Kids christmas around the world: Christmas Around the World | Christmas Traditions
Christmas in Mexico – WhyChristmas.com
In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated from December 12th to January 6th.
From December 16th to Christmas Eve, children often perform the ‘Posada’ processions or Posadas. Posada is Spanish for Inn or Lodging. There are nine Posadas. These celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Joseph and Mary looked for somewhere to stay. For the Posadas, the outside of houses are decorated with evergreens, moss and paper lanterns. Lighting the way for posadas might be ‘luminarias’ or ‘farolitos’. These are paper sacks, with shapes cut into them, which are partly filled with sand and then have a candle put in them. They represent ‘lighting the way’ for somewhere for Mary and Joseph to stay.
A Posada, via Wikimedia Commons
In each Posada, children are given candles and a board, with painted clay figures of Mary riding on a donkey and Joseph, to process round the streets with. They call at the houses of friends and neighbors and sing a song at each home. The song they sing is about Joseph and Mary asking for a room in the house. But the children are told that there is no room in the house and that they must go away. Eventually they are told there is room and are welcomed in! When the children go into the house they say prayers of thanks and then they have a party with food, games and fireworks.
Each night a different house holds the Posada party. At the final Posada, on Christmas Eve, a manger and figures of shepherds are put on to the board. When the Posada house has been found, a baby Jesus is put into the manger and then families go to a midnight Church service. After the Church service there are more fireworks to celebrate the start of Christmas.
One game that is often played at Posada parties is piñata. A piñata is a decorated clay or papier-mâché jar filled with sweets and hung from the ceiling or tree branch. The piñata is often decorated something like a ball with seven peaks around it. The peaks or spikes represent the ‘seven deadly sins’.
Piñata’s can also be in the form of an animal or bird (such as a donkey). To play the game, children are blind-folded and take it in turns to hit the piñata with a stick until it splits open and the sweets pour out. Then the children rush to pick up as many sweets as they can!
Children in Oaxaca, Mexico celebrate Las Posadas by breaking a Piñata, via Wikimedia Commons
As well as the posada’s, there is another type of Christmas play known as Pastorelas (The Shepherds). These tell the story of the shepherds going to find the baby Jesus and are often very funny. The devil tries to stop the shepherds by tempting them along the way. But the shepherds always get there in the end, often with the help of the Archangel Michael, who comes and beats the devil!
Nativity scenes, known as the ‘nacimiento’, are very popular in Mexico. They are often very large, with the figures being life size! Sometimes a whole room in a house is used for the nacimiento, although this is less common now.
The figures are often made of clay and are traditionally passed down through families. As well as the normal figures of the Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds and Three Kings, there are often lots of other figures of different people, including women making tortillas, people selling food and different animals and birds, like flamingos! The figures can be bought from markets in cities all over Mexico. The baby Jesus is normally added to the scene during the evening of Christmas Eve. The Three Kings are added at Epiphany.
Christmas Trees are becoming more popular in Mexico, but the main/most important decoration is still the nacimiento.
Christmas Eve is known as ‘Noche Buena’ and is a family day. People often take part in the final Posada and then in the evening have the main Christmas meal. Popular dishes for the main Christmas meal include Pozole (a thick soup made with hominy, chicken or pork and chilies with is topped with greens), roast turkey, roast pork, tamales, bacalao (salt cod), romeritos (a green vegetable that’s cooked in a mole sauce with potatoes and shrimps) and there are normally salads served as side dishes such as Ensalada Nochebuena (Christmas Eve salad).
For dessert bunuelos are very popular, they are fried pastries sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon or a hot sugar syrup. Bunuelos come in two shapes flat and round/ball! To drink there might be Ponche (a warm Christmas punch made with fruit) and Rompope (a drink like egg nog which often has rum added to it!).
At midnight, many people go to a Midnight Mass service, known as the ‘Misa de Gallo’ (which means Mass of the Rooster as people are up early like Roosters!). There are lots of fireworks to celebrate Christmas Day.
Poinsettia flowers are known as ‘nochebuena’ (Christmas Eve) flowers in Mexico.
On the 23rd December, in the town plaza of Oaxaca City in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, there’s ‘Noche de Rábanos’ (the Night of the Radishes). There are competitions, in different categories, for scenes made up of several carved radishes. The traditional category is for scenes of things like the nativity story, Oaxacan traditions and local wildlife like alligators. The free category has more modern themes like caricatures of politicians.
There are different prizes for adults and children.
The radishes used for carving are grown especially for the Noche de Rábanos and they’re extra large – often more than 50cm (nearly 20 inches) long and can weigh up to 3kg (6.5lbs). Over 10 tons of radishes are normally used during the festival! The radishes used often have red skin and white flesh, so that when carved, there’s a bright difference between the two. They are harvested around the 18th December and carved ready for the 23rd.
The competition of Noche de Rábanos started in 1897. Oaxaca has a tradition of wood carving and farmers began to carve radishes into Christmas figures and table centrepieces to sell at the Christmas market held on the 23rd December.
One legend says the selling and carving of radishes at the Christmas market started in the mid 1700s when two monks brought some extra large radishes to the market. The major of Oaxaca City started the competition in 1897 as a way of attracting more people to the Christmas market.
Thousands of visitors now visit the market every year to see the carved radishes on Noche de Rábanos. The radishes start going brown after a few hours.
On Christmas Eve churches parade floats through the plaza (these don’t have radishes on them!) and on Christmas Day there are fireworks and Christmas meals.
People in Mexico also celebrate ‘los santos inocentes’ or ‘Day of the Innocent Saints’ on December 28th and it’s very like April Fools Day in the UK and USA. 28th December is when people remember the babies that were killed on the orders of King Herod when he was trying to kill the baby Jesus.
In some states in Mexico children expect Santa Claus to come on December 24th. In the south of Mexico children expect presents on January 6th at Epiphany, which is known as ‘el Dia de los Reyes’.
On el Dia de los Reyes the presents are left by the Three Kings (or Magi). If you’ve had a visit from Santa on Christmas Eve, you might also get some candy on el Dia de los Reyes!
It’s traditional to eat a special cake called ‘Rosca de Reyes’ (Three Kings Cake) on Epiphany.
A figure of Baby Jesus is hidden inside the cake. Whoever has the baby Jesus in their piece of cake is the ‘Godparent’ of Jesus for that year.
Another important day, is La Candelaria ‘the Candles’ or Virgen de la Candelaria ‘Virgin of Lights or Candles’ (this is also known as Candlemas in other countries around the world) on the 2nd February and it marks the end of the Mexican Christmas celebrations. Lots of Mexicans have a party for Candelaria.
In Mexico, presents might also be brought by ‘El Niñito Dios’ (baby Jesus) & Santo Clós (Santa Claus)
In Mexico most people speak Spanish (Español), so Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Feliz Navidad’. In the Nahuatl (spoken in some parts of central Mexico) it’s ‘Cualli netlācatilizpan’ and in the Yucatec Maya language (spoken in some parts of the Yucatán Peninsula) it’s ‘Ki’imak “navidad”‘. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.
The largest ever Angel Ornament was made in Mexico. It was made in January 2001 by Sergio Rodriguez in the town of Zozaya in the state of Nuevo León.
The angel was 18′ 3″” high and had wing span of 11′ 9″! Perhaps the most amazing thing about the angel was that it was completely made out of old beer bottles, 2946 of them!
Christmas in the United States of America
The United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people celebrate Christmas, because of its multi-cultural nature. Many customs are similar to ones in the UK, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Mexico.
The traditional meal for Western European families is turkey or ham with cranberry sauce. Families from Eastern European origins favour turkey with trimmings, kielbasa/kielbasi (a Polish sausage), cabbage dishes, and soups; and some Italian families prefer lasagne!
For many Italian-American families a big Christmas Eve meal of different fish dishes is now a very popular tradition! It’s known as The Feast of the Seven Fishes (‘Festa dei sette pesci’ in Italian). The feast seems to have its root in southern Italy and was bought over to the USA by Italian immigrants in the 1800s.
It now seems more popular in America than it is in Italy!
Some Americans use pop-corn threaded on string to help decorate their Christmas Tree. Making gingerbread houses is also popular to make and eat at Christmas! Eggnog is a ‘traditional’ Christmas drink in the USA.
Many Americans, especially Christians will go to Church to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. Many churches have special Christmas Carol services and events where the story of Christmas is told.
In New England (the American States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine), there are shops called ‘Christmas Shops’ that only sell Christmas decorations and toys all the year round!
Americans also send out Christmas Cards, like Carol singing and there’s the unusual custom of the Christmas Pickle!
People in America like to decorate the outsides of their houses with lights and sometimes even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen and Reindeer. Some cookies and glass of milk are often left out as a snack for Santa on Christmas Eve!
Towns and cities often decorate the streets with lights to celebrate Christmas.
Perhaps the most famous Christmas street lights in the USA are at the Rockefeller Center in New York where there is a huge Christmas Tree with a public ice skating rink in front of it over Christmas and the New Year.
Christmas Trees were first put up in the USA by German immigrants in Pennsylvania. There were some community trees as early as the 1750s. But outside of these communities, trees would have been thought of as very odd!
The Puritans, who founded much of New England the eastern USA only thought of Christmas as a religious festival. In 1659 a court in Massachusetts made a law that to do anything to mark December 25th, apart from going to Church, illegal!
The first recorded tree in a home in the USA was set-up in 1832 by Charles Follen of Boston – who was a German political refugee. We know about it because of his wife’s memoirs written 10 years later. There are more records of early American trees in diaries and letters from 1842 in Virginia, 1847 in Ohio and 1851 in South Carolina and Mississippi.
A drawing of Queen Victoria and her family around the tree in Windsor Castle from 1848 was republished in Godey’s Lady’s Book, Philadelphia in December 1850 (but they removed the Queen’s crown and Prince Albert’s moustache to make it look ‘American’!).
The first recorded Christmas Tree lot selling trees in the USA was in New York in 1851 when a Mark Carr loaded two sleds with trees from the Catskill Mountains and sold them in the city. By the 1890s the Catskills were providing over 200,000 trees a year to the New York area!
The first US president recorded with a tree at Christmas is Andrew Jackson in 1835. However, this tree was a small sugar frosted pine tree.
The first Christmas Tree in the White House was set-up in 1856 when Franklin Pierce was president. The first electric lights on a tree at the White House was in 1895 when Grover Cleveland used them. The tradition of having a tree on the lawn of the White House was started in 1923 by Calvin Coolidge.
Trees became more popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s when more people had them in their houses and cities started having communal lighted trees.
There was a tree in San Diego in 1904, in Pasadena in 1909, in New York, Boston and Cleveland in 1912 and in Philadelphia in 1914.
Frank Woolworth started selling glass ornaments in his stores in 1880. In 1910 the Sears catalogue started selling ornaments by mail order.
According to The Guinness World Records, the tallest cut Christmas tree was a 67.36m (221 ft) Douglas fir setup at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington, USA, in December 1950.
In Hawaii, Santa is called Kanakaloka!
Customs such as Mumming take place in some communities. On New Year’s Day in Philadelphia there is a Mummer’s Day parade which lasts over six hours! Clubs called “New Years Associations” perform in amazing costumes which take months to make. There are four categories (Comics, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades) which are judged.
In the Southwest USA, there are some special customs which have some similarities to those in parts of Mexico. These include ‘luminarias’ or ‘farolitos’.
These are paper sacks, with shapes cut into them, which are partly filled with sand and then have a candle put in them. They are lit on Christmas Eve and are put the edges of paths. They represent ‘lighting the way’ for somewhere for Mary and Joseph to stay.
A popular food at Christmas in the Southwest USA are tamales. You can find out more about Christmas traditions in the Southwest USA on www.lonestarwesterndecor.com/vibrant-christmas-traditions-of-the-southwest.html (goes to another site).
In the south of Louisiana, on Christmas Eve, families in small communities along the Mississippi River light bonfires along the levees (the high river banks) to help ‘Papa Noel’ (the name for Santa in French as Louisiana has a strong historical connection with France) find his way to the children’s homes!
90,000 traditions and customs around the world. Christmas Canons for Christians and Catholics
CONTENTS ARTICLES:
Orthodox Christmas
Western Christian Christmas
Christmas Traditions in Different Countries 9002
Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the entire Christian world.
Each European country has its own traditions and customs that glorify Christmas days. Let’s talk about the generally accepted features of the holiday and the distinctive features of the Christmas celebration in different countries. nine0009
Orthodox Christmas
Photo: ksantia.ru
Orthodoxy has 12 main holidays, but two of them are especially revered: Christmas and Easter. In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on January 7 every year. The date was set after the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar took place.
Christmas is preceded by the longest Orthodox fast, called Holy Lent. The post is very strict. On the night of the feast, solemn night services are held in all Orthodox churches. The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve, on this day you can not eat anything, except for one dish. It is called sochivo – boiled rice or wheat porridge with honey. nine0009
After the celebration of Christmas, twelve days of Christmas time follow.
These days, interesting ceremonies are held. Believers go to visit and arrange gatherings, congratulate each other, give gifts and do charity work. It is believed that the twelve days after Christmas are filled with special joy, so it is customary to do good deeds and help those in need.
Folk Christmas traditions
Previously, the holiday symbolized the end of the year and the beginning of a new reporting period. From Christmas to the days of Maslenitsa, people completed last year’s business, repaid debts and entered into new deals with merchants. nine0009
- Christmas marked the completion of all agricultural work. During the autumn harvest of wheat, the father of the family collected a ritual sheaf of the best ears. He was placed in a corner under the icons in gratitude to the Lord for a good year. On the eve of Christmas, the family performed the ritual of burning the sheaf, calling for the next year’s harvest.
- The Christmas tradition of invoking happiness, well-being and prosperity into the house has passed to the celebration of the New Year.
Previously, on the eve of Christmas fun, people brought as much new things into their lives as possible: they bought expensive things and utensils, put on new costumes and decorations to celebrate the bright day of Christmas. nine0035
- According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was born in a barn. Three wise men, led by the light of a star, came to praise his birth. They gave three gifts to the little son of the Virgin Mary: gold – a symbol of tribute to the King, incense – a gift to God, and myrrh – an offering to the one who should die. The tradition of giving children Christmas gifts is still alive.
Previously, on the eve of Christmas fun, people brought as much new things into their lives as possible: they bought expensive things and utensils, put on new costumes and decorations to celebrate the bright day of Christmas. nine0035
The history of the holiday in Russia
Photo: sfioanevanghelistul.ca
- The celebration of Christmas was introduced in Rus’ at the end of the 10th century, immediately after the baptism of Prince Vladimir. Christmas rituals were held on December 25th. nine0035
- During the time of the Old Russian state and the period of the Russian Empire, Christmas traditions remained virtually unchanged. The festivities went on for a whole week. Almost all city dwellers participated in Christmas fairs. During the festive week, skating rinks and ice slides were built on the streets.
- Since 1929, the Orthodox holiday has been banned.
- In 1935, the fusion of Christmas and New Year traditions began.
The festivities went on for a whole week. Almost all city dwellers participated in Christmas fairs. During the festive week, skating rinks and ice slides were built on the streets. PLEASE NOTE! Decorated Christmas tree, children’s gifts, caroling and night vigil – all these are ancient traditions of Christmas that have migrated to the celebration of the New Year.
- Christmas was declared a public holiday and an official non-working day only in 1990.
Western Christians celebrate Christmas
Photo: uznews.uz
Catholics, Lutherans and other Protestant denominations celebrate Christmas on December 25 every year. The festival is held in several stages: preparatory – five days before Christmas, the celebration itself and the glorification of the birth of Jesus Christ, the final one – six days after the holiday.
On the eve, a strict fast is observed and all known prophecies related to the birth of the Savior are remembered. nine0009
THIS IS INTERESTING! Divine service in a Catholic church is performed in three approaches: at midnight, at dawn and during the day.
- There is a ritual of setting fire to a ritual log. Before the celebration, he is brought into the house with a prayer, marked with a cross, addressed to him as to a living being, poured with wine, oil, sprinkled with grain and bread crumbs. At Christmas, a log is lit in the hearth, saying good wishes.
- Special unleavened bread is prepared on the eve of Christmas, which is consecrated in the church. It is eaten with guests during congratulations and before a family festive dinner. nine0035
- The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree comes from the rituals of the Germanic peoples. Previously, fluffy green needles symbolized eternal life and fertility. With the development of Christianity, the symbolism was transformed: the Christmas tree, decorated with bright balls, became an allegory of the paradise fruit tree.
Photo: unsplash.com
Christmas traditions in different countries
Austria
Photo: unsplash.com
Every year, a tall and fluffy tree is placed near the Vienna Parliament, which is supplied to the capital by one of the Austrian federal states. Decorators choose decorations for the Christmas tree in one bright color. Christmas markets open at the end of November. nine0009
THIS IS INTERESTING! The Austrian Christmas market is called Christkindmarkt. The name comes from Protestantism. In the Catholic tradition, St. Nicholas gives Christmas gifts to children. With the advent of Protestantism, the angelic baby Christkind became the donor, who quietly leaves gifts under the tree.
- Austrian children do not send wish letters. The list of gifts is left overnight on the windowsill. By morning, he disappears – Kristkind takes him. nine0035
- There are no public events at Christmas. Austrians celebrate with their families.
- Roast goose is considered a traditional Christmas dish.
- In Viennese churches, a mass written by Mozart is performed at night.
Germany
Photo: theculturetrip.com
Advent begins four weeks before Christmas in Germany. Families decorate a Christmas wreath with candles – one for each week until the main holiday. On Sunday evening, one candle is lit, which symbolizes the tremulous expectation of the birth of the Lord. Churches and cathedrals hold public gospel readings. nine0009
- Parents make a children’s gift calendar for the Advent period. Most often it is a large box with 25 windows or a panel with 25 envelopes. Starting December 1, children open one of the presents every day. They are waiting for fun tasks, quotes from the Bible and chocolates.
- The streets of German cities are decorated with large installations depicting the events of Christmas night.
- Traditional dishes: boiled carp, goose stuffed with apples, baked pork with sauerkraut. nine0035
- A month or two before Christmas, they prepare a Christmas fruit cake – stollen. It is cut at the end of the festive meal.
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Photo: unsplash.com
THIS IS INTERESTING! Sweet cake stuffed with dried fruits and nuts, shaped like a swaddled baby.
Sweden
Photo: tomtarojul.com
Christmas is the main holiday of the country. It is celebrated on December 24 in a narrow family circle. All establishments and public places in the country are closed for Christmas. nine0009
PLEASE NOTE! For Swedes, Christmas is a purely family holiday, to which friends are not invited.
- Living Christmas trees on the streets of the city are decorated only with plain lanterns. Christmas decorations in Sweden are not popular. Small living trees are placed in the houses, which are decorated with light bulbs, ribbons and paper garlands.
Photo: tomtarojul.com
- The main Christmas dish is roasted turkey. Traditional dishes are: meatballs with potatoes, lightly salted salmon and pickled herring. nine0035
- A little plump gnome named Tomten brings gifts under the Christmas tree.
- An obligatory holiday tradition is family chants. There is a whole cycle of Christmas songs in Swedish, which is learned from childhood. The text is not necessarily of religious content, sometimes winter magic stories are revealed in the songs.
Traditional dishes are: meatballs with potatoes, lightly salted salmon and pickled herring. nine0035
England
Photo: unsplash.com
The British exchange cards and gifts at Christmas. On the eve of the holiday, children hang socks, which Santa Claus fills with gifts at night. nine0009
THIS IS INTERESTING! There is a legend about how the “Christmas grandfather”, going down the chimney, dropped gold coins into a sock that was drying over the hearth.
Each region of England has its own set of traditional Christmas dishes. Many families prepare a festive delicacy – plum pudding. Silver coins and small decorations are added to the dessert – the one who finds them on his plate will find happiness and wealth in the coming year.
- Branches of evergreens such as ivy, holly and mistletoe are considered traditional Christmas decorations. They decorate the entrance to the house and the living room.
- A tall Christmas tree, which is installed on Trafalgar Square, is delivered to the capital of England from Oslo. The Norwegian royal couple annually express their gratitude for the help of the British during the Second World War.
- Cheerful Christmas pantomimes are played in the city squares. Based on stories from folk tales. nine0035
Photo: wallpapercave.com
Georgia
Photo: gmtv.ge
The country is distinguished by unusual Christmas ceremonies. Holiday chants are popular in small towns. With the song “Alilo” a male choir is walking through the streets. Occasionally, singers enter the house and congratulate the owners on a bright holiday. Residents of the house, in gratitude for the joyful news of the birth of the Lord, give men edible gifts: churchkhela, fruits, and bread.
THIS IS INTERESTING! Over time, the tradition of Christmas carols has been transformed, so today you can see a children’s choir on the city streets, which passers-by give sweets. nine0057
- After the Christmas service, the clergy begin their procession through the city. A real performance is being held in the capital of Georgia. Children and artists dressed as gospel characters take part in the procession. The solemn ceremony ends at the gates of the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The patriarch, who greets the singers, bestows small sweet gifts on everyone.
Photo: 1tv.ge
- A “mekvle” guest is invited to the celebration of Christmas – a rich and successful acquaintance who should be the first to cross the threshold of the dwelling with the onset of Christmas night. Entering the house, he utters a solemn wish and says that luck, health and happiness enter with him. Mekvle treats the hosts with fruits, after which everyone sits down at the festive table. nine0035
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What should be done for Christmas?
- Spend a holiday with loved ones: receive and treat guests and visit relatives yourself.
- Give children small souvenirs or sweet treats.
- Attend a church festive service.
- Do a good deed: participate in a charity fair or help those in need.
- Reconcile with those whom you offended.
- Make a wish at the moment when the first star appears in the sky. nine0035
non-fictional stories – Orthodox magazine “Foma”
Approximate reading time: 18 min.
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For children, the Christmas holiday means no less than for adults. And for some of them, Christmas is not only a tree, gifts and a festive table, but also some important life story. We decided to collect such real stories – and asked the guys, mostly students of Orthodox gymnasiums, to share them.
Children from Moscow and the Moscow region, Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod and Tver regions sent us their works. We promised to publish the best stories on the site – and we keep our promise. nine0009
Now I’m real
Ludmila Furchikova, 13 years old, Mednoye village, Tver region
I’m in the boarding school for the seventh year. All these years I dreamed that I would have my own family, namely my own, and not a school one. Although during this time I made many friends. I like the teachers, and the educators, and the guests who come to our boarding school very often.
I felt especially sad and lonely when the holidays came. My girlfriends were always looking forward to them, and I thought with bated breath: “Well, here I am again alone.” When I was in elementary school, another girl, Vera Tsvetkova, stayed at the boarding school for all the holidays. She was in high school. She also had no one to go to. Vera was like an older sister to me.
She taught me to weave baubles, draw, make friends. And dream more! Whatever we talked about! I especially remember the story about Assol, when we drew scarlet sails together; I even cried while listening to this story. Only Vera I told about my biggest dream – to live in a family. Vera knew how to listen, and, most importantly, she assured me that my dream would definitely come true, I just had to learn to wait and believe. nine0009 Photo by Matthew Roth
Vera learned to make films. She once offered me to star in her film “Smile at the Dream”, which was about how one of my classmates was sent on vacation to St. Petersburg, and when I learned about it, I had to say: “I’m happy for you.” How hard it was for me to say that! Faith taught me that too—to rejoice for others.
I especially liked to listen to Vera’s stories during the winter holidays about kind angels who came to earth on Christmas night and brought happiness, joy, and health to people. She convinced me that you just need to believe in a miracle, then any dream will come true.
And at Christmas the most cherished dreams come true. nine0009
How sad and difficult it was for me to leave my older friend when she finished school! But I remembered her words: “Believe in the dream!” Going to bed, I closed my eyes and dreamed that someday I would celebrate the New Year and Christmas in a real family, at the festive table, under the Christmas tree there would be beautiful gifts, I would also prepare gifts for my relatives. I asked the good angels not to forget about me. Sometimes I became desperate and cried, thinking that the angels would never remember me.
But the miracle happened! It was on Christmas Eve that I had a family. I only remember how the teacher said: “Lucy, go pack your things, now you have your own family.” How glad I was! I cried and laughed! nine0009
Now I am real, “home”. In the evenings at home, we all gather together for tea, laugh, talk, play board games, plan our affairs, discuss what did not work out and why. Going to bed, I know that my foster mother will definitely kiss me at night and wish me good night.
What a wonderful and magical word “mother” is. True, I pronounce it so far only in a whisper. But every day, waking up in the morning, out of habit I repeat: “Believe in the dream! Just believe very much – and it will definitely come true. nine0009
One star is burning
Masha Ivanova, 9 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region
Last year, on the eve of the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ, I fell ill. I was very upset because I could not go to the temple for the festive Christmas service.
But my mother told me about the Star of Bethlehem, which must appear in the sky on Christmas Eve. I really wanted to see her. I ran to the window, but there was not a single star in the sky. nine0009
When I once again went to the window, I saw a single, small star in the dark sky. She was small, but she shone very brightly. It burned and shone in the vast dark sky.
Photo by simech
It was a real miracle!
When I remember this little star, my heart is light and joyful!
If you ever get sick on Christmas Eve, don’t be discouraged.
Wait for a miracle, and it will definitely happen to you on this bright Christmas night!
Where is the real joy
Nikita Kukharenko, 10 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region
Usually we celebrate Christmas with our family, but that year we moved away from home with our parents. I remember how we drove for a long time on a dark unfamiliar road in Belarus. Parents did not know what to do: go home without stopping or spend the night in a hotel in an unfamiliar city. Finally they decided that it would be better to make a stop. We took our things to the room where we were supposed to spend the night. Then we went to look for a place where we could have dinner. It was Christmas Eve, and there was no festive mood. There was a Christmas tree in the central square, around which confetti were scattered. It was a reminder of the New Year’s Eve. The only place where you could have dinner was a cafe on the ground floor of our hotel. Music rumbled there and a cheerful company danced.
We cautiously entered and sat down at a free table. We ate our modest supper and watched the wild merriment of the people. Then they went up to their room and went to bed. Everything around was alien: the people, the music, the food, the furniture in the room, the smell. nine0009 Photo by lacygentlywaftingcurtains
When my brother and I woke up, it seemed to us that it was still deep night outside. We got into the cold car and drove down the dark road again. Neither the lights nor the windows in the houses were lit. It seemed that people had left these places. Finally, the car stopped in the parking lot near the monastery wall. We went outside and saw living people. They were in a hurry to go where we were. We went into the temple and were amazed at how many people there were. The service has already started. We heard a familiar chant, and the parents sang the familiar words. The atmosphere in the temple was unusual, and the people around were strangers, but there was a joyful feeling of celebration in my soul.
It seemed to unite everyone in this unfamiliar place. And when after the service we received fresh prosphora each, it seemed to us the most delicious treat. nine0009
I realized that real joy is not where there is dancing and noisy fun, but where there is quiet Divine singing and flickering candles.
Tanks on the Christmas tree
Danya Gerasimov, 9 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region
Photo by betsyjean79
In our family, we decorate the Christmas tree for Christmas, not for the New Year. Once the parents put up a Christmas tree, but they told her not to decorate it yet. After all, it was still five days before Christmas. But we were very eager to decorate the Christmas tree, and we decided to hang on it the usual children’s toys that we played with our brothers. The garland was a multicolored railroad. The tree turned out beautiful. nine0009
By Christmas I had to take off the usual toys and hang up the Christmas ones.
We have a variety of Christmas decorations, a Christmas tree for every Christmas turns out to be very festive. But I still remember that Christmas tree, decorated with tanks, planes, trains and rails for them.
First meeting
Panya Bobacheva, 13 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region
I don’t remember how old I was then. But I was very small. So short that all adults seemed to me giants, because I barely reached their knees. And then this is what happened. nine0009
In our Church of the Sign, a nativity scene is usually installed along with the Christmas tree. Now I know what it is, what is in it. And then I was a little girl and for the first time I realized that there was something special in the left aisle of the temple. How I wanted to see this!!! I grabbed my mother by the hand, forgetting about everything, and, carefully stepping, made my way forward. And there were a lot of people at the Christmas service, although it was the second, not at night.
Mom, in my opinion, did not keep up with me, she remained somewhere behind, and I leaked (though really leaked!) forward between closely standing people … and here a miracle awaited me! nine0009
Under the lower paws of the Christmas tree there was a small nativity scene: a cave in which, under the light of the Star of Bethlehem, the Infant Christ lay in a manger. On her knees before him stood the Blessed Virgin Mary, a little further away – St. Joseph, and surrounded by the Magi lay and stood animals. Everything shone, as it seemed to me then, with a marvelous, extraordinary light. What I felt at that moment is beyond words. It was not a childhood dream come true or a beautiful picture from a familiar fairy tale. It’s completely different! As I now understand, it was then that I experienced my first personal meeting with God. nine0009 Photo by Barta IV
Yes, my parents brought me to the temple from infancy, I looked at the icons, standing on my feet, ran up to them, they took me in their arms, and I kissed the icons.
But the face of the Lord on the icon is one thing, and another thing for me, then just babies, the Holy Infant, lying in the cradle and stretching out his hands, as I then felt, right to me.
I also remember that the parishioners forgave me my stubborn desire to get to the den at any cost. Save them, Lord, for their indulgence. They freed me some space, and I squatted down and carefully looked at all the figures. For me, they were alive. I also remember that the light that came from a light bulb hidden somewhere inside seemed to me the real light of the Christmas star, which indicated to the whole world the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I still often remember this incident. And it seems that nothing outwardly outwardly happened, but I will never forget that joy of a wonderful meeting. She settled in my heart. nine0009
Now, as a teenager, I so want the warmth of communion with God to always be present in my heart, but it often hurts me that it happens rarely. Why? Reflecting on this, I come to the conclusion that the TV and the Internet are to blame, although I don’t watch any vulgar things.
Plunging into all this, I, unfortunately, forget about God. Studying at an Orthodox gymnasium, talking with my parents, singing in the kliros, and good books help me return to Him. How joyful it is in my soul when I return … But it is said in Scripture: “Be like children.” nine0009
Soul of Christmas
Pasha Osipov, 11 years old, Moscow
When I was five years old, I really wanted to become a military man. I had little soldiers with whom I loved to play, and when a Christmas tree was brought to us on Christmas Eve, the idea came to me that it was possible to hide the soldiers in the Christmas tree.
At night all the children fell asleep, and I got out of bed, took the soldiers and went to the Christmas tree. Flashlights shone on it, under their light I began to hide the soldiers. When they ran out, I began to yawn and went to bed. nine0009 Photo mclcbooks
The next morning everyone went to the temple, and I forgot about everything, because I thought only about gifts.
After the service, we came home and ran to the Christmas tree. Everyone began to look for gifts, I found mine and began to unfold it – there was a new set of large soldiers. And then I remembered everything – about the Christmas tree and about the night adventure! I immediately began to look for the soldiers, which I hid among the branches. They were all there! I decided that the new soldiers would be the commanders of the old ones, and immediately began to play. I remember that the Christmas tree is big, and you can hide in it, and no one will notice, because it is shaggy, and its thorny branches close everything from the other, outside world. And the tree itself is like a different, invisible, kind world, as if the tree is the soul of Christmas. nine0009
Waiting for a star
Petya Pushkin, 10 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow region
The first time I learned about Christmas was when I was still small. Even now, though, I’m not very big.
I was put to bed, and before going to bed my mother told a wonderful Gospel story: there were shepherds, angels, Joseph and Mary and, of course, the Magi. The story about the God-Child itself was very interesting, but what I remember most about it then was the description of the appearance of a new star. When the Magi saw a new star in the sky, they realized that the Messiah had been born. nine0009 Photo by Lawrence OP
I asked my mother: “If a new star appeared then, does it mean that it still exists?”. Mom answered me: “Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and nothing can be eaten until the star appears – this is the same Christmas star that all Christians are waiting for, it is the brightest, most beautiful and mysterious. Look out the window tomorrow night and see HER.”
For me, the word “Christmas Eve” meant something very juicy and tasty, and it was not clear why nothing was eaten that day. Now I understand that on the eve of the birth of the Baby, everything around freezes and waits, and you forget about food and games.
And sochivo is a really tasty dish of wheat, raisins, nuts and honey, eaten to maintain strength before the Mystery, which will happen soon. nine0009
And so in the evening I sat impatiently at the window and waited for the appearance of the Christmas star. Sat, sat, and fell asleep. And I woke up when my mother woke me up with the words: “Oh, sleepyhead, you overslept the Star. Look, here she is, shining!
Since then, for me, the Gospel story: the Nativity of Jesus Christ, the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem – is connected with real life, which is around and can simply be seen in heaven and on earth.
Look! Here she shines!
Instead of sister
Masha Vychuzhanina, 9 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow region
Photo chris.alcoran
I want to tell my Christmas story. The year two thousand and fifteen has arrived! The fireworks died down, we sorted out all our gifts, visited and congratulated relatives and friends, the Christmas fast was ending .
.. I have two wonderful brothers: the elder Nikita and the younger – Pal Palych. And I really wanted a sister!
And so on Christmas I asked God to give me a little sister: a small, beautiful, wonderful one. I wanted to dress her up, braid her pigtails and play our girly games. I didn’t have to wait long. In the spring, my mother said that we would have a baby. God heard me! I was very happy! nine0009
A few months passed, and on the thirtieth of December, a baby was born. It was a boy, Fedya. At first I was upset, because I asked for a sister! But then, when dad and mom brought him home, I saw how funny and cute he was. I rejoiced! Now we are friends with him. Now I have three brothers.
So, if you believe with all your heart and all your soul and ask God for something that you really want, for something important and beautiful, then the Lord will definitely hear you! Listen to God and listen to your soul! Be happy! nine0009
Merry Christmas!
Give joy
Yegor Gurov, 10 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region
On Christmas Eve I always reread the story of the appearance of the Son of God on earth.
My heart skips a beat and my eyes fill with tears. Every time I expect a miracle with trepidation and excitement. And it seems that the whole world is waiting for him with me.
I am leaving the night service with my relatives, the voices of the Christmas choir still sound in my soul. Snow swirls in the light of lanterns. And I’m sure something wonderful will happen in the morning. But one day, I realized that I myself can create a small miracle for children. nine0009
This happened in 2015. I studied in the second grade of the Orthodox St. George’s gymnasium in the city of Krasnogorsk. For the second year I studied at the theater studio “Coast of Childhood” of the Municipal Center of Spiritual Culture of the city of Krasnogorsk under the direction of Vladimir Anatolyevich Zharkov. Back in September, we started preparing for the Christmas tree. Rehearsal followed rehearsal, we worked hard and hard, we were very tired.
Photo by Lawrence OP
I had a small role as a bear in Little Red Riding Hood.
Before the start, everyone was very worried. From behind the curtains, I looked into the hall. Spectators have already gathered, there were many children. They were making noise and talking excitedly. And suddenly everything was quiet. A lot of little faces were waiting…
The performance was amazing. The audience thanked the artists, clapped loudly. I stood on the stage and thought that we, too, have now created a small Christmas miracle. With God’s help and for the Glory of God, we all together gave people joy, which will become part of the joy of Christmas, enliven and warm hearts.
This year we are again preparing a play for the Christmas tree. It will be a story about friendship between a fox and a chicken. Hope the kids and their parents enjoy it. And they will take with them the memories of happy moments as part of the Mystery of Christmas. After all, now the Lord is working the Miracle of Christmas with the hands of people. nine0009
Mysterious shadow
Sveta Sudnishchikova, 11 years old, Krasnogorsk, Moscow region
I remember last Christmas the most.
The winter was unusual then: the snow did not fall for a long time, and only on New Year’s holidays the whole earth was covered with a white veil, as if winter had given us such a Christmas present.
I was with my younger brother and sister in the village with my grandmother. It’s so great there! We fed the rabbits, the cow and our beloved goat Dunya, caressed the cat Vaska, and made snowmen. On Christmas, my grandmother and I all went to church for a festive service, and in the evening we caroled, and we had such a story: we sang a learned Christmas song, and suddenly for some reason I forgot the words and stopped singing. Then the kids were silent. There was silence, but the little sister was not at a loss: she began to sing the song further with words invented on the go. It sounded something like this:
– The Christmas tree is standing, the gifts are lying, we are walking, the snow is falling!
And then even the owner of the house couldn’t help but smile: my sister looked like she was singing an opera aria at the final concert of the music school.
But she was not in the least offended by the fact that my brother and I were laughing when she finished her speech. My sister also laughed. And they gave us as many treats as we have never seen in our lives!
Photo Tambako the Jaguar
When we got home, we had to go to bed. Grandmother put us to bed, blew out the candle and left. My sister was already sniffling, and my brother and I whispered for at least half an hour about the gifts that would be under the tree in the morning. We couldn’t sleep and we decided to leave the room. Grandmother was already asleep, and the cat Vaska wandered with us. nine0009
Very soon we got tired of tiptoeing so as not to wake up our grandmother and sister. And suddenly it occurred to me to go outside. We got dressed, quietly left and somehow got to the bathhouse, which stood about twenty meters from the house. Where else could we go in such darkness? And then it seemed to me that a small shadow was moving behind us, which stood out slightly against the white snow.
She was not ours! We slammed the door of the bath, and the shadow did not have time to pass behind us. I sighed with relief and sat down on the small sofa next to my brother. Suddenly, footsteps were heard right above our heads. Someone must have walked on the roof. Who could it be? Is that the same “shadow” … This someone jumped off the roof, and his steps became louder. We held our breath. He walked straight to the bathhouse door. And suddenly there was a loud and piercing … “Meow !!!”. It turned out that it was the cat Vaska. Probably, he also got bored at home, and Vaska decided to come with us. He was that mysterious shadow! Then Vaska climbed onto the roof, walked about there, jumped down again and went to the door of the bathhouse. Now we let him into our bathhouse and laughed at ourselves. Suddenly, all three of us fell asleep at the same time, and we collapsed right on the couch. So the whole night passed. nine0009
And in the morning there was such a commotion! Grandmother did not find us in bed and began to look around the yard until she went into the bathhouse.
— What are you doing here? she asked in a stern voice. – I searched you!
– We’re sleeping here! brother answered cheerfully.
Grandma laughed and didn’t scold us. We remembered about the gifts and immediately ran to look under the tree. My sister got a big beautiful doll, my brother got a car, and I got a book with Christmas stories.
This Christmas was so unusual and interesting!
The first magic
Egor Tsarev, 13 years old, Semenov, Nizhny Novgorod Region
Christmas is something magical, like a fairy tale. If you believe in a fairy tale, something can happen, and you will keep this miracle for many years.
On Christmas Day, when I was seven years old, I wanted to see Santa Claus and thank him for all the previous gifts, so I went to my room and pretended to be asleep. nine0009 Photo by Rillke
When the clock struck twelve, I quietly crept into the hall and saw my parents putting something under the Christmas tree.
I was terribly upset because I thought that Santa Claus brings gifts.
We left the hall. Dad gave me a present and began to console me. The gift was magnificent: a large collapsible pirate ship and figurines of pirates. I said “Thank you!” and went into the hall to light the garland.
Suddenly I saw a beautiful red box under the tree. I opened it and saw a radio controlled toy car and chocolates. nine0009
We were very surprised: my mom and dad had already given me a present! At that moment, I realized that this was something magical!
A candle for the elderly
Boris Chugunov, 10 years old, Semyonov, Nizhny Novgorod Region
Photo by David Kidd
The most memorable Christmas for me was when I was a preschooler. My sisters put on a musical fairy tale “Christmas Candle”. Olga played the main role – the role of a candle. They sang so wonderfully! nine0009
And with this fairy tale, we went to a nursing home for the elderly and disabled to congratulate them.
And I took part in it! We walked around the rooms where the sick who could not walk lived, congratulated them and gave gifts. And they sang the Christmas troparion with us. It was very touching. And I will always remember this Christmas.
Two bags
Anastasia Chernyshova, 16 years old, Kirov
It was 11 years ago… I remember that morning snowfall… I remember looking out the window and waiting for something. Probably some kind of miracle … I remember how dad told me: “Let’s go, Nastya!” nine0009
We get into the car. Naturally, I’m in the back seat. I was still very young (five years old), but even then I was a completely independent and intelligent child. We are driving, the lights are on, because of the snow it is very hard to see the road.
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Fortunately, we arrived without incident. Dad says to wait for him in the car. A few minutes later he returns with a bouquet of red roses. We are going somewhere again, it smells like a hospital.