Christmas in Vietnam

View the photos of my friends J.P. and Aimee Cima who are doing humanitarian aid in Vietnam. They are showing compassion to those who are in need. Learn more about what they do in Vietnam here.

Cookies from Around the World

Speaking of Christmas carols from around the world, our family had a wonderful time caroling yesterday. A group of us from church drove around town, visiting shut-ins (people in the congregation who are home-bound and can't get to church for health reasons). It was so much fun sharing the Good News about our Savior's birth through music! They really appreciated it. Many of them served hot chocolate and cookies. One woman even served springerle, a German Christmas cookie made with the spice anise. It was shaped with beautiful molds and tasted like black licorice. Maybe you'll be inspired to try one of these cookies from around the world!

Christmas Songs from Around the World

Do you have a favorite Christmas song from another country? Perhaps you've heard of ones like "Oh Tannenbaum" from Germany or "Deck the Halls" from England. But what about these? Try to learn some words from a different language! Share a favorite of yours if you have one.
German
"Behold a Branch Is Growing"
"Maria Walks Amid the Thorn" (Only version I could find.)
"The Christmas Nightingale"
"From Heaven High"
"Maria on the Mountain"
Spanish
"Fum, Fum, Fum" (You can watch some carolers sing it here.)
"The Rocking of the Child"
"A la Nanita Nana" (I think this one is on the movie "Cheetah Girls 2"! They sang it with Belinda. You can look it up on YouTube.)
Swedish
"Mary the Virgin to Bethlehem Went"
"Dance Carol"
"Saint Stephen Was Riding"
Czech
"Come All Ye Shepherds" (Here's a bell choir doing it.)
"Rocking Song"
Polish
"Shepherds, Come A-Running"
"Rockabye Jesus" (Well, maybe you can get the idea from this.)
"Jesus Christ Is Born"
Austrian
"Who's Knocking There?"
"Shepherds, Up!"
"Carol of the Children of Bethlehem"
French
"Bring Your Torches, Jeannette, Isabella" (I don't know who sings this, but it gives you an idea of what the song sounds like.)
"Whence, O Shepherd Maiden?"
Italian
"From Starry Skies Descending"
"Carol of the Bagpipers" (Listen here.)
and my favorite, "Herod Dead"

Christmas in Haiti

A friend just shared a blogsite of a missionary family in Haiti. See how children in Haiti shared the Christmas story.The missionary wrote the song, and an eight-year-old girl sang it! Here are the kids learning the words from Luke 2. You can see the family's home in Haiti. Learn a few quick facts about Haiti here. I don't know this missionary familiy personally, but you can learn more about them at livesayhaiti.blogspot.com.

Santa Lucia night

On Saturday night we went to a friend's house for a "Santa Lucia" evening. They had the Swedish flag hanging outside their house, a fire blazing in the hearth inside the house, and decorations throughout the house. We were immediately served a delicious red punch. I think they said it was made from lingon berries. My kids actually tried a little bit, but were excited to be offered soda instead (My husband told my daughter not to shake the bottle, so what did she do, but shake it up and it sprayed all over the carpet! Ug!). My favorite food, however, was the Swedish meatballs with sauce. They also had other delicious foods like gingerbread cookies, rice pudding, potatoes in a rich sauce, fruit "soup" with blackberries, and a cucumber salad with lime sauce. It was fun to try a taste of another culture's Christmas.

Does your family remember its heritage? What food(s) does your family make each year, as a tradition? Do you have recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation? Does your family or any you know of host a whole evening (every year) dedicated to a certain country?

Christmas Trees from Around the World, part 2

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal.
Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree': Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany's Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic.
With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it's no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower
In addition to the Vatican's heavenly evergreen, St. Peter's Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid's two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world's biggest lottery.

A token of gratitude for Britain's aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt's city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

Christmas Trees from Around the World

This was a forwarded email that I hope I can pass along:
The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world's largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy's Umbria region.
Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city

A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo's nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

Venice 's Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

Advent family event

Well, yesterday was our church's "Savior of the Nations, Come: Christmas Around the World" family event. We had an opening service with some multi-cultural music, but also favorites like "Joy to the World," "Jesus Loves the Little Children," and "Go Tell it On the Mountain." Children dressed up in costumes to represent different areas of the world, and they all knelt at the manger, where we adored the infant king with the hymn "We Praise You and Acknowledge You" (LSB 941). We also emphasized that we are called to go out and share the Good News of our Savior to the ends of the earth. It was neat to see each person in the pew waving a flag to represent a different region. Then families went from room to room stamping their passport as they saw how different regions celebrate our Savior's birth. In the Asia room, we made paper decorations and ate egg rolls and potstickers; in the Latin American room we made lanterns and God's eyes and even broke open a pinata; in the African room we ate goat meat and a rice dish; in the Europe room we learned about the Advent wreath and St. Nicholas Day; in the Carribean Islands room we made feather masks and tried a sorrel drink; and in the British Isles room we had wassail and made candles to place in a window. Are there any multi-cultural celebrations where you live? I live in St. Louis, and just this weekend alone (if I wouldn't have been busy helping with the event at our church), we could have gone to a German celebration in Maeystown, Illinois, or a Los Posadas parade in St. Charles. Share your stories about what is done in your area to tell about customs and celebrations in other parts of the world!

* Please let me know if you'd like to see where I found my images. I have a long list of credits!

Advent Calendar

Do you use an Advent calendar? Check out this online, interactive calendar that gives information about Christmas around the world.

"Savior of the Nations, Come" background

http://www.hope-aurora.org/pages/PastorsPage.html
The first day of December! Are your Advent celebrations in full swing? I just got back from choir practice. What are your favorite Advent hymns?
Read this article about the hymn "Savior of the Nations, Come," which is the inspiration for my book Christmas Around the World.
Advent joy!
Brenda