Even in some of Africa's predominantly Muslim countries, Christmas is still recognized as a secular celebration. The services start about 5.00pm and last until after midnight! Going to church is usually the main focus of Christmas celebrations in Africa. Nativity scenes are played out, carols are sung and in some cases dances are performed. On Christmas morning, people are woken up by carols. It is the fourth largest island in the world. If it's really hot they might even have a barbecue or 'braai'. Families eat together or with close neighbors, and presents are given. 10. © Copyright 2000 - 2021 James Cooper | About the site | Cookies & Privacy | Site Map | Other Links | Support | Website logistics by LetterBlock | Proud Affiliate of the Merry Network, whychristmas?com answers your Christmas questions! Everyone counts down to the end of the year, when all their pent-up party mood is released. Even in the northern half of the continent, you have very little chance of enjoying a white Christmas (unless you're in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco). To compete for her hand, they beat one another up. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church's celebration of Christ's birth is called Ganna. In most countries, Christmas is a public holiday and people make the most of the opportunity to visit family and friends. In South Africa, families typically braai; or salute their colonial British heritage with a traditional Christmas dinner complete with paper hats, mince pies, and turkey. In Ghana, Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup; and in Liberia rice, beef, and biscuits are the order of the day.Â. Even in some of Africa's predominantly Muslim countries, Christmas is still recognized as a secular celebration. In Brazil, you say ‘Bom Natal’ or ‘Boas Festes’ if you wish somebody Merry Christmas. The UK recorded 1,325 virus deaths yesterday - its highest ever daily toll - 101 cases higher than the death toll of 1,324 recorded during the peak of the first wave in April. Shoes in front of the fireplace In rural Africa, few people can afford frivolous gifts or toys, and in any case, there are not many places to buy them. South Africa holidays 2022. Here’s how it goes: A very popular Christmas poem that children perform in Madagascar is: And yes, Sting was on this song. The other significant difference is the weather. Different groups in the Church, especially children, perform songs and plays celebrating the birth of Jesus. The sapin de noël. In Portuguese, it’s literally a “Peru bird,” and in Malay, it’s called a “Dutch chicken.” Turkey, meet Thanksgiving. To define South African Christmas traditions are hard, because of our diversity as a nation, every race has it’s own ways in which they celebrate Christmas. How Do People Celebrate New Year's Eve in Africa? In the West African nation of Senegal, Islam is the main religion; and yet Christmas is designated as a national holiday along with Easter, the end of Ramadan, and Prophet Mohammed's birthday. This poem is a great way for everyone to get in the Christmas spirit and to be excited about the big night. Observed on December 25 every year, Christmas in Nigeria is at once both a religious and cultural celebration among millions of adherents in the country. In South Africa, the weeks before Christmas, people celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. On this day Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. In Afrikaans (one the languages spoken in South Africa) Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Geseënde Kersfees'; in Zulu it's 'UKhisimusi omuhle', in Sesotho it's 'Le be le keresemese e monate' and in Xhosa it's 'Krismesi emnandi'. This holiday is more about going to church, eating together with the family and playing games. However, in many countries the celebration is very different than it is in North America or Europe. Boxing Day is also a proclaimed public holiday usually spent in the open air. Going carol singing, on Christmas Eve, is very popular in towns and cities. During this season, there is particular emphasis on an event that occurred around 2,000 years ago in the town of Bethlehem in Judea (today called Israel). Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in Africa. Another pagan custom called wassailing, or singing from door to door, also became very popular among Christmas celebrants. Carols by Candlelight services are also popular on Christmas Eve. The Christmas meal is either turkey, duck, roast beef or suckling pig with yellow rice & raisins and vegetables, followed by Christmas Pudding or a traditional South African dessert called Malva Pudding (sometimes also called Lekker Pudding) - get the recipe. This means that although they celebrate on December 25, that date usually translates to January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. South Africa also has several other UK Christmas traditions, because of its history with the UK. In South Africa, he is also called Sinterklass or Kersvader. Many people mistakenly state that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” They do so, because they believe people have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. M erry Christmas and Happy New Year or is it Happy New year and Merry Christmas, perhaps it is Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Merry Christmas again! Most people go to Church on Christmas Eve in Madagascar. Santa is called Santa Claus or Father Christmas in all parts of Africa. Is Christmas Day a Public Holiday? Therefore, if gifts are exchanged in poorer communities they usually take the form of school books, soap, cloth, candles, and other practical goods. Get a map. Christmas Poems in Madagascar. This Mail & Guardian article shows how Senegalese Muslims and Christians have chosen to unofficially celebrate each other's holidays, laying the foundation for the country's renowned atmosphere of religious tolerance.Â. There are many children in Madagascar who will recite a popular poem around Christmas time. In Ghana, on Africa's west coast, most churches herald the coming of Christmas by decorating the church and homes beginning … It's a little too close to the equator for snow, Sir Bob I'm not sure if you know where Africa is or its size, but it's not all on the Equator. Many people who are Christian in the two countries fast for 40 days (it is called fast of the prophets). Then everyone gathers around the tree as someone tells the favorite story, "A Christmas Carol." How Do People Celebrate Christmas in Africa? Christmas Day is a public holiday in Eritrea that is celebrated on January 7 or on 27 Tahsas of the Ethiopian calendar. 34 … Christmas (which means "The Mass of Christ") is a Christian holiday that refers to the birth of Jesus (whom Christians believe is the Son of God), and a cultural holiday for non-Christians.. Kwanzaa (/ ˈ k w ɑː n. z ə /) is an annual celebration of African-American culture that is held from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually held on the 6th day. Christmas on the African continent is festive, colorful and loud! People start shopping for Christmas by early December. On the west coast of Africa, in Liberia, most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas tree, which is decorated with bells. Every country has its own unique celebrations no matter how small its Christian population. It falls on December 26 and is a day of real relaxation. 9. And yet, Christmas is celebrated throughout the continent by Christian communities both large and small. By 1575, the English were enjoying the North American bird at Christmas dinner, and Shakespeare talked about it in Henry IV. It doesn't just have one type of weather. On Christmas Day the family gathers at a ‘braai’, which is the South African version of a barbecue (BBQ). Ironically, Christmas paraphernalia including cards, wrapping paper, and decorations still use traditional motifs including snowmen and reindeer. Center for the Study of Global Christianity. When does South Africa have Christmas? Instead of a spoon, Ethiopians use flatbread called “injera”. So, Geseënde Kersfees to all and … The turkey’s acceptance into the Old World happened quickly. It celebrates Jesus' birth. - www.whychristmas.com, a traditional South African dessert called Malva Pudding (sometimes also called Lekker Pudding) - get the recipe, Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages. Anouk is a travel writer, editor, and agent raised in Malawi and Kenya with more than 15 years of experience working in the African travel industry. Christmas Day is a public holiday. The history of Christianity in Africa dates back to the 1st century AD, when Egyptian converts founded some of the earliest Christian communities in the world. Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, is popular all over Africa, wherever Christianity is. Decorating shop fronts, trees, churches, and homes is common throughout Christian communities in Africa. Our nation is called the Rainbow Nation because we have a diversity of races, languages (eleven to be exact) and traditions. The men must suppress signs of pain and the one who takes the beating without showing signs of pain can take the wife. Boxing Day is also a public holiday in South Africa and again people like to be 'out and about' having a good time! A lekker Christmas tjoon you’ll only hear in South Africa This year you can celebrate Christmas with a lekker local song! The schools are closed for the Christmas holidays and some people like to go camping. African families celebrate Christmas just as you do in the northern hemisphere; Christmas Day lunch, Christmas … Santa Claus is also known as Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) & Kersvader (Father Christmas) for people who speak Afrikaans (which has a base in Dutch). Of course, the evergreen firs and pines favored in North America and Europe are hard to come by in Africa, so Christmas trees are usually replaced by native or synthetic alternatives. Because South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas comes in the summer. The meal is often eaten outside in the summer sun! During Christmas time, children expect a new cloth, called a “Christmas cloth”, from their parents. People also like to pull Christmas Crackers! Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages. So there's lots of sun and beautiful flowers in full bloom. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages. Children don’t usually get Christmas presents. The day known as Christmas Day is celebrated on the 25th day of December. Either way, Christmas is a time for family and merrymaking. In the West African nation of Senegal, Islam is the main religion; and yet Christmas is designated as a national holiday along with Easter, the end of Ramadan, and Prophet Mohammed's birthday.This Mail & Guardian article shows how Senegalese Muslims and Christians … In southern hemisphere countries December represents the height of summer; which is why a typical Christmas Day in places like South Africa often involves beach trips, sunbathing sessions, and eating al fresco. And many people go to a Christmas morning Church Service. The crisis began between Christmas and New Year when Bonnie Saunders, a nurse at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, Wales, developed coronavirus symptoms. The greeting has been Africanized and here are 25 ways of saying Merry Christmas in Africa as documented by whychristmas.com. They wrap presents, bake cookies, and hang stockings over the fireplace. The day before Christmas is very busy for families in England. The Christmas tree is decorated some time before Christmas Day, so there’s plenty of time to be ready for Christmas Eve when Santa Claus comes. The Fulani tribe live in many countries in West Africa and follow a tradition called Sharo. Later on there is a feast of rice and yam paste called fufu with stew or okra soup, porridge and meats. This is unarguably the most popular holiday in all of Africa, and Christians – who are the originators of Christmas – are not the only ones to celebrate the birth of the Christ. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Christmas in India: The Best Places to Celebrate It, Discover Russian Traditions, Holidays, and Festivals, There Are Plenty of Places to Celebrate Christmas in Asia, Christmas in Scandinavia: Traditions, Events, and Foods. Note: This article is featured in this booklet, which shows the surprising connection between Christmas and the creation of the world.. Kwanzaa (the celebration of African heritage observed in the United States and often associated with the festive season) is not celebrated in Africa. Geseende Kersfees (“Merry Christmas” in my home language, Afrikaans) from all of us here in South Africa! The emphasis is more on the religious celebration of the birth of Jesus than it is on gift giving. Along with Islam, it is one of the two most widely practiced religions on the African continent. It was created by Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa, including West and Southeast Africa.Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966. In The Gambia, for example, people parade with large lanterns called fanals, made in the shape of boats or houses. Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas according to the Coptic calendar. On Christmas Day carols are sung from Ghana to South Africa. Sharo happens when two young men want to marry the same woman. In Afrikaans (one the languages spoken in South Africa) Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Geseënde Kersfees’. Christmas in South Africa. After hearing their favorite Christmas story, children write a letter to Father Christmas with their wishes. For many people, Africa is synonymous with arid deserts and tropical jungles; hardly compatible with northern hemisphere ideas of Christmas. Listen to Twelve Days of Christmas with a South African spin over here: Although located some 250 miles from the African continent, Madagascar’s population is primarily related not to African peoples but rather those of Indonesia, more than 3,000 miles to the east. If you’re spending Christmas in Ethiopia, you’ll have to wait a little longer than December 25, as most people follow the ancient Julian calendar and celebrate the holiday on January 7. The date is traditional and is not considered to be the actual date of his birth. Mince pies are also popular. Traditionally referred to as Ganna, an Ethiopian Christmas typically begins with a day of fasting, followed by church services and a feast that includes stew, vegetables and sourdough bread. In Afrikaans (one the languages spoken in South Africa) Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Geseënde Kersfees'; in Zulu it's 'UKhisimusi omuhle', in Sesotho it's 'Le be le keresemese e monate' and in Xhosa it's 'Krismesi emnandi'. The period before, during and after Christmas Day is marked by conviviality, merriment, wining and dining. Christmas dinner is a key part of the festive ritual in Africa. They receive small cash donations in return, in much the same way that Western children do when caroling. It is a day when families attend … These are often joyous occasions of music and dance. Madagascar, island country lying off the southeastern coast of Africa. An interesting French Christmas tradition is that the French knot the ends of the tablecloth so the Devil can’t get under the table. Meats are roasted, gifts are exchanged, and people travel far and wide to visit family. You may see fake snow decorating store fronts in ​Nairobi, palm trees laden with candles in Ghana, or oil palms loaded with bells in Liberia. Christmas Day, on December 25, is one of the most festive Christian holidays in many countries around the world. Those who can afford it will generally give gifts at Christmas, although the holiday is not nearly as commercial in Africa as it is in Europe or North America. 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