What makes Christmas, Christmas?

• Which other countries celebrate St. Nicholas Day?
• Different regions of the same country have varying traditions.
• Cuisine quiz – the exchange students share their favourite festive food
• Where are the Erasmus students spending their Christmas this year?

December is a magical month in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Fairy lights line the streets and shop windows, the smell of mulled wine and gingerbread fill the air. There are a lot of similarities when it comes to how we envision Christmas. However, in reality there’s probably as many different Christmas traditions as countries that celebrate it. 

Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences is open to students from around the world, both permanent ones and those who come as part of an exchange programme. So we’ve decided to gather a few participants of the Erasmus programme to tell us about Christmas in their home countries, how they celebrate with their families and what makes Christmas special. As it turns out, the same holiday can look quite different, depending on who you ask.

Ho ho ho...

Festivities in Poland begin on the 6th of December, when children all around the country celebrate St. Nicolas Day. This is when Santa Claus is believed to visit them with presents. Veterinary medicine exchange students Manca Novak from Slovenia and Nicole Struppek from Germany say that this tradition, which comes from a celebration in honour of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Mira, also exists where they live. 

– We also celebrate St. Nicholas day on the 6th December in Slovenia, but we call Santa Miklavž. On that day, everyone in the family gets small presents in a Christmas stocking. Usually tangerines, oranges, chocolates and sometimes mittens or woolen socks – says Manca, and Nicole explains that in Germany they also celebrate “Nikolaus“ on the 6th: – According to the tradition, you have to clean your boots on the 5th and leave them in front of your door for the night. If you’ve been good, then you will find some chocolate or small presents in them. If you were noughty, you’ll find burned coals.

Although this tradition is quite prevalent around Europe, Sabrina and Michèle from Portugal say that their country doesn't celebrate St. Nicholas Day, although the saint is considered a patron of students. So instead, the people of Guimarães, a city in the northern region of mainland Portugal, usually hold a celebration called Festas Nicolinas to honour him. 

Although the girls agree on St. Nicholas' Day, it turns out that the traditions of one country may vary depending on the region. A great example comes from Sabrina Alves, a biology exchange student from the Portuguese islands of the Azores who shares a couple of quirky ways they celebrate Christmas on the islands. For example, the 8th of December is known as “Storefront Day” on São Miguel. On that day the islanders go to the city centre to see the Christmas lights on the streets and storefronts light up. Traditionally shops take great care in decorating with lots of fairy lights, moving mannequins and live music etc., to win the competition for the best storefront. People walking through the streets that night vote to decide who wins. – When this day comes, we know that Christmas is just around the corner – says Sabrina, adding that visiting nativity scenes which are spread across the island is also a very popular family, Christmas pastime.

However, the title of the most extraordinary tradition on her island of São Miguel definitely goes to "O Menino Mija?", which literally translates into: "Does the boy wee?".  – It’s not what the name suggests! – laughs Sabrina, explaining that between December 24th and January 6th, islanders go from house to house visiting family and friends and tasting traditional sweets and liqueurs which are displayed on their tables. So, when they ask "O Menino Mija?", they're actually asking when they can stop by that person/family's house to get a drink.

In Poland it's 12 dishes. What's it like abroad?

Christmas cuisine from around the world lies far from the Polish traditional carp and barszcz, or the well known roasted turkey often portrayed in Christmas films. Instead the international exchange students name chicken soup with parmesan balls, venison in carrot and onion gravy, boiled and roasted potatoes, wiener schnitzels, goatling, codfish (fun fact from Michèle: Portugal is the biggest consumer of codfish around the world, they eat about 70 thousand tons per year!) and even octopus! For desserts, the students say their families eat french toast, lard cake, Portuguese Rabanadas and King’s Cake in the shape of a crown, or traditional Slovenian potica and kremna rezina.

Home and away

Michèle Meco, a veterinary student from Nazarè, Portugal is looking forward to going home to celebrate Christmas this year, as she says she’s no longer the youngest in the family. She has a little cousin and she’s excited to relive Christmas through a child's eyes. Manca is also going back to celebrate in Slovenia, since she feels like Christmas should be spent at home. Otherwise she feels out of place if she doesn't spend it with her family. – My whole family gathers at my grandparents' house. We then place presents under the Christmas tree, wchich is a ficus plant that my grandmother decorates, so that she doesn't have to vacuum the needles. But she makes up for it with a grand nativity scene made of moss, caves and running water. At home we have a normal Christmas tree, but it’s always a challenge to keep it safe from the cats, their climbing usually results in having to buy new baubles every year – says Manca with a smile.

However, not all of the interviewed students share the same plans for the holidays. Sabrina and Nicole are spending this Christmas in Poland. Sabrina is going to Zakopane with her boyfriend, which is special to her, because that’s where she saw snow for the first time. Nicole, on the other hand, is spending Christmas in Poland, because she’s visiting her family which lives here. Sadly, this means she will miss her annual tradition which she holds with her friends of buying the weirdest Christmas jumper they can find. – It doesn’t matter if it has Santa on it, reindeers or if it has angel wings attached – the crazier it is, the funnier it gets! – laughs Nicole.

Danilo Jimenez-Calva, an exchange student from Ecuador is also going to spend Chrstmas in Europe this year, for the third time in a row. But since he's met some friends in Poland, he never spends this special time alone. – I met some Polish Erasmus friends 2 years ago and their parents told me that I just couldn’t possibly be alone at this time of the year, so Marta and her family took me in for Christmas, and Agata took me in for New Year’s Eve. I felt the love of my family through them – says Danilo, adding that although he feels welcome in Poland, he does miss his family traditions which involve a lot of eating, talking and dancing! In Ecuador, people celebrate the 24th of December with a traditional home party. They start off by going to church, then pray at home asking each other for forgiveness, for any misunderstanding or problem that they have had over the past year. After that they eat, sing some joyful carols and play a game called “secret friend” where in order to give a present, you have to give some characteristics of the "receiving person" like, they’re funny, like to read, play tennis, etc. and the others, have to guess who that person is. – After that it’s mandatory to put on some music, like Salsa or Cumbias and the whole family starts dancing for hours – reminisces the exchange student from Ecuador.

Although Christmas traditions from different countries can be surprising, the stories of our Erasmus students definitely have one thing in common - the joy they feel during this magical time. Manca loves this time of the year because of the snow: – It always feels like the beginning of an adventure when I walk in fresh snow, trying to keep my balance, enjoying the fresh icy air. I also love that around Christmas everyone is happy and full of energy. The house is always decorated with colourful lights and Christmas songs are played on the radio. It is a magical time! And for Danilo, the essence of Christmas is the light in the eyes of his niece and nephew, when they’re expecting a gift, a hug, a song to sing: – I still remember the last hug they gave me. Such a small gesture gave me all the strength that I needed to come to Europe and overcome my fears, and improve myself to be a better person. So, of course, even though I’m going to celebrate away from home, missing them reminds me where I came from – he says.

At home or abroad, it’s always friends and family who make Christmas special, not presents, fairy lights or food.

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