Christians all around the world celebrate the joyous occasion of Christmas in a multitude of ways. For the most part, traditions are shared across denominations, but we thought it would be fun to survey how some different Christmas activities reflect the characteristics of different faith groups. Our Christian family is a broad one, but we’re all united through the life of Christ. That’s something to celebrate!
Anglican - Christingle
Though Christingle began in Germany (from the German Christkindl, meaning "Little Christ Child") the tradition was popularised in the 60’s as a fundraiser for The Children’s Society of the Church of England. Christingle still raises over £1.2 million annually to help vulnerable youth.
The elements of a Christingle are symbolic:
- An orange represents the world
- A candle pushed into the centre of the orange represents Jesus as the Light of the World, bringing hope into darkness
- A red ribbon, wrapped around the orange or candle, represents the love and blood of Christ
- Dried fruits or candies skewered on 4 cocktail sticks, pushed into the orange
- The 4 sticks represent the 4 corners of the world and the 4 seasons
- The sweets represent the fruits of the earth, God’s creations, or God’s good gifts
During a Christingle service, everyone gets one to hold, and the candles are lit to create a warm glow that envelopes everyone together, just as the hope of God’s love holds all Christians together at Christmastime.
Eastern Orthodox - Holy Supper
Advent celebrations in the Eastern Orthodox traditions include forty days of fasting leading up to the Holy Supper on the Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve).
After the Christmas Eve service, families gather together for the special meal. Sometimes hay is placed under a linen tablecloth before setting the table, in memory of the manger and the cloth that the baby Jesus was wrapped in. A candle, symbolizing the star of Bethlehem, is lit and placed in the centre of the table.
An extra place is always set at the table, for Jesus or for a stranger. This reminds us that none should be turned away from the holy meal. A father leads the prayers, which may consist of a call and response. A child reads the nativity story from scripture.
Supper itself consists of 12 courses, which differ depending on locale, but which represent the 12 apostles. The dishes range from bitter to sweet, representing the bitterness of life without Christ, and the sweetness of life available because of his birth.
Greek Orthodox - The Nativity Fast
Greek Orthodox Christians also observe a fast during Advent in anticipation of the joy of Christ’s birth. The season of fasting, almsgiving, and prayers intensifies the spiritual life and increases attention to Christ’s coming. The Nativity fast begins on November 15 and ends on December 24, with the Christmas feast taking place on December 25.
Those who fast abstain from certain foods, particularly meat, fish, dairy products, olive oil, and wine, though these foods are acceptable at certain times. On Saturday and Sunday, fish, oil, and wine can be consumed. Oil and wine are also allowed on Tuesday and Thursday. From the 20th of December on it is a strict fast with wine and oil allowed only on Saturday and Sunday.
The United Church - Extravagant Welcome & Missions Projects
The United Church, being a fairly new denomination that originated as a merger of other denominations in Canada, doesn’t have unique traditions rooted in history. However, with their emphasis on a progressive theology that is inclusive and welcoming to all people regardless of background or beliefs, the United Church purposefully creates a welcoming space for all who want to celebrate the birth of Christ. Their holiday services may include a presentation of the Christmas story that highlights themes of social justice, equality, and peace. Many congregations also engage in special mission projects during the Christmas season, such as collecting donations for local charities, organizing food drives, or participating in efforts to provide for specific needs in the wider community.
Quaker - Silent Worship
On Christmas Day, Quakers often gather for a special service characterized by silent worship. Attendees sit in quiet reflection and wait for the inner guidance of the Spirit to speak to them. If someone is moved to share a message, they may do so, but the emphasis is on silent contemplation.
Because of the emphasis on simplicity in their faith culture, Quakers avoid the commercialization of the holy day. They focus instead on the spiritual and communal aspects of Christmas including simple gift-giving, homemade gifts, and donations to charitable causes in the name of loved ones. They also exchange heartfelt letters or cards, sharing their thoughts, prayers, and good wishes. These letters may include expressions of gratitude and an emphasis on the spiritual significance of Christmas.
Similarly, Calvinist, Amish, and Mennonite believers celebrate a simple and family-focused Christmas. They avoid the commercial aspects of the holiday, focusing instead on religious observances and community gatherings.
Pentecostal & Baptist - Singing Christmas Trees
The first Singing Christmas Tree took place in the 1930s at a Christian liberal arts college. A music professor teamed up with an engineer to craft a small wooden tree frame for the school’s choir to stand in while performing Christmas carols.
Most Singing Christmas Tree listings online these days are associated with Baptist churches, but the festive, enthusiastic, and showy musical production is a great fit for Pentecostal congregations, too! In fact, the first (and only) Singing Christmas Tree that the author of this blog post attended took place at a Pentecostal church. Pentecostal worship services are usually lively and joyous and often include clapping and dancing, so a Singing Christmas Tree is an appropriate fit for that setting.
Franciscan - Nativity Play
The first Christmas nativity scene was performed in 1223, by monks, in a cave in Greccio, Italy. St. Francis of Assisi and his followers created the first nativity play to remind the local poor that Jesus was born for them, into a family just like theirs. St. Francis himself is famous for rejecting his family’s wealth and devoting his life in service to the poor. St Francis also had a special appreciation for animals and the natural world, so it’s no surprise that his Christmas celebration featured barnyard animals and their shepherds.
Catholic - The Jesse Tree
The Jesse Tree is an advent devotional tradition that many Catholic families use to remember Jesus’ family tree. Most often, it is an observance that young children participate in with their parents. The Jesse Tree gets its name from Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”
The tree itself can be a simple stylized stand, a branch in a vase, a tabletop tree, or a traditional Christmas tree. There are 24 symbolic ornaments, each representative of a Bible character in Jesus’ lineage. Each day from December 1 - 24, one character’s story is told, and the corresponding ornament is hung on the tree. Commonly, families choose to craft their own ornaments.
Some examples of scripture/ornament symbol pairings from the Jesse Tree are:
- The creation of humans: Genesis 1:26-31 / a globe, or Adam & Eve
- God’s promise to Abraham: Genesis 15:1-6 / a starry sky
- Ruth & Boaz: Ruth 2:1-4:12 / grain
- David the shepherd king: 2 Samuel 5:1-5 / sheep, or a shepherd's crook
Lutheran - So Many Traditions!
So many of our beloved Christmas traditions here in Canada originated in Germany.
Advent Wreath
In 1839, a Lutheran pastor working in a mission school created the advent wreath. He was inspired by the children who had been asking him daily whether Christmas had arrived yet. He used an old wooden cartwheel as a ring and mounted candles on it. The wreath held 24 small red candles and 4 large white candles. The pastor lit a small candle daily, and one of the large candles each Sunday, to help the children count down the days until Christmas.
Over the years the advent wreath was adopted and adapted. Current and popular elements and symbolism of the advent wreath include:
- a circular wreath representing God’s love
- evergreen leaves to represent the eternal life brought by Christ
- in the west, 4 candles represent the four weeks of the Advent season
- in orthodox traditions, 6 candles represent the longer Advent season
- various traditions use colour symbolically:
- violet: repentance
- blue: hopefulness
- rose: joy
- green: faith
- gold: love
- white: peace
- red: communion
- white: the Christ candle, lit on Christmas Eve
Chrismon Tree
Another tradition that originated with American Lutherans in the ‘50s is the Chrismon tree. It looks like a traditional Christmas tree, but is located inside the church, and is adorned with clear lights, ornaments of white and gold, and symbols from Christ’s ministry such as doves, fish, crosses, shepherd’s crooks, stars, chalices, and crowns.
St. Lucia’s Day
In many places but especially the Scandinavian countries, St. Lucia's Day is celebrated on December 13th. Children dress as "Lucia" and lead processions, carrying candles and singing carols. St. Lucia was a young martyr who delivered food to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs. She wore a wreath of candles on her head, leaving her hands free to carry as much food as possible. Her feast day coincides with the shortest day of the year. The candles the children carry point to Christ, the Light of the World in the darkness.
The Christ Child
The Germans didn’t invent the baby Jesus, but Martin Luther did introduce the Christ Child as the bearer of gifts at Christmastime, to counter Saint Nicholas’s role in the Catholic tradition.
Moravian - Moravian Star
Also originating in Germany, and still a popular decoration in homes, schools, and churches around the world, is the Moravian star, which was first made in the 1800s. The geometrical star is often displayed from the first Sunday in Advent through to the Festival of Epiphany in January. It is a reminder of the star that guided the Wise Men from the east to Bethlehem where they presented their gifts to the infant Jesus. The star also symbolizes Christ himself, based on the Old Testament prophecy, “A star shall come out of Jacob,” (Numbers 24:17) as well as one of the titles of Christ from Revelation, which is “the bright and morning star.”
Orthodox Traditions - Christmas in January
Oriental Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox (Egypt), Armenian Orthodox, Indian Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, and some other orthodox churches observe Christmas in January since they follow the Julian calendar, Malankara calendar, or the Alexandrian calendar, which differ from the Gregorian calendar used by the West.
The Armenian Orthodox tradition includes the "Blessing of Water" ceremony on Christmas Day, which is observed on January 6. Water is blessed and distributed to all, representing the birth of Christ, the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and the sanctification of creation through the life of Christ.
Global Faith; Global Christmas
Many of the Christmas traditions common in Canada are European in origin, but Canadian Christians come from all over the earth and enrich our multicultural celebrations. Here are a few notable celebrations from other places in the world:
Bolivia
One unique way that Bolivians celebrate Christmas is by bringing a figurine of baby Jesus - often a family heirloom– to be blessed at midnight mass.
Mexico
In Mexico a celebration called Las Posadas is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for lodging in Bethlehem. It involves processions, singing, and breaking piñatas.
The Aztecs were the original cultivators of poinsettia flowers, which symbolize purity and peace. A Mexican fable about the flower tells of a poor young girl who laid a bouquet of weeds at the altar as a Christmas gift for Jesus, from which the bright red flowers miraculously burst.
Philippines
In the Philippines, the Simbang Gabi devotional tradition consists of a series of nine early morning Masses leading up to Christmas, each followed by a festive gathering or meal. The final day of the Simbang Gabi, known as the Rooster’s Mass, takes place on Christmas Eve.
Nigeria
Many Nigerians are Christians and they celebrate Christmas with extravagance! Nigerians wear their very best clothes on Christmas Day, often having a brand new outfit tailored for the occasion.
Christmas Rice, which is rice cooked with spices, oils, vegetables, and sometimes meat, is a must-have dish. In the past, when rice was too expensive in Nigeria to eat very often, people made sure to save up so they could have it for Christmas.
Madagascar
In Madagascar, Christmas celebrations occur from December 24th to 30th. The Malagasy attend church on Christmas Eve and when the clock strikes midnight they kiss and hug each other, and eat rice cake and candies.
Cuba
Though many Cubans are Christian, with Catholicism as the largest denomination, Christmas was banned in Cuba for 30 years ending in 1997. Celebrations today are focused on family togetherness and feasting, with a big dinner on Noche Buena, or Good Night, December 24. Gifts are not considered important, but parades and parties are popular.
Merry Christmas to you from the Sunergo Team!
We hope you enjoyed our Christmas blog post, and that it will enlarge the sense of celebration of Christmas in your heart this year! From all of us at Sunergo, we wish you a Merry Christmas!
Sunergo is a product of NCOL Ministries, a non-profit society based in British Columbia, Canada. We have a suite of online tools that support Canadian churches, camps, and parachurch ministries like church management software, websites, volunteer and group connect tools, an online giving platform, and more. Have questions about how we can serve the needs of your ministry? Reach out to our team at any time for a demo.