Uldė Sirtautė, Psychologist of the American International School of Vilnius, believes that Christmas traditions are important to our emotional state because they provide stability to our lives, the lack of which has been definitely growing over the past few weeks.
“Holidays and traditions remind us about the cycle of life. As for Lithuanians, as long as a Lithuanian gets to taste the Christmas Eve biscuits called ‘kučiukai’ on the Christmas Eve, and gets to celebrate the Saint John’s Day in mid-summer by looking for the ‘magic fern flower’, the world keeps turning, and everything else may alter, appear or be gone forever. Traditions remain, creating the sense of stability. Even if one spends the holidays alone, remembering and following the traditions preserved by one’s family or national customs is meaningful in its own way. Celebrating at the same time as the rest of the community creates the sense of unity. It is very important to stop for a moment and feel this connection with other people, because this is what we lack the most these days,” says Psychologist Uldė Sirtautė.
Over 30 students of different nationalities attend the American International School of Vilnius. All of them nurture their own Christmas traditions originating in their respective countries.
German Christmas, Shrouded in Mystery
The Pfanne family from Germany and their two sons live in Lithuania. Their Christmas begins on December 23, when the family picks their Christmas Tree and places it in the living room. The living room doors are then closed for twenty-four hours, with only the parents permitted inside. The Christmas Tree gets decorated mysteriously during the night and becomes the symbol of Christmas.
The idea of mystery is associated with the secret birth of Baby Jesus. The magical sentiments and the revelation of the decorated Christmas Tree is the traditional gift of parents to their children in Germany. Festivities start in the decorated living room with the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve. On the Christmas Eve, the family enjoys reading the legendary story titled Is There a Santa Claus? The story was an editorial printed in a newspaper back in 1897. It answers the question of an 8-year-old Virginia in a vivid and inspiring way: is Santa Claus is real?
Americans on a Christmas Tree Lookout
The McAnally family from the USA also live in Lithuania. Their annual tradition starts from getting dressed accordingly. The whole family puts on checked shirts in order to look like old-time woodcutters and off they go to the forest on a lookout for a Christmas Tree. Ever since the first time eleven years ago, they have been upholding this tradition annually without exceptions. As cutting down of spruces is prohibited in Lithuania, Brittany, the mother of the family, received a special permit so that the whole family could keep up with their precious tradition.
It is very common for American families to send handcrafted greeting cards to their loved ones. All the members of the family dress up for a Christmas photo. The printed out family photo becomes a great Christmas card and a heartfelt memory.
The Red Color Holds a Special Meaning to Turkish Families
The family of the Erkorkmaz says that celebrating Christmas is unusual in Turkey. However, Christmas always uplifts their mood and gives them special moments, that’s why the Erkorkmaz family decorates their Christmas Tree, sips hot wine, bakes cookies and exchanges gifts.
The New Year is more popular in Turkey. On December 31, the family has a festive dinner and most often enjoys a pumpkin dessert. Their traditions say that the Eve of the New Year should be commemorated in red. Everyone dresses up in red clothes and exchanges red-colored gifts after midnight.
Japanese Celebrations for the Children
“Even though the New Year is more popular in Japan, Christmas is favored by our children and young couples,” says the family of the Japanese diplomat Katsuyama. On Christmas families raising small children and unmarried young people eat traditional chicken dishes and festively decorated cakes.
Christmas is a regular business day in Japan and the majority of people are busy working; however, some restaurants and shops offer a special Christmas menu or entertaining shows. This becomes the perfect opportunity to make one’s loved ones happy by inviting them to an exceptional dinner or delighting with a gift.
Being Together is Most Important for the Hungarian Family
The Hungarian family of the Szabo, who live and work in Lithuania, believe that spending time with loved ones is the way to celebrate Christmas. The members of the family have their favorite activities that they engage in every year. For example, the grandfather is responsible for getting the Christmas Tree and decorating it together with his grandkids, while the aunt has the special duty of baking and decorating gingerbread cookies together with the children. Special Christmas tasks bring the family closer and spread the Christmas cheer.
