The origins of Christmas have long been debated, but few occasions bring people together quite like this one. Wherever you are, towns and cities take on a festive glow. It’s a time of year when people are more inclined to strike up a conversation with a stranger. Beyond its religious roots, it’s this sense of wonder that makes Christmas such a distinctive celebration.
A symbol of comfort and shared moments, Christmas marks the close of an eventful year. Marvelling at decorations, warming up with a choir’s voices, indulging in a few sweets, breathing in the smells of seasonal dishes.
It’s a pause to live fully in the moment, built on togetherness, mutual support, affection and gratitude. Depending on climate and culture, the celebration takes different forms, yet keeps a common thread running through it all — Christmas remains, above all, a state of mind. Its particular spirit plays out in every corner of the globe.
Towns and villages are strung with lights, and residents dress in their finest.
Christmas is, first and foremost, about affection, hope and mutual support — in other words, about life itself. It’s a concentrated dose of human warmth, wonder and, above all, hope. The glimmer of outdoor lights reflected in people’s eyes carries that same sense of open possibility. Christmas also stands for comfort and sharing: being with loved ones, enjoying a generous meal, reaching out to someone alone and inviting them to the table.
Depending on the country, Santa Claus appears in very different outfits, from a red coat to swim trunks.
In warmer countries, palm trees stand in for fir trees, and dromedaries take the place of reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. Snow, it turns out, isn’t a prerequisite for the celebration. In India, banana and mango trees are strung with Christmas decorations. In Florida, palm trees are wrapped in electric garlands. Mexico, where the sun shines nearly year-round, celebrates the holiday over nine days.
Santa Claus, as it happens, doesn’t make his way around the entire planet. In Sweden, he’s replaced by a forest-dwelling elf. At Epiphany, on January 6th, a benevolent witch flies over Italian towns on her broomstick, delivering gifts down the chimneys.
There are as many Christmas traditions as there are countries and cultures — each one bringing its own light to a celebration that, in the end, unites them all.
