Christmas traditions
Seasonal holiday rituals
Christmas traditions are customs and practices associated with the Christmas holiday, varying widely across cultures and families.
They include decorating trees, exchanging gifts, hanging stockings, singing carols, attending religious services, and preparing special meals.
Some traditions are centuries old; others are recent inventions.
Families often develop their own: Opening one present on Christmas Eve is a tradition in our house.
- Santa ClausLegendary yuletide gift-giver
- mistletoeParasitic festive greenery
- garlandDecorative strand of foliage
- toy drivesCampaigns gathering playthings for needy children
- ugly sweaterGarish seasonal knitwear
eggnog · Advent · tree lighting · wassail · ornaments · Krampus · stollen · gingerbread house · Epiphany · Midnight Mass · stockings · candy canes · gift exchange · fruitcake · Boxing Day · mulled wine · tinsel · poinsettia
- folk culturefolk customs, folk beliefs, folk costume, folk crafts, folk medicine
- faith familiesfamily devotions, family prayer, family worship, family Bible, family altar
- Latin American ReligionCatholic Church, Catholic schools, Catholic festivals, patron saints, Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Portuguese CatholicismFatima, patron saints, parish churches, processions, religious festivals
- Slovak folklorefolk costume, folk costumes, folk dancing, folklore festivals, embroidery patterns
- PortugalLisbon, Porto, Algarve, Oporto, Madeira