Christmas is celebrated in every corner of the globe. Whether it’s considered a religious holiday or a simple celebration of love and peace, there are a few traditions that stay the same across cultural lines. There are also some traditions that are unique to a country’s history and outlook. Learn about all the ways people celebrate Christmas traditions around the world, starting with the eight nations listed below.

Bethlehem

According to tradition, this is where it all began. This small town in Israel is thought to have been the birth place of Jesus Christ. Christmas in Bethlehem is cause for celebration. Some churches celebrate Christmas on December 24th, and others celebrate on January 6th and January 19th. The Christmas festival is marked by a procession through Manger Square, located near the Church of the Nativity. Mounted policemen ride in the parade, and a horseman follows behind them, carrying a cross. Inside the church, a silver star marks the birth place of Christ. Another star is put on top of a pole erected in Manger Square to symbolize the star that led the shepherds to Jesus in the story of the Nativity. Christians in Bethlehem mark their doors with a cross and attend services at nearby churches.

Japan

In Japan, Christmas is a popular celebration of peace, love, and goodwill. The religious aspects of the holiday aren’t central to the celebration; instead, the Japanese view Christmas as a chance to emphasize their love for their children and for one another. They do this through gift exchanges and acts of kindness. Japanese children love to learn about Santa Kuro1hsu, a character who shares many qualities with Santa Claus. Japanese families usually celebrate Christmas with a chicken dinner. They decorate their trees with toys, candles, fans, and origami swans.

Spain

Spanish Christmas celebrations are deeply influenced by the Catholic church. Families take the time to gather together and attend church services, then retire to their homes to visit and pray. City celebrations often involve elaborate dances and rituals. In one time-honored tradition, a boy of the town plays the role of the mayor. He makes other boys carry out clean-up tasks and other chores. If any boy says no, he has to pay a fine. The fines are collected and used to fund the festival. At home, Spanish children and grown-ups alike enjoy turron, sweet bars made of nougat, honey, egg whites, and toasted nuts. Grown-ups also place carrots and barley in their shoes and leave them in the windowsills to feed the Three Wise Men’s horses. This is thought to bring good fortune.

Germany

In Germany, December 6th is known as Saint Nicholas Eve. On this day, kids leave out one of their shoes so that St. Nick can leave them some candy for being good all year – or some dry twigs for being bad! Children use an Advent calendar that marks the passage of each day in December. Every morning, the child opens one of the little doors on the calendar to reveal a cheerful holiday picture. Advent wreaths are also popular. These wreaths sport four candles on top. Each candle is lit on a Sunday leading up to Christmas. The Germans have a deep affection for Christmas trees, and almost every home has one. Kids especially like to trim the tree with edible candy decorations.

Iraq

Christmas in Iraq is a time for peace and family tradition. On Christmas Eve, the Iraqis pick out a group of thorn bushes and set them ablaze. If the bushes burns all the way to ash, that signifies good luck in the year ahead. Children and celebrants jump over the ashes three times while they make a wish. Another bush is burned on Christmas Day. A bishop touches one of the members of the crowd and blesses them. Then the person who received the blessing passes it on by touching someone near them. This is known as the “touch of peace”, and eventually spreads through the entire crowd.

Netherlands

Christmas is celebrated on various dates in the Netherlands, with the main celebration on December 5th. Here, Santa Claus leaves all the work to his cousin, Sinterklaas. Families get together and celebrate by visiting and singing carols. Then someone knocks on the door. When the kids spring up to answer it, they don’t see anyone there. They do, however, discover a huge basket filled with presents. That night, Sinterklaas also leaves gifts and candy in children’s shoes. Later celebrations on December 24th and December 25th center around family dinners and church services.

Australia

In Australia, Christmas comes in the middle of summer. That gives it a very different feel from the traditional images of snowmen and frosty windows. Instead, many Australians spend their Christmas holiday at the beach or on vacation. Those who stay at home decorate with traditional trimmings. Australian Christmas dinners consist of meats (usually served cold), salads, and plum pudding – often baked with a coin inside. That tradition  has survived since Australia’s gold rush days. Boxing Day follows Christmas Day. It was named after employers who spent the day after Christmas boxing up gifts for their workers. Many Aussies spend Boxing Day watching cricket and yacht races. 

India 

A small part of the Indian population celebrates Christmas. Families who observe the holiday place manger scenes in the windows of their homes. They also place burning pots of oil on their roofs to symbolize the light that Jesus brought into the world. Instead of traditional evergreen Christmas trees, Indians decorate tropical fruit trees in their homes. Mango leaves are also used throughout the house, and star-shaped paper lanterns are strung up in between houses. Candy is passed out to visitors. Before the night is over, Father Christmas uses his horse-drawn cart to bring presents for all the children.