Merry Christmas - all over the world

South Korea has many wonderful festivals, such as Chuseok (a harvest festival), Seollal (Lunar New Year) or - one of my favorites - the Danoje Festival (a spring-time festival). In South Korea, Christmas is not one of the major annual holidays, but often, in December you'll see lights strung in the shape of an evergreen tree. My family and I would often get together with a handful other international families who lived in our town and celebrate an imported, multi-cultural Christmas. (Gavin Hudson)

Our traditions are based on Christmas traditions from around the world that have been adapted: the decorations, the turkey, the lights and much more. Santa Claus, Papai Noel for Brazilians, is present everywhere. Children love to sit on his lap, take pictures and pull his beard. This time of the year is summer in Brazil. That means our Santa wears shorts, flip-flops and sunglasses. The traditional Brazilian Christmas dinner includes turkey, tender (a type of Brazilian ham), cod, farofa (corn or cassava flour), salpicão (salad), French toast and panettone (Italian dessert). Many families decorate the table with a cheerful tablecloth and put down lots of fruit, in keeping with the super-tropical climate felt in Brazil at this time of year. (Jonathan Mathias)

In Malaysia, Christmas is celebrated by the Christian community, also with church service. On Christmas eve, families will gather for dinner, followed by gift giving activities for the children. Non-Christians enjoy the public holiday by going for year-end holidays, visiting shopping malls to enjoy Christmas decorations, or having a good rest at home. (Chris Tan)

In Germany, December 24 is the most important day. In the morning, it is usually still hectic - last preparations and shopping are done, and the stores and Christmas markets are still open. In the evening, things get festive, and then the family gets together. For dinner there are traditional dishes, such as duck or roast goose, in some regions also carp, trout or potato salad with sausages. Afterwards, presents are opened in front of the decorated Christmas tree lit with candles. Many people also attend a church service or sing Christmas carols together. (Teresa Fischer)

HUNGARY

In Hungary, we have rather similar Christmas habits and traditions as in Germany. Maybe one additional thing: we have a traditional Christmas cake and it’s called bejgli.  (Patricia Ladanyi)