Christmas Facts From Around The World – For Kids!
As a mom of three curious kids, Christmas is a magical time of year filled with questions! Every December, we gather around the tree, and without fail, the kids start asking about Christmas traditions. “Mom, why do we hang stockings?” or “Do other countries believe in Santa too?”
I love how eager they are to learn about how the world celebrates this special holiday.
Last Christmas, we turned one cozy evening into a world tour of Christmas. I lit some festive holiday candles (the ones that smell like cinnamon cookies), and we started our journey from our living room.
This year, I thought I’d share some of the coolest Christmas facts we discovered from around the world with you and your kids!
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Festive Customs from Around the World
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, and it’s fascinating to discover how different cultures around the world have their own unique customs and traditions during this festive season. From decorating homes to exchanging gifts, each country has its own special way of celebrating Christmas. Let’s explore some of these festive customs from around the world.
Germany
Did you know that the tradition of decorating Christmas trees started in Germany?
In the 16th century, devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes, and some even built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles.
When we talked about this at home, the kids and I picked out some fun tree ornaments to add a little extra sparkle to our tree this year.
I may have sneaked in a few new ones from this adorable ornament set we found online!
Mexico
In Mexico, the nine days before Christmas are celebrated with “Las Posadas,” which re-enacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter.
Families and communities take part in candlelit processions and often end with a celebration full of food, songs, and piñatas.
Last year, my kids were excited to make our own little piñata, and we even found piñata kits online that made the crafting process super fun and easy!
Australia
Can you imagine celebrating Christmas in the heat of summer? Well, in Australia, Christmas falls during their summer season.
Instead of snow, Australians enjoy beach barbecues, and Santa might even arrive on a surfboard!
To bring some Aussie vibes to our wintery celebration, we picked up some beach-themed holiday décor and had a pretend Christmas “beach day” at home.
Iceland: The 13 Yule Lads
In Iceland, children don’t just get a visit from Santa. Instead, they have 13 mischievous Yule Lads who visit over the 13 nights leading up to Christmas.
Each lad leaves small gifts in children’s shoes placed on windowsills—unless the kids have been naughty, in which case they might find a potato!
My kids loved this story, and we started our own twist by putting out shoes and filling them with treats like holiday chocolates. They get such a kick out of it!
Italy: Befana the Christmas Witch
While Santa Claus is widely known, children in Italy await the arrival of Befana, the Christmas witch!
According to legend, Befana flies around on her broomstick, delivering gifts to children on the night of January 5th, Epiphany Eve.
My kids were fascinated by the idea of a friendly witch delivering presents, so we started a new tradition by reading about Befana before bed on Christmas Eve with a fun Christmas storybook.
A Christmas Night to Remember
One of my favorite moments from last Christmas was when my youngest asked, “Mom, how do kids in Africa celebrate Christmas?”
We looked it up and learned that in many African countries, Christmas is more about spending time with family and going to church than about presents.
That sparked a lovely conversation about how Christmas is celebrated differently everywhere, but the heart of it—spending time with loved ones—is the same no matter where you are.
It’s now a tradition in our house to explore Christmas traditions from around the world. Whether we’re crafting new decorations, baking traditional treats, or picking out new Christmas activity kits, it’s become one of the best parts of the holiday season!
So, gather your little explorers, grab some Christmas-themed snacks, and enjoy learning about Christmas around the globe this year!