Christmas around the world

How do you celebrate Jesus’ Birthday? We asked children’s ministry leaders around the world and this is what they said…

Alberto in Honduras: “It is a long-awaited date because it is when as families we meet to celebrate the birthday of our Saviour…the children are very excited. We eat Nacatamales and french toast. We sing Christmas songs. Different groups share the message of Jesus’ birth through song and dramas with special groups (families living in garbage dumps or prisoners, villages where there is a huge need).”
Another person said: “My children present an offering to the King and they share clothes or toys with someone who needs them. We share some chicken and fruits of the season.”

Emmanuel in Liberia: “Christmas is celebrated by families cooking their best meal in the morning and exchanging food with their neighbours and other family members. Most people cook chicken which is considered a rich man’s meal and even the poorest of the poor cook chicken on Christmas Day.  Later in the afternoon, kids get dressed in their best clothes and go out visiting families and neighbours to ask for their Christmas.  They do this by saying “my Christmas is on you”, and you respond by giving the kids gifts or some money.

Damaris: “Christmas Eve is our biggest festivities day. We prepare to receive Baby Jesus. We have a traditional Puerto Rican dinner with all the trimmings and desserts. We go Christmas carolling to neighbours and friend at night and we wake them up and eat and celebrate. Three Kings Day on January 6 is huge. Kids put boxes of hay and water for the camels under their beds and in the morning, they receive gifts and there are more celebrations and eating.”

Derrick in Zambia: “Christmas is such a special time of families coming together…You look out to dress in your best clothes imagining you are going to the palace meeting this special king at his highest invitation.”

Ideas to try

In El Salvador: “With the children at church we do the ‘Christmas Spirit Challenge’. Each day of December the kids must do a good deed. Like, help the neighbour to wash his car, visit a nursing home, take out the garbage, share his or her lunch with others.”

Penny: “In our country only expat Christians celebrate Christmas with its spiritual meaning. In our family, we’re trying a countdown to Christmas with a simple ornament for the tree and a reading each day from the Jesus Storybook Bible. The idea is to give an overview of the whole story of the Bible in the lead up to 25th December. I’m creating laminated paper circles with hand drawings to create the tree ornaments. You can search Google and Pinterest for Advent countdowns and a similar idea called ‘The Jesse Tree’ which has a symbol/ornament for each day of December starting with the ‘root of Jesse’ and the prophecy in Isaiah.”

Becky in Australia: suggests this Advent resource as a great way to link kids to the global community of Christians.

Alan in the UK: came across this idea which was great for his UK setting – The Advent Conspiracy

What about you? How do you celebrate Christmas?