjoy a peaceful and joyful time with your loved ones…Here are a few ways that other cultures observe traditions in their countries:

St. Nicholas Day, Netherlands

In a departure, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 5th in the Netherlands, where St. Nick, or Sinterklaas, catches a steamboat from Spain. In preparation, kids leave traditional clogs (or just their regular shoes) by the fireplace or door. (Think of it as the equivalent of hanging stockings over the fireplace.) The shoes are filled with hay or carrots for Sinterklaas’ white horse, in the hopes that small gifts will replace this offering.

Las Posadas, Mexico

Believed to have originated in Mexico via Spanish missionaries, Las Posadas (meaning inns), are nightly processionals for the nine days proceeding Christmas Eve. The posadas recreate the tradition of Jesus and Mary seeking shelter and typically involve lots of singing and children dressed as angels. Eventually, each posada ends the night at someone’s pre-selected home, where, after initially being turned away, they’re welcomed with the likes of tamales and Christmas punch. The posada party isn’t over until the ceremonial whacking of the candy-filled piñata, often a seven-pointed star representing the seven deadly sins that need to be smashed.

Sufganiyot, Israel

Sufganiyot, jelly-filled doughnuts topped with powdered sugar, are commonly enjoyed by Sephardic Jews (of Spanish, Middle Eastern and African origin) during Hanukkah. The eight-day festival of lights in December (the date is different every year) celebrates a biblical event where one night of oil lasted for eight, but it’s unknown exactly how or why sufganiyot became associated with the holiday. One theory is that both Moroccan and European Jews enjoyed variations of the doughnuts before they became popular in Israel, where today they reign supreme during Hanukkah. Yet, it’s likely that the fried component also had something to do with it, thanks to the oil, and really, what’s not to like about jelly-filled fried goodness?

Winter Solstice, U.K.

Winter Solstice is an ancient tradition — possibly dating as far back as the Stone Age — that observes the shortest day of the year. This occurs a few days before Christmas, and even though it’s celebrated in different forms everywhere from Sweden to Iran, England’s Stonehenge is thought to be one of the earliest epicenters for marking the longest night of the year due to the placement of the stones. In fact, the Winter Solstice is still celebrated at Stonehenge, and anyone can buy tickets to experience the sunrise, along with Druid and Pagan traditions.

Dōngzhì Festival, China

The Dōngzhì Festival is China’s take on winter solstice, although the festival is also observed in Korea, Vietnam and more. In modern times, the Chinese New Year has overshadowed winter solstice, since the more popular spring festival occurs just six weeks later. As such, the winter solstice is no longer a public holiday in China, but many families still continue the practice, which entails paying homage to ancestors and eating tangyuan (sticky rice balls in sweet soup).

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