Catholic Christmas 2011 in different countries

In most Western countries Catholic Christmas has ceased to be a strictly religious holiday. This day, even those in whosethe Christian religion does not occupy an important place. In fact, in the West, Christmas is like having a New Year, getting ready for it is starting ahead of time and celebrating with great scope. But all the same, Christmas is primarily a family holiday, which is celebrated at home.

In the UK, say, decorate the houses with branches traditional Christmas plants - mistletoe and holly (holly). Mistletoe is a symbol of fertility and hospitality, andholly is a symbol of prosperity. You've probably heard about the old Christmas tradition: if a young man and a girl are under a mistletoe, they should kiss.

At the festive table a Christmas cake is served withcandied fruit (hostesses prepare it a few weeks before Christmas), Christmas pudding or a cake with a "surprise". In such a pie, small items are baked, and the surprise in the piece of the pie predicts fate for next year: a ringlet for the wedding, money for wealth, etc.

In the Czech Republic, traditionally, no meat is put on the Christmas table, the central dish becomes fried carp with potato salad. A little carp scales are accepted to be put in a purse, so that in the next year it would have money. Some carp, by the way, more luck: they do not eat, and on Christmas morning they traditionally let out into the river.

At all, every country has its own traditional Christmas dishes. If you meet a Catholic Christmas2011 in Europe, you definitely need to know what can wait for you on the festive table. Birds are baked in many countries. In England, this stuffed turkey with gooseberry sauce (in the US it is replaced with cranberry sauce), in France - also turkey, but baked in white wine.

In Denmark, a duck or goose is preferred to a turkey,stuffed with apples. Lithuanians and Germans are in solidarity with them: their Christmas table can not do without a roast goose. Respect fried goose in Ireland, and in Scotland and Wales, the smoked goose is respected. It turns out that in every part of the UK - your favorite Christmas dish.

In Austria and Hungary the bird is considered inappropriate at the Christmas table, they usually serve meat. In Australia, Spain and Italy, fish and seafood are served, in Belgium - veal sausage with truffles, in Holland - venison, rabbit or game, in Luxembourg and Scandinavia - blood sausage, but the inhabitants of Scandinavia put smoked and salted meat on the table.

In addition, each country has its own traditional Christmas baked goods. In Germany, this is lebkuchen, stollen and baumkuchen,in France and other French-speaking countries - the "Christmas Bread" pie (Bûche de Noël), and in Italy its own Christmas bakery is in almost every region.

Well, what Christmas without gifts? Children around the world are eagerly awaiting when the Catholic Christmas 2011 will come, and they will receive their long-awaited gifts. In different countries, Christmas presents for children bring different characters. So, in English-speaking countries it is all knowngood-natured Santa Claus. By the way, in Great Britain, gifts are given only on the second day of Christmas - the day of St. Stephen. In France, the children are waiting for gifts from Peer Noel. In the Czech Republic, gifts are brought by the baby Jesus - Jerzyk, or Jesulatko.

Gifts are usually put in a sock or stocking suspended by the fireplace. This custom comes from the legend, according towhich St. Nicholas threw bags of coins for three poor sisters into a chimney, and they got into stockings, which the girls were hung to dry by the fireplace. In some countries, gifts are placed in sleeping shoes standing by the bed, left under a tree or exchanged for a festive dinner.

Despite the fact that the Christmas traditions in different countries differ slightly from each other, the spirit of the holiday, which permeates the Catholic Christmas, remains unchanged. Catholic Christmas 2011 will bring people from different countries together.