What is Christmas and when and how is it celebrated around the world?

Published

2 years ago

December 25, 2022

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The festive season has arrived, with sleigh bells ringing and the timely smattering of snow glistening on our streets.

Amid all the mince pies, carol singing and present-buying, it might be difficult to take a pause and remember why the date is in our calendar. Sky News looks at the origins of the traditional holiday and how it is celebrated across the globe.

What is Christmas?

Christmas comes every year on 25 December and is a Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.

While many celebrate the holiday to honour Jesus’s birth, it has also become a worldwide cultural holiday and is often celebrated by non-Christians alike.

The English term “Christmas” – a merger of Christ and mass – is of comparatively recent origin, dating from the time when it was celebrated with a mass in the Catholic Church. The older term “Yule” dates from when the period was a celebration of the winter solstice, according to Britannica.

In other countries, the day of celebration may be called “Navidad” in Spanish, “Natale” in Italian and “Noal” in French, deriving from the term “nativity”.

Does everyone celebrate Christmas on 25 December?

While Protestants and Catholics celebrate on the 25th, a lot of countries and religious sectors may choose to embrace the festive period on a different day, this is in accordance with the Julian Calendar.

Orthodox and Coptic Christians will celebrate Christmas on 7 January.

Here’s how Christmas is celebrated around the globe:

Poland – The breaking of bread

On Christmas Eve, families gather to share Oplatiki. This tradition began with a simple white wafer, baked from flour and water and is designed with a display of Christmas images.

Traditionally, each person around the table breaks off a piece as they wish one another a merry Christmas.

Iceland – Book giving

Also known as “Jolabokaflod” which translates to “the Christmas book” is an Icelandic tradition of giving new books on Christmas Eve and reading them with family and friends.

After receiving a book to dive into, be sure to cosy up in bed or by the fireplace, with a hot chocolate for the night.

Mexico – Night of the Radishes

An annual event which is held on December 23 and is known as Noche de los Rabanos in Oaxaca City.

Radishes have always played an integral part in Oaxaca’s Christmas cuisine, as an essential ingredient and a decorative garnish.

The yearly radish carving competition dates back to 1897 and became a part of that year’s Christmas market. The tradition continues to this day.

Japan – Kentucky Fried Chicken

In Japan, families gather around the dinner table to eat a bucket of fried chicken to commemorate the festive season.

Some say that the first KFC enterprising manager in Japan, by the name of Takeshi Okawara, told a white lie in 1970 and marketed fried chicken as a traditional American Christmas food to encourage sales at the time.

Okawara’s venture set the tone for Christmas in Japan.

Austria – Krampus

Every year, children in Austria get ready for St Nicholas to visit them and as the traditions go, if the children have been well-behaved, he’ll reward them. If the children have been bad, they’ll have to face Krampus.

The half-man, half-goat is known to chase around naughty children and drag them to hell, according to ancient Austrian folklore tales.

United Kingdom – Christmas pudding

First introduced to the UK in the 14th century, many Britons still keep to the tradition of placing a silver coin in the pudding that is said to bring good luck

The pudding is traditionally made with raisins, currants, prunes, wines, and spices and is an all-time favourite in the UK.

World

’12 people’ injured in stabbing at Hamburg train station – as woman arrested

Published

2 hours ago

May 23, 2025

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'12 people' injured in stabbing at Hamburg train station - as woman arrested

A woman has been arrested after 12 people were reportedly injured in a stabbing at Hamburg’s central train station in Germany.

An attacker armed with a knife targeted people on the platform between tracks 13 and 14, according to police.

They added that the suspect was a 39-year-old woman.

Officers said they “believe she acted alone” and investigations into the stabbing are continuing.

There was no immediate information on a possible motive.

The fire service said six of the injured were in a life-threatening condition, three others were seriously hurt, and another three sustained minor injuries, news agency dpa reported.

The attack happened shortly after 6pm local time (5pm UK time) on Friday in front of a waiting train, regional public broadcaster NDR reported.

A high-speed ICE train with its doors open could be seen at the platform after the incident.

Railway operator Deutsche Bahn said it was “deeply shocked” by what had happened.

Four tracks at the station were closed in the evening, and some long-distance trains were delayed or diverted.

Hamburg is Germany‘s second biggest city, with the train station being a hub for local, regional and long-distance trains.

World

Mum of emaciated baby in Gaza says ‘I lost my husband… I don’t want to lose her’

Published

5 hours ago

May 23, 2025

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Mum of emaciated baby in Gaza says 'I lost my husband... I don't want to lose her'

In mid-May, the World Health Organisation assessed that there were “nearly half a million people in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death”.

“This is one of the world’s worst hunger crises, unfolding in real time,” its report concluded.

Warning: This article contains images of an emaciated child which some readers may find distressing

Israel‘s decision this week to reverse the siege and allow “a basic level of aid” into Gaza should help ease the immediate crisis.

But the number of aid trucks getting in, so far fewer than 100 per day, is considered dramatically too few by aid organisations working in Gaza, and the United Nations accuses Israel of continuing to block vital items.

Israel-Gaza latest: Gaza enduring ‘atrocious death and destruction’, UN boss warns

“Strict quotas are being imposed on the goods we distribute, along with unnecessary delay procedures,” said UN secretary general Antonio Guterres in New York on Friday.

“Essentials, including fuel, shelter, cooking gas and water purification supplies, are prohibited. Nothing has reached the besieged north.”

Nineteen of Gaza’s hospitals remain operational, all of them are overwhelmed with the number of patients and a lack of supplies.

“Today, we receive between 300 to 500 cases daily, with approximately 10% requiring admission. This volume of inpatient cases far exceeds the capacity of Rantisi hospital, as the facility is not equipped to accommodate such large numbers,” Jall al Barawi, a doctor at the hospital, told us.

At least 94% of the hospitals have sustained some damage, some considerable, according to the UN.

Paramedic crews are close to running out of fuel to drive ambulances.

The lack of food, after an 11-week blockade, has left thousands malnourished and increasingly vulnerable to surviving injuries or recovering from other conditions.

Children are the worst affected.

Our team in Gaza filmed with baby Aya at the Rantisi hospital in northern Gaza. She is now three months old and dangerously thin.

Her skin stretches over her cheekbones and eye sockets on her gaunt, pale face. Her nappy is too big for her emaciated little body.

Lethal spiral

Her mother Sundush, who is only 19 herself, cannot get enough food to produce breastmilk. Baby formula is scarce.

Aya, like so many other young children, cannot get the vital nutrition she needs to grow and develop.

It’s a lethal spiral.

“My daughter was born at a normal weight, 3.5kg,” Sundush tells us.

“But as the war went on, her weight dropped significantly. I would breastfeed her, she’d get diarrhoea. I tried formula – same result. With the borders closed and no food coming in, I can’t eat enough to give her the nutrients she needs.”

“I brought her to the hospital for treatment, but the care she needs isn’t available.

“The doctor said her condition is very serious. I really don’t want to lose her, because I lost my husband and she’s all I have left of him. I don’t want to lose her.”

Some of the aid entering Gaza now is being looted. It is hard to know whether that is by Hamas or desperate civilians. Maybe a combination of the two.

The lack of aid creates an atmosphere of desperation, which eventually leads to a breakdown in security as everyone fights to secure food for themselves and their families.

Only by alleviating the desperation can the security situation improve, and the risk of famine abate.

World

Police launch ‘major operation’ after 12 people injured in knife attack at Hamburg train station

Published

6 hours ago

May 23, 2025

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Police launch 'major operation' after 12 people injured in knife attack at Hamburg train station

Twelve people are reported to have been injured after a knife attack at Hamburg’s central train station.

A “major operation” has been launched and a suspect was arrested, police said in a post on X.

The identity of the suspect has not been revealed.

Reports in Germany said the suspected attacker was a woman.

The fire service said six of the injured were in a life-threatening condition, three others were seriously hurt, and another three sustained minor injuries, news agency dpa reported.

Bild newspaper said the motive for the attack was so far unknown.

Hamburg is Germany’s second biggest city, with the train station being a hub for local, regional and long-distance trains.

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