Christmas Traditions around the World!
African Countries
It’s Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays make it a perfect time to spend with loved ones and take part in family traditions. MLJ Adoptions likes to encourage families to incorporate other countries traditions to help their adopted children feel more at home. When MLJ partners with a country we learn more about their unique and fun holiday traditions that can easily be added to your home during the holiday season!
Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. It is typically spent as a celebration for families and churches. Christmas is a time for giving to others rather than receiving gifts. Families will give good food to their family and neighbors. It is also very common for children to mix clay, straw, and water to build build a crib and other pieces of a typical nativity scene.
How to say Happy/Merry Christmas: ‘Joyeux Noël’
Maan Nezim Nzedo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Christmas is focused around a religious festival. Many families don’t give or receive presents for Christmas. On Christmas Eve churches will have big musical evenings where 5 or 6 choirs sing and the nativity story is reenacted. They tell many stories from the Bible and end with the birth of Christ at midnight. The service can go late into the night and another service begins early the next morning on Christmas day. The service on Christmas day consists of lots of signing. Families often try to have a fancier meal that may include chicken or pork. They spend the rest of Christmas day relaxing and spending time with family.
How to say Happy/Merry Christmas: ‘Mbotama Malamu’
Moamve Chicken (POULET À LA MOAMBÉ)
Listed below are all the sites we used to gather information. Take a look!