{"id":221,"date":"2010-12-23T13:21:29","date_gmt":"2010-12-23T18:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/?p=61"},"modified":"2010-12-23T13:21:29","modified_gmt":"2010-12-23T18:21:29","slug":"have-a-very-merry-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Have a very Merry Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span>A Very Merry Christmas!<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

HERE\u2019S WISHING A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS!<\/em><\/h1>\n

Christmas around the world<\/h1>\n

Millions of children around the world are familiar with plump and jolly Santa Claus, much loved of North America, with his red suit, black boots<\/a> and twinkling eyes. He arrives Christmas Eve bearing gifts from the North Pole in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Other countries have their own native gift bearers of the holiday season as well.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Christmas Customs<\/h3>\n

Christmas around the world: In Italy, children receive gifts from the good witch La Befana, old, bent and dressed in black. La Befana was a widowed, childless woman when the Three Kings passed on their way to see the Christ child. When they asked her the way to Bethlehem she was busy cleaning and sent them away. Realizing her mistake, she left to search for the Baby Jesus. To this day she is still searching going from house to house on Epiphany, January 6, leaving a gift for good children.<\/p>\n

Russian children await gifts from Babouska, a farmer\u2019s wife who offered food and shelter to the Three Wise men on their journey to Bethlehem, Baboushka declined their offer of travelling with them to visit the Christ child. Realizing her error on the eve of Epiphany, she tried unsuccessfully to find them, but handed the presents she had intended for the infant Jesus to children she passed along the way.<\/p>\n

In Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South America, the Three Kings or Wise Men bring Christmas gifts<\/a> to children, while in France children eagerly await the coming of Father Christmas or Pere Noel who brings their gifts.<\/p>\n

In some cultures, Saint Nicholas travels with an assistant. The old bishop Sinterklass arrives in Holland on December 6 in his red bishop\u2019s costume astride a white horse. In many port towns, he is said to have sailed in on a ship from Spain. Beside him walks Black Peter with a black sack and a book recording each Dutch child\u2019s behavior through the year. Good children receive a gift from the bishop while bad children may be carried away in Black Peter\u2019s sack<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
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In Germany Saint Nicholas also travels with a helper, known as Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Pelzebock, and comes with a sack on his back and a rod or switches in his hand. Saint Nicholas gives gifts to good children, while those who have been bad are punished by the assistant with a few hits of a switch.<\/div>\n

Swedish children wait for the gnome Jultomten, also called Julemanden or Julenisse, who dresses in red and carries a sack of gifts on his back. He flies in his sleigh pulled by the Julbocker, the goats of Thor, the god of thunder. Elves, called the Juul Nisse, hide in the attics of families throughout the year, eagerly waiting to help him. Children leave bowls of milk or rice pudding in the attic for the elves, hoping they will be empty in the morning.<\/p>\n

In Austria and Switzerland it is Christkindl or the Christ Child who arrives bearing gifts. In some towns children await the Holy Child and in others Christkindl is a beautiful girl-angel who comes down from heaven bearing gifts.<\/p>\n

And in England a thinner version of Santa Claus known as Father Christmas, wearing long red robes with sprigs of holly in his hair, delivers gifts to children.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Merry Christmas around the world<\/h3>\n

Afrikaner (Afrikaans) ~ \u201cGese\u00ebnde Kersfees\u201d<\/strong>
\nArgentine ~ \u201cFelices Pascuas\u201d<\/strong>
\nBohemian ~ \u201cVesele Vanoce\u201d<\/strong>
\nBrazilian ~ \u201cBoas Festas\u201d<\/strong>
\nChinese (Cantonese) ~ \u201cSaint Dan Fai Lok\u201d<\/strong>
\nDanish ~ \u201cGl\u00e6delig Jul\u201d<\/strong>
\nDutch ~ \u201cVrolijk Kerstfeest\u201d<\/strong>
\nEnglish ~ \u201cMerry Christmas\u201d<\/strong>
\nFilipino ~ \u201cMaligayang Pasko\u201d<\/strong>
\nFinnish ~ \u201cHyvaa Joulua\u201d<\/strong>
\nFrench ~ \u201cJoyeux No\u00ebl\u201d<\/strong>
\nGerman ~ \u201cFroehliche Weihnachten\u201d<\/strong>
\nGreek ~ \u201cKala Christouyenna\u201d<\/strong>
\nHawaiian ~ \u201cMele Kalikimaka\u201d<\/strong>
\nHebrew ~ \u201cMo\u2019adim Lesimkha\u201d<\/strong>
\nIcelandic ~ \u201cGledileg Jol\u201d<\/strong>
\nIndonesian ~ \u201cSelamat Hari Natal\u201d<\/strong>
\nIrish ~ \u201cNollaig Shona Dhuit\u201d<\/strong>
\nItalian ~ \u201cBuone Feste Natalizie\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Natale italiano <\/a>
\nJapanese ~ \u201cKurisumasu Omedeto\u201d<\/strong>
\nKorean ~ \u201cSung Tan Chuk Ha\u201d<\/strong>
\nLithuanian ~ \u201cLinksmu Kaledu\u201d<\/strong>
\nMalay ~ \u201cSelamat Hari Natal\u201d<\/strong>
\nMaori ~ \u201cMeri Kirihimete\u201d<\/strong>
\nNorwegian ~ \u201cGod Jul\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Jul i Norge <\/a>
\nRomanian ~ \u201cCraciun Fericit\u201d<\/strong>
\nPeruvian ~ \u201cFelices Fiestas\u201d<\/strong>
\nPortugese ~ \u201cBoas Festas\u201d<\/strong>
\nSlovakian ~ \u201cVesele Vianoce\u201d<\/strong>
\nSpanish ~ \u201cFeliz Navidad\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Cyber Navidad<\/a>
\nSwedish ~ \u201cGod Jul\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Jul i Sverige<\/a>
\nWelsh ~ \u201cNadolig Llawen\u201d<\/strong><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Very Merry Christmas!<\/a> <\/a> HERE\u2019S WISHING A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS! Christmas around the world Millions of children around the world are familiar with plump and jolly Santa Claus, much loved of North Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nHave a very Merry Christmas - Diana's Au Pair In America Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Have a very Merry Christmas - Diana's Au Pair In America Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Very Merry Christmas! 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Christmas around the world Millions of children around the world are familiar with plump and jolly Santa Claus, much loved of North Read More\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Diana's Au Pair In America Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-12-23T18:21:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.allthingschristmas.com\/pics1\/christmas-around-world1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Diana Kustra\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Diana Kustra\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/\",\"name\":\"Have a very Merry Christmas - Diana's Au Pair In America Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.allthingschristmas.com\/pics1\/christmas-around-world1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-12-23T18:21:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2010-12-23T18:21:29+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/#\/schema\/person\/9ed22877248faa6c003cb200b9d85479\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.allthingschristmas.com\/pics1\/christmas-around-world1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.allthingschristmas.com\/pics1\/christmas-around-world1.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/2010\/12\/23\/have-a-very-merry-christmas\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Have a very Merry Christmas\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/\",\"name\":\"Diana's Au Pair In America Blog\",\"description\":\"The place to find out about Au Pair in America in Montgomery County, PA (from Jenkintown to Collegeville and all neighboring areas)\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/#\/schema\/person\/9ed22877248faa6c003cb200b9d85479\",\"name\":\"Diana Kustra\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60079597de878b863f671f855a880fa8993cb6c6af66bd498c66aaa978e69bb7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/60079597de878b863f671f855a880fa8993cb6c6af66bd498c66aaa978e69bb7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Diana Kustra\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.aupairinamerica.com\/phm\/author\/phm00\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Have a very Merry Christmas - Diana's Au Pair In America Blog","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Have a very Merry Christmas - Diana's Au Pair In America Blog","og_description":"A Very Merry Christmas! 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