Expat Round-up: Christmas traditions old & new

There is no escaping Christmas whether or not you actually celebrate the holidays. As an expat, the season can be filled with pleasant nostalgia or blue melancholy. Over the years I’ve experienced both. Becky says her family always lights a special candle on Christmas Eve and say out loud the names of the people and the pets they have loved who are no longer here. (Check out her post on how to host a vegan Christmas.) This month, I’m carrying on where I left off last month looking at Christmas. The December Expat Round-up is about Christmas traditions old and new.

 

The Facts

Keri is an expat parent blogger based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. On her blog Our Globtrotters Keri share her families travel adventures. Her recent blog post on Christmas facts and traditions around the world is a must read. Was Jesus really born on the 25th December? Well you have to read it to find out.

 

Spirituality

For many, Christmas is more that jolly ole St. Nic and presents. There is an religious belief at the core of the holidays. Zuzana is a Slovakian parent blogger based in Yorkshire. You will not be surprised to know the traditions in Slovakia are somewhat different. On her blog Zuzanna tells us about Slovak Christmas Tradition. It explores the religious foundation AND food of course.

 

Festive Food

If we remember nothing about the Christmas holiday, OH, the food is scrumptious. Helen is a freelance food writer and recipe developer based in West London. She’s not an expat but she wanted to share a Croatian Christmas tradition with us.  If you love cod, you’ll love this one.

While over on The Tiger Tales I’ve interviewed entrepreneur Marcia Seales-Rodney founder of the Tabanca Box. In Trinidadian dialect tabanca means a sense of lose or feeling blue that comes with losing/missing someone/thing dear and her business is the cure for that. Find out what’s inside Marcia’s Christmas Tabanca (food) box.

Please let me know if there are themes you would like to see covered.  Of course if you have a post you would to be considered for next month’s round-up, please email me on xselph@hotmail.com or DM me on Twitter.