St. Vincent’s Nine Morning Christmas tradition

There’s a little Caribbean island – one which you may not have heard about before – and every dusk for the nine mornings before Christmas as the sun starts to rise, all who live there flock into the streets to hear the sound of drums and steel bands filling the air.

Samuel and HermieAndrews, 75 and 70,  talk about their memories of a St. Vincentian Christmas, and the Nine Morning Walk.

Lalah-Simone Springer

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nigerian celebration diary

Fireworks, food , new clothes and family these are just a few things done in Nigeria to welcome the Christmas season.

Since it doesn’t snow in Nigeria there is no limitation to the celebration. Well before christmas day fireworks are set off to commence the celebration. All animals are  fattened, only the biggest cow will do.

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Une crèche provençale

Having a crib for Christmas is a very old tradition. It is said that it has been invented in the 13^th century in Italy. But in France we like to consider that the crèche was definitely born just after the French Revolution.

In France, it was born in Provence, a region of southeastern France. But it rapidly became a real French tradition. Every little character is produced from an original mould. Then, it’s dried, and finally it’s painted with bright colours.

So, it is now a tradition for French people to have, next to the Christmas Tree, a little Nativity scene.

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Un réveillon Français

In France, as in many other countries, Christmas is a time for family and for generosity. There are many family reunions, and people usually give each other some gifts.

The celebration of Christmas in France varies by region, but I think the main differences are only about food. We, French people, have a long dinner on the Christmas Eve, on the 24^th of December and also a big lunch on the 25^th of December, which is a bank holiday. But in some parts of France, (especially in the east), La Fête de Saint Nicolas on the 6^th of December marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

The 24^th of December is called the Christmas Eve or Le Réveillon. While adults have a huge dinner (everybody knows French people and their unconditional love for food), children leave their shoes by the fireplace before they go to sleep, so that the Père Noël (Santa Claus) can fill them with gifts.

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French Poularde de Noel (Capon stuffed with chestnuts and truffles)

Ingredients.

2 shallots, salt and pepper, 1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound sausage meat and 1/4 pound small sausages

1/4 pound bread crumbs, soaked in milk to cover for 10 minutes

1/4 cup Cognac

2 fresh mushroom caps, sliced, 1 large black truffle, 1 pound chestnuts

1 three-pound chicken

1 carrot, chopped, 1 small onion, minced, 1 celery stalk, 1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs parsley, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup Port

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Caribbean Christmas’ Ginger Beer

An abundance of fresh ingredients as well as a warm, sunny climate make the Caribbean Christmas something to behold. There’s no need to huddle around a (mainly electric these days) fire with a cup of tea!

Make a change this Christmas, and when taking away the roast potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings that the English find so dear, spice up the snowy air with some “hard foods”: yam, dasheen, plantain and breadfruit, just to name a few of the home-grown delicacies.

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12 Lucky Grapes for New Year’s Eve

12 Lucky Grapes

New Year’s Eve in Spain is a party night like in everywhere else, though you can’t listen anything but the chimes of the clock of La Puerta del Sol, the main square of Madrid the capital. No countdowns can be heard, but not because there is none. There is a longer one that last 12 seconds and it starts the 12 seconds before midnight.

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Spanish Three Kings VS Santa

King Gaspar by RLasaosa

If you are going to spend your Christmas Holidays in Spain remember that you have to wait until the 6th of January to get your presents! This day is, according to the Bible, when the Three Kings arrived in Bethelem and gave Jesus presents. So Spanish kids receive their presents the same day as him after having writted them a letter with their requests.

The night before, a lot of parades take place all arround the country. The Three Kings arrive riding camels and giving sweets and toys to everybody. After that, instead of coming down throw the chimeney as Santa, they use their magic to appear in the houses and leave the presents beneath the Christmas Tree.

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Dutch Santa Claus in London

Events

Sinterklaas pops up in London

Where?
KK Outlet
42 Hoxton Square
London, N16PB
+44 20 7033 7680

When?
Special Sinterklaas Event: Thursday 2 December, 7 – 9 pm
HEMA Collaboration: 3 – 22 December

About

An old man on a white horse, poems, chocolate type and a lot of gingerbread-ish candy will be arriving at the KK Outlet on Hoxton Square very soon. Why? Because it’s Sinterklaas. I can hear you think: “Say what?!” It’s Sinterklaas, a saint that kind of look like an anorexic Santa Claus.

Basically, Sinterklaas does the same as Santa Claus: he rewards the well behaved children with candy and presents. Sinterklaas doesn’t have a sleigh, he has a boat and a white horse. Sinterklaas doesn’t have Rudolph, he has Piet, a (quite controversial) helper. Sinterklaas doesn’t come from a cold, icy, secret place, he comes from Spain. Even though there are a lot of differences, Santa Claus is originally Sinterklaas; Dutch immigrants brought the tradition to America.

Between mid-November and 5 December there Sinterklaas parades across all of Holland, and now there will be one in London as well! KK Outlet and HEMA will recreate a typical parade on Hoxton Square on Thursday 2 December. Including Sinterklaas on a horseback, leaving a spare shoe in the gallery overnight which will be filled with gifts from Sinterklaas and chocolate type.

Besides, there’ll be an exhibition of the best Sinterklaas related oddities, from a large wall of chocolate typeface to the best festive designs and products provided by HEMA and available to buy.

So what’s HEMA?
Well, HEMA is an award-winning Dutch department store. Picture a cross between IKEA, Woolworths and Muji, or just look at their website, it speaks for itself.

The special Sinterklaas event will be on the 2nd of December. The exhibition and display of HEMA products will run throughout December and is open to all.

~ By Steffi Posthumus

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