The Everything Family Christmas Book (51 page)

Unlike the American Santa, Père Noël is tall, dresses in a long red robe, and travels with a sack and a donkey. Though Père Noël is not seen in department stores as often as Santa is in the United States, he too can be contacted by sending letters to the North Pole.

French homes are known for their crèches, or Nativity displays, which are meant to look as realistic and beautiful as possible. Some contain
santons
(little saints) representing people in the Nativity. Santons came to France in the 1800s from Italy, by way of Italian merchants. The figures are made of clay, and in most cases, are clothed with fabric.

Flowers are another staple decoration in the French home during the holiday season. Lush arrangements of roses, gladioli, carnations, and snapdragons are often found on the table or next to the fireplace, as are poinsettias, hyacinths, azaleas, and Christmas begonia plants. Some houses assign a special place on the table a bouquet the hellebore, or Christmas Rose.

The arrival of Christmas Eve sees the infant Jesus taking his place in the family crèche after a small ceremony. Little children are put to bed, hoping that the gifts they ask for will be left by Père Noël. Previously, Petit Jesus, or Little Jesus, was the one who came to children on Christmas Eve. Later, the visitor was the spirit of Christmas, Père Noël. In present-day France, most children believe Jesus sends Père Noël in his place.

After the children are in bed, the older members of the family head off to midnight Mass. Along the way there are often processions re-enacting the Nativity, some of which end in living crèches (where people play out the manger scene). The midnight Mass itself is very important in France, and almost everyone attends.

At the Mass’s conclusion, all head home to begin the
reveillon
(awakening), which is the grand Christmas Eve feast. The feast may have as many as fifteen courses, ranging from soups, fruits, salads, meats, fish, and chicken to cheese, breads, nuts, pastry, and candy. The reveillon often lasts the entire night, with no time for the adults to sleep before the children wander down to open their gifts. The adults wait to exchange their gifts on New Year’s Day, though some villages near the Spanish border mix Spanish and French traditions and open gifts on January 6.

Belgium

Gift giving in Belgium traditionally takes place on December 6. In French-speaking areas, it’s Père Noël who brings the gifts, while in Walloon-speaking areas, it’s more likely to be St. Nicholas himself, who makes a quick visit two days beforehand to take a look around and gauge children’s behavior. On December 6, good children can expect special treats, while bad ones can look for sticks in the shoes that they’ve left out to be filled.

An area of the country known as Flanders is famous for its Nativity plays, which are performed with great care and attention to tradition. Three men who are chosen for their good behavior during the year dress as Magi and walk through the town. They sing songs at each house and are rewarded with snacks. Belgium is also known for its processions on Christmas Eve, which wind through town until they reach the church for midnight mass.

Italy

Italy is the birthplace of the manger scene, or
presepio,
which is filled with clay figures called
pastori.
It rightfully holds a place of distinction in the Italian Christmas, dating back almost eight centuries to the time of St. Francis of Assisi.

The
ceppo
is an Italian version of the Christmas tree. Made of wood, the ceppo gives the appearance of a ladder, with shelves linking two sides. The bottom shelf contains a presepio; other shelves contain gifts and decorations.

Italian children receive gifts twice during this season. The Christ Child is said to bring small gifts on Christmas Eve, but the more anticipated gift giving is from La Befana, who comes down the chimney on Epiphany Eve to leave goodies in shoes. Legend has it that La Befana was the woman who declined the Wise Men’s offer to accompany them on their journey to see the Christ Child. Regretting her decision later, she set out to bring the Child gifts, but, as she never found Him, she leaves gifts for other children instead. (The tradition has variants in many other countries as well.) Santa Claus is also a familiar figure in Italy, where he’s known as Babbo Natale.

As part of an older tradition, shepherds
(pifferai)
often come in from neighboring villages to play their horns and bagpipes before the holy shrines. In a role similar to that of the American Santa Claus, women dressed as La Befana collect for charities like the Red Cross.

Spain

The Christmas season in Spain begins on December 8 with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This includes
Los Seises,
the Dance of Six, an ancient custom whereby six boys (now ten) perform a dance that symbolizes Christ’s birth and life. This is celebrated annually at Seville’s cathedral.

The manger scene, or
nacimiento,
has a place of reverence in the Spanish Christmas. This manger scene contains all the traditional elements, along with a few distinctly Spanish ones, including a Spanish bull and a stream of water. Sometimes bullfighters are part of the onlookers. These scenes are set up in public squares and in homes, taking precedence over Christmas trees, which are not common.

The Spanish refer to Christmas Eve as
Noche Buena
(Good Night). On Christmas Eve, family members gather in the room containing the nacimiento to sing hymns and pray. Late in the evening, the
Misa de Gallo
(Mass of the Rooster) is attended. Many Hispanic countries refer to midnight Mass as the Mass of the Rooster; it has been said that the only time a rooster ever crowed at midnight was the moment when Christ was born. After Mass, a big meal is consumed.

A fast for the twenty-four hours preceding Christmas Eve ends with a festive meal, along with the tradition of the “Urn of Fate,” a bowl filled with both presents and empty boxes. Each person picks to see whether he or she is fated to receive a gift—although no one ever really goes away empty-handed.

Adults exchange gifts on Christmas Day. Another treat is the Urn of Fate, a bowl filled with the names of everyone present. Two names are picked out at the same time; those whose names are chosen together are supposed to enjoy a lasting friendship or romance.

There is much dancing and other festivities through Epiphany, the day that children receive presents in their shoes from the Three Wise Men. (There is no Santa Claus figure.)

England

In England, the Christmas tree has been widespread since Prince Albert introduced the custom in 1841. Caroling and bell ringing are very popular as well, and the land that gave us the Christmas card is still sending them by the millions. Father Christmas, so similar in many ways to the American Santa Claus, leaves gifts for children. Letters to him were traditionally thrown in the fire (a little more difficult now that many houses no longer have an open fireplace) so that their lists could fly up the chimney.

House decorations of holly, ivy, and mistletoe and children hanging up their stockings are also traditional elements of Christmas in England. Christmas Eve might see people attending church services. Many families open their gifts Christmas morning, sitting down to a meal of turkey or roast beef in the afternoon. For dessert, sweet mince pies and brandy-laced plum pudding are still favorites, and pulling crackers is looked forward to throughout the meal. Many people make time to listen to the Queen’s annual message, which is aired on television in the afternoon.

Christmas crackers—which first appeared in London in 1846—are cardboard tubes covered with bright paper that’s twisted to close up both ends. When the crackers are pulled apart they make a small “bang” or “crack,” and release little toys, jokes, and tissue-paper hats hidden within the tubes.