From the beginning of December ahead, the cities of most countries start to become filled with enthusiasm that is easily perceptible for the upcoming celebrations. Christmas marketplaces are set up in various parts of the city, resulting in the streets becoming crowded with bustling shoppers bundled up in heavy jackets to shield themselves from the frigid December cold.
Christmas trees in the US are a big thing. People have family customs of going out and buying the trees, choosing them, and whole families coming together to decorate them. If you have such traditions, get the Christmas tree or decorations from Holyart to make your Christmas even more special. But trees are not just important here; the whole world finds the trees a significant part of Christmas.
Canada
During the 1700s, many German colonists moved to Canada from the US. They carried with them a number of the items connected with Christmas that are still treasured today, such as Advent calendars, gingerbread homes, biscuits, and Christmas trees. It wasn’t until Prince Albert, who was married to Queen Victoria and was German, decided to decorate Windsor Castle with a Christmas tree in 1848 that the custom of decorating a Christmas tree spread across England, the US, and Canada.
The UK
The citizens of the United Kingdom are particularly fond of Christmas trees, and as a result, almost every home has at least one. The largest and most well-known tree is the one that stands in Trafalgar Square in London. Each year, the town of Oslo, Norway, presents the United Kingdom with this tree as a gift.
Interesting fact: The very first gift of a tree from Norway was presented to the United Kingdom in 1947 as a token of gratitude for the country’s assistance during World War II. Since then, Oslo has presented the UK with a beautiful Norwegian fir annually.
Sweden
The putting up and taking down of Christmas trees in Sweden is characterized by extreme attention to detail; the trees should be decorated before Christmas Day and, therefore, must remain so for the next 12 days following the holiday. Straw was used to producing snowflakes, stars, and sunbursts, which were then used to adorn the trees. A variety of colorful handmade figures and decorations made of straw also serve as decorations.
Japan
Due to the lack of widespread Christmas celebrations in Japan, individuals who wanted to decorate a tree did so without the usual decorations. In their place, many Japanese families adorn their Christmas trees with paper origami birds they’ve folded themselves.
Guatemala
Due to the strong German community in Guatemala, the “Nacimiento,” widely known as the nativity scene, has recently been supplemented as a favorite decoration by the “Christmas tree.” On Christmas morning, the children get presents that have been hidden beneath the tree. The holiday gift-giving tradition among adults and their children does not begin until January 1st.
Norway
Nowadays, it’s common practice for Norwegians to go out into the forest searching for the perfect Christmas tree. It was in the second part of the nineteenth century that Germany brought the Christmas tree to Norway, and it was much later that it made its way to the nation’s rural areas. When Christmas Season finally comes, there is the tradition of lighting and decorating the Christmas tree.
This is often handled by the parents secretly in the living room, whereas the children patiently wait with anticipation outside. The next part of the ceremony is called “circling the Christmas tree” in Norway, and it consists of everyone joining hands to create a circle around the Christmas tree and then walking around it while performing Christmas songs. After that, everyone exchanges presents with one another.
Australia
Given that Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas takes place smack dab in the midst of summer. Christmas trees in warm climates give a more regional look and feel. Due to the rarity of fir trees in Australia, traditional ornamentation is often reserved for synthetic trees. The Christmas Shrub, an indigenous Australian shrub with tiny leaves, stems, and blossoms, is even more typical. The summertime transformation to a rich, lustrous scarlet is particularly reminiscent of the holiday season.
