CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD = CHRISTMAS AT MARGATE LANGUAGE CENTRE

It does not seem dark at 19.00 hours thanks to the street lighting: red and green predominate in houses. Thousands of postcards travel between cities or countries. There are trees which hide presents and melodies which resound each day in our ears. Christmas is coming and it will remain here until 2012!

Typical British Christmas decoration

Carmen R. Sandianes Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild (Elvis Presley) Everybody is impatient for the arrival of Father Christmas. For them, the lights, marzipans or carols are not important; the most important thing is that Father Christmas remembers to leave the parcels under the Christmas tree. Children do not question why Christmas day is the 25th of December, why there are some countries that do not know about this date or why there are quite a lot different ways to celebrate it. The word Christmas came from Christ (title given to Jesus of Nazareth) + Mass (Eucharistic service). This party is one of the most important in Christianity. Since Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Palestine) that fact is commemorated each year. Despite this celebration is being hold 25th, for more than 15 centuries, there have been many hypotheses which try to

demonstrate that Jesus was not born on that day. Whether it is real or not, the most important thing is that this religious festivity is now the most widely celebrated all over the world. In a lot of countries, where the number of Christians is not very high, Christmas has been adapted. In countries such as Japan, where the most professed religion is Buddhism, Christmas has been adopted. Some traditions have been kept like the street or house decoration, Christmas trees or the gift-giving. In others countries, for instance, Saudi Arabia, it is simpler: Christmas does not exist. Not only does Christmas not exist, but any reference to different religions, (not Islamism) could entail punishments from to tens of lashes to beheading as it is written in www.religionenlibertad.com.

RL E IGIONSAR OUNDTH WOR D E L

Atheist/ without religion 14,98% Christianity 32,79% Different religions 12,86% Judaism 0,25% Hinduism 13,32% Buddhism 5,89% Islam ism 19,7%

The chart shows the number of people who worship different religions (http://www.editoriallapaz.org/estadisticas.htm)

CHRISTMAS TRADITION Although the real Christmas day is the 25th of December, most people usually start with festivities on the night of 24th. Families meet around a table and cook special dishes for hours for everybody to enjoy. A decorated table, candles, the Christmas trees lights, the carols musical notes, try to capture our attention to remind us of what the real reason of this celebration is.

The atmosphere is suitable for the smiles, the anecdotes and also, why not, the nostalgia or as we say in (the city where I was born) Ourense, Spain; morria1. The banquet could consist of chicken, turkey, beef, fish, etc. Dishes depend on the place where people live and the season People sit for hours around the table, sharing more than words. Desserts arrive and the faces of the little children light up. Sweets for everybody and for diverse tastes and without any doubt, any person thinks in the bath-skill: Dont worry, be happy. Everything can be afforded just because it is Christmas. Little children are impatient because they want to receive their presents but that, obviously, will not happen until Father Christmas arrives. There are many legends and traditions about the figure of this character but a very popular says that Father Christmas, who lives in Laponia [Finland], on the night of 24th of December, at midnight, delivers presents for all the children around the world thanks to his magic sleigh and the reindeer which steer it. In any case this is not a rule. There are families which share gifts on the 24th after having dinner, before midnight. There are families who share them on 25th in the morning and some others even on 25th on the afternoon. After some centuries celebrating this day some conclusions can be extracted. Firstly, Christmas has stopped being only a party celebrated by Christians to become a day of familiar and social coexistence. Secondly, on this day the economic waste is, in general, absolutely enormous. Prices increase dramatically in almost all areas: food, toys, games, clothes, entertainment, etc. Definitely, despite crises and the economic situations Christmas continues to be more prominent than other celebration. Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride On a one horse open sleigh (Diana Krall) Christmas at Margate Language Center Christmas is celebrated in most countries. In Margate language Centre (MLC), there are sometimes days which seem like Christmas: people breathe happiness, students do not stop speaking although you can also find some students who are hidden behind the computers or smoking a cigarette in the courtyard, teachers smile all the time but sometimes, there are also nostalgia particles. At this moment people are already speaking about Christmas. Many students will go back to their countries, to their homes to celebrate this party with their families. Others will stay in England celebrating these days with a new family. Maybe they are not blood related but people with whom you have shared so many moments are joined to yourself forever. If we have mind that nowadays there are around 40 English learners at the school (more than 10 nationalities) and in the high season there have been more than 150 (around 20 nationalities), it is clear that the month of December is not the best for MLC.

Feeling and state of mind melancholic. Nostalgia.

This chart shows the percentage of people and their nationality in this moment in MLC (December 2011)

Although the Christmas epicentre was, practically, the same for everybody, there are some differences between Christmas celebrations in different countries. Some students own wanted to take part in this article describing how Christmas is celebrated in their own countries. SPAIN Publicity along the streets is present a long time before the 25th of December as well as advertisements on TV, decorations in the cities, lights in each spot. A good warning to show Christmas is closer is SUCHARD nougat candy pouring out supermarkets. It could be something trivial but in so many homes the taste of Christmas starts with the first bite of this TURRON. When the night of 24th approaches, telephones do not stop ringing to organise dinner. We name it Nochebuena2: could we meet in your house!, in my house is impossible, we could have dinner in a restaurant. In Spain a lot of people have dinner less common dishes: roasted lamb, grilled fish, seafood, polvorones, nougat candies, marzipans, etc. In some houses, pineapple with sugar is had as a dessert to brighten up, Christmas (even more). Although Christmas in Spain starts days before the 24 th, it finishes with the Epiphany (6th January) it is usually celebrated as Christmas, with dinner, gifts, family and friends, etc. In Pilar Martinezs house they celebrate Epiphany more than Christmas but she says that the most important
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Christmas Eve

moment for her is when she sees her cousins opening the presents and with their cheerful faces. She enjoys with them and she makes sure everybody is happy. FRANCE Christmas in France is very similar to Spain: cities and houses are decorated weeks before Christmas day. This day is usually celebrated with a dinner on the 24th of December with the whole family and on the 25th of December there is a lunch with the closest relatives. The typical dinner is a guinea fowl with potatoes and a Yule log for dessert Marion Boulogne says and she adds in lot of families the presents are open before the desert but the tradition is to open the presents at midnight. Sebastien Boutin says that the most common thing is to cook the dishes that all the family members prefer. In his case: foie-gras and good cheeses cannot be missing on the table. Although the party from the religious celebration, there some masses organised at midnight. Marion also says that she is very lucky because in her city is always snowing at this time of the year and this gives it a more Christmas look. For European people it is very difficult to imagine Christmas without cold. ITALY Although not all Italians think the same about Christmas, most people celebrate this day like one of the most important of the year. This is why Carlo Visconti says: a perfect excuse to stay all together, to sit at the same table speaking, joking, drinking and eating delicious food. Carlo comments that houses are decorated the 8th of December, the day of the Immaculate Conception, with lights, Christmas decoration, Christmas trees, Nativity scenes, etc. The 24th is known in Italy as Vigilia di Natale and it is the day when quite a lot of people prepare a Christmas dinner for the whole family. Its very big and there are a lot of courses. Its such a lovely moment! Carlo says. Moreover he explains that dinner starts with the antipasto (the famous and traditional Italian first course). People eat olives, peppers, mushrooms, some types of cheese (such as mozzarella, provolone and parmesan), traditional bruschetta (roasted bread with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and fresh chopped tomato), mozzarella with bacon, salami (sweet or spicy), prosciutto (ham) and melon, fried zucchini or eggplants. The second and the third courses are usually based on fish, so you can have pasta with scampi or risotto with cuttlefish (Risotto al nero di seppia) and, later, grilled fish. Its also possible to eat lasagna, ravioli or orecchiette as a

second course and parmigiana or meat or both of them as a third course. Obviously, everybody can choose the right menu and according to the tradition, you can also have a slice of pandoro or panettone with a glass of spumante at the end of the dinner. Who is not hungry after reading (and imagining) all these dishes? Presents can be opened that night, after having dinner, yet the most common thing is to wait until 25th morning. This is very typical if families have babies or children. They are expecting impatiently the arrival of Father Christmas and nobody knows the exact moment! CZECH REPUBLIC Christmas is celebrated on the 24th of December with a Christmas dinner for the whole family. Dinner usually starts between 5 and 6pm. The most important day is called tdr den (its Czech name literally means "Generous Day", probably for the wealth of food that has traditionally been served for Christmas dinner) Martin Silar. Curiously in this country gifts are given in almost all the families on the 24th. They have numerous special Christmas events organized throughout the city: exhibitions, concerts in churches and concert halls, advent music festivals, fund raisers, special programs for children, etc. During the Advent (some weeks earlier the 24th and 25th to prepare for Christmas), people decorate their houses and they get ready to celebrate the Jeek-Baby or Little Jesus born Presents are placed under the Christmas tree (spruces, firs or pines). Presents are opened after Christmas dinner and in that moment it is very typical to sing Christmas carols. Christmas dinner is usually fried carp with potato salad. Christmas carp is specially raised in manmade ponds and then sold from large tubs placed on the streets and town squares a few days before Christmas. You will not see this at any other time of the year. Some families keep their carp in the bathtub for several days as a temporary pet for their children. In many households people have for dinner the schnitzel of chicken, pork, etc. with potato salad. However, this is less typical. Also, there are some people who visit churches at mass at midnight.

Martin Silar, Carlo Visconti and Sebastien Boutin (work experience at MLC)

GERMANY Nadja Bendjeddou has been in MLC for three months. She is vegetarian and she describes herself as atheist, but she has provided a lot of information about how Germany (it is almost impossible for Spanish to pronounce G sound in English) gives a very warn welcome to Christmas, with food and tradition. Decoration does not differ from the rest of European countries but Nadja has made special stress on Christmas trees decorated with tinsel, Christmas ornaments, sparklers and the Advent wreaths on doors or in the living room. We also have a dinner the 24th (roast goose, potatoes and gravy) and lunch on the 25th: both of them very stodgy. The 24th of December is known as Heiligabend and that is the moment when the nuclear family gathers at dinner time. After dinner, everybody assembles around the

decorated Christmas tree to sing Christmas carols or read passages of the Bible Nadja says. In Germany, it is very common to exchange presents after having dinner. While little children are playing, some teenagers go to Christmas parties and adults speak for hours. There are plans for everybody. NORWAY Almost every Norwegian has some special traditions which they repeat every Christmas. The big day is 24th of December and it is normal to go to the church even if you are not very religious. In the evening people in Norway eat traditional Christmas food. Anja Kaasa speaks about her own experience: In my family we eat the pork ribs, with vegetables, potatoes, brown gravy, meat balls and white sausages. The pork is cooked in a special way so that the skin is crisp, but the tradition around the food is different from family to family, and it also depends on your location in Norway. Near the coast, it can be more normal to eat cod as well. After having dinner, we have traditional desserts like rice pudding and cream with cloudberries and after the dessert we finally are allowed to open the presents, which usually lays under the Christmas tree or someone who dresses up as Father Christmas can come with the presents. Generally the Christmas tree is not collocated at home until 3 or 4 days before Christmas. Its very popular to decorate the whole house with lights, figures, balls, figures, etc. The Christmas celebration in Norway is very important for most familie, because in the dark winter season people need a light in the dark, Anja adds. JAPAN It could be said that there is not anything special at Christmas in Japan that excels over other countries as Yurika Anahara says: mainly because we are not Christians. Families with children are usually the ones who celebrate this day in a singular way. A special dinner and or lunch, presents, sweets, etc. Yurika explains that the Christmas lighting and decorations at this time start to appear at the beginning of December. Some people start to decorate their house (both inside and outside) using small lights or ornaments. Some people even put small Christmas trees in their houses. Moreover, many shops in the city are decorated beautifully.

In Japan there is not a tradition as deeply-rooted as in Europe and for that reason, on the Christmas day young people go to eat and drink with relatives, partners or some friends but it's not a big party as in other countries! Many Japanese people do not really like taking part in big parties Yurika says. Yurika, in particular, adds: I'm also not really interested in Japanese Christmas, so I just go to one restaurant, see lighting in the city with my best friends, or eat cakes and watch TV shows with my family at home.

Martina, Anja, Selena, Chang Soon and Tae Yang -WE-, Carmen -WE-

Glin, Nadja, Pilar Work Experience-, Marion

KOREA In my opinion and to be honest, in Korea there is nothing special! Chang Soon says. Not everybody acts in the same way and not in all the cities people understand Christmas in the same way. Some people go to a good restaurant with their family or friends. Some people like me, just stay and relax at home and some people go to church on Christmas day. However, there are lots of good dishes such as turkey or roast chicken and there is also one which is cooked with minced-beef, vegetables, noodles and mushrooms and it is called Bool-Ko-Ki As well as in Japan, in some homes people give presents. It is usually in families with children because they believe in Father Christmas. Chang Soon comments that in Korea there is only one day to celebrate Christmas and he finishes saying: I love European lifestyle! TURKEY

In this country, part of population worships Islamism and that means that they do not celebrate Christmas but they did The Festival of Sacrifice and Eid Al Fitr. They do not have set dates, every year they change Glin Karadeniz, a Turkish psychology who wants to improve her English in Margate, says. They have 3-4 days on holiday and that is a good chance for people to meet their relatives or friends to have lunch or dinner traditional food such as baklava. Many people even take advantage to go on holiday. In Turkey people do not usually decorate their houses, streets or trees but if you have an appointment or a meeting it is polite to carry a dessert, a cake or a gateau. Typical Turkish dish: Baklava For Glin, the most curious thing is Father Christmas story: We say that Noel Baba, comes from Antalya (in Turkey). Why do we have a picture of him? Well, he was BORN in Turkey, just up the coast in a town called Patara. He did most of his work in this city - Demre. The Church of St Nicholas is here and it is a quick hour drive from Kas. Why he changed his shorts and warm Mediterranean breezes for the silly red suit and the cold North Pole, we may never know. CONCLUSION Christmas is a Christian party but nobody doubts that the most important thing on these days is the spirit and the environment that you can breathe in the street and in everywhere you go. In general, Christmas is a happy party, full of smiles, good moments to share a lot of dreams for the little children and illusions for the adults. It is a moment when people try to forget their own problems and worries to let happiness arrive even if it is for only a couple of days or, maybe, only some hours. It is a pity every day is not like Christmas. I believe that Dickens words in the 17th century can transmit what I think better than me what about the meaning of CHRISTMAS: Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!. Ill be home for Christmas You can plan on me Please have snow and mistletoe And presents on the tree (Frank Sinatra)

Y CHRISTMAS! Photo by Anne Geddes

MERR