Tomoko grew up in Japan, and celebrated Christmas because her family was Christian. Now Christmas is Japan is more popular and more commercialized. One contemporary Christmas activity that Tomoko would approve of is the performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, especially its “Ode to Joy” section, which is often sung in German. Following are Christmas holiday traditions around the world.
Ethiopians dress in white as they attend church at Christmas dawn where why they see their priests dressed up, and the attendees dance and play musical instruments.
Jamaican radio stations start playing reggae-style and international Christmas carols as early as October. Their Christmas festivities include African-inspired Junkanoo, during which time the Jamaicans dance in masquerade costumes.
Colombian families sing religious Christmas carols called villancicos accompanied by simple percussion instruments. Children sing and play instruments at Novenas, which are religious gatherings during the holiday.
Because Uruguay celebrates Christmas during their summer time, the people there hold open-air music festivals.
Australia also celebrates Christmas in their summer season, and their Santa is often seen surfing – singing parodies of traditional carols. In contrast, the country's annual “Carols by Candlelight” concert is a charity appeal for Vision Australia.
Christmasland in New Taipei City includes a parade carnival and a Christmas Eve concert.
The whole Kastoria community participates in a Christmas time Dionysian revelry, which features folk melodies.
Christmas music can be heard as early as September 1 in the Philippines.
A week before Christmas Welsh people sing caneuon pygain: long sermons in song from the 17th century, based on folk music, that tell about Christ's entire life. The songs feature close harmonies and were traditionally sung before dawn only by men.
Shopping is a popular Christmas activity in Singapore. In those shopping malls, caroling and concerts are frequently heard.
Outside their homes. Assyrian families make Christmas bonfires out of thorn bushes, and sing psalms as the thorns burn to ashes.
On Christmas eve in Denmark families sign carols and hymns around the tree, and dance around the house.
In Germany Protestant churches hold a Christmas eve service called Christvesper, which includes favorite Christmas carols and festive music for pianos and organs. Very traditional carols from the Latin school are also sung. Christmas eve in Germany, Austria, England, and the Czech Republic also features families lighting their trees and singing carols. In Bulgaria boy carolers visit neighborhoods starting at midnight.
Venezuelans carol from house to house, where they received food and drinks. In their Andes the carolers carry baby Jesus's image. House to house caroling also happens in Pakistan. In return for the singing, the families donate to the caroling choirs and their churches. Poland also features neighborhood caroling on Christmas eve. Romania takes caroling to a higher level. While children sing carols form house to house throughout the Christmas seasons, the first day of Christmas sees carolers parading through the village with a start depicting Bible stories.
