In this episode: Christmas Podcast – celebrations , cava, traditional English Christmas food – Christmas pudding, turkey, mince pies and all the trimmings (con todas las guarniciones)
Craig’s going to Burma for Christmas. Reza’s visiting his family in Belfast. He’ll be eating Brussel sprouts (coles de Bruselas) and stuffing (relleno).

Christmas Customs:

What do you usually do on Christmas day? – Reza watches the Queen’s speech.

Did you have a Christmas tree when you were a child? Reza’s family put their Christmas presents around the tree and they open them before the meal.
Craig’s family used to open the presents as soon as they got up.
Did you believe in Santa Claus? Reza seems to remember seeing Santa Claus in the middle of the night.
Craig’s parents used to leave a present at the foot of his bed so that he wouldn’t disturb his parents.
Some families leave milk and cookies (or brandy!) out for Santa. Craig’s family didn’t do it.

Strange Christmas customs in other countries

In India they decorate mango and banana trees.
In Japan people go to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) – They eat buckets of Christmas chicken!. Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan.
In Oaxaca, Mexico, they break plates to signify that the year is coming to an end.
Christmas starts in Oaxaca with a parade of people walking down lantern-lit streets, and knocking on every door to re-enact Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter.
Then, they break ceramic plates near the cathedral to signify the year’s end.
In Italy, an old woman leaves you a lump of coal (carbón) if you have behaved badly.
In Finland, families head to the cemetery to pay their respects. They commemorate the dead. It’s also typical for families to lunch on porridge (gachas, crema de avena) with an almond hidden inside — and the one who finds the almond sings a song.
In Poland, you set a place at the table (poner la mesa) for dead people in order to remember them.
In the Ukraine, families hide a spider web in the tree. Whoever finds it will have good luck.
The 26th of December is called Boxing Day. In the Republic of Ireland it’s traditionally known as St. Stephen’s Day.
In Caracas, Venezuela, the roads close on Christmas, so people roller skate to church.

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