Celebrating Christmas Across Europe:
Traditions and Festivities

Celebrating Christmas in 9 European Countries

Christmas is a magical time of the year, celebrated with great enthusiasm and unique customs across European countries. Holiday customs in nearly every European country include gatherings for meals and observation of religious traditions as early as November, and as late as January.

However, European Christmas traditions vary greatly from country to country. Each nation has its own special traditions, delicacies, and ways of commemorating this festive season. While you'll find Santa Clause in many countries, there are also witches, gnomes, and even goats that deliver gifts. And, while Christmas Markets may be a newer concept for many Americans, the tradition goes back centuries in Europe, where countries including Germany, France, Austria, and Italy have perfected the art of holiday celebrations.

Christmas time in Greece is a time for feasting. Traditionally, the main course is roast pork, with a variety of side dishes. Recently roast turkey has also become a popular main dish. On Christmas Eve many Greeks make Christopsomo, a bread with a cross carved into the top of the crust before it is baked. On Christmas Day, the head of the family makes the sign of the cross above the loaf of bread, cuts it, and gives a piece to each person at the dining table.

The holiday season doesn’t wind down until well after the New Year begins. The icing on the cake is the feast day of Theophany. All around Greece waters are blessed and a cross is thrown into the waters. Brave Greeks dive into the freezing water to retrieve the cross for good luck.

Christmas Celebrations in Norway

Norwegian Christmas traditions blend the old and the new, creating a unique and heartwarming celebration that brings people together in the spirit of joy and togetherness. Christmas Eve includes a large meal known as "Julaften." Families come together for a festive dinner featuring traditional dishes like "ribbe" (roast pork belly), "lutefisk" (dried fish soaked in lye), and "risengrynsgrøt" (rice pudding). An almond is hidden in one serving of rice pudding, and the person who finds it is believed to have good luck in the coming year.

After the meal, families exchange gifts and often attend a midnight church service to celebrate the birth of Jesus. As a nod to Norway's Viking heritage, some regions also celebrate with a bonfire, symbolizing the banishment of evil spirits and the return of the sun during the darkest days of winter.

Children receive gifts from Jul Nisse, a present-delivering gnome—if they remember to offer porridge to Julebukk, Jul Nisse's goat who taunts those who forget his favorite snack.