TRADITIONS+Belgium

__ Christmas today __

The whole family takes part in the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Relatives travel to each other to celebrate together. They have a Christmas meal together, exchange presents and at midnights many families go to the church to attend the mass where the birth of Jesus Christ is commemorated. On Christmas Day everyone gives and receives presents. Typical gifts for boys are toy cars, books, CDs, mobile phones, money, MP3, XBox, game consoles etc. Girls on the other hand often get dolls, jewels, clothes, mobile phones etc. Christmas time brings feelings of happiness, hope, peace and nostalgia. What most families do during the christmas holidays is having fun in the snow (when there is snow of course), making a snowman, singing carols, watching Christmas movies, playing board games (like Monopoly, scrabble …). The most popular Christmas songs are “Jingle Bells”, “Silent Night”, and “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”. Unforgettable memories are the exchanging and opening of the gifts, sleighing in the snow.

__ Christmas in the past __

In the past, Christmas was celebrated with the family too. Some relatives had to take the train to pay each other a yearly visit with Christmas. They had a meal with the whole family and at midnight they went to church to attend the mass. The gifts also differed from present day presents. Only the children received gifts. The boys got a toy car, an orange or gingerbread. The girls on the other hand received a doll or a gingerbread heart. An eighty-seven-year-old lady can vividly remember the first glass Christmas ball when she was seven at the doctor’s practice.

__ Epiphany __

In the past, Epiphany was celebrated more than today. Mothers baked a cake with a nut inside. The member of the family who had the piece of cake with the nut inside was king for a day. At Epiphany night, children went from door to door to sing typical Epiphany songs. Children were dressed like kings and carried a star. They got money from neighbours for their songs.

__ New Year __

On New Year’s Eve some families celebrate at home where they have a delicious meal. They exchange presents and drink a glass of champagne at midnight to welcome the new year. Other people celebrate with friends either at home, at a restaurant or they go to a pub for dancing, drinking and having fun. Some other people don’t stay at home but book a winter holiday or a trip to the sun.

In the shops you can buy feast articles and beautiful feast clothes. The towns are illuminated beautifully. There is a very big Christmas tree on the market square. |||| d) __ In towns __ : Christmas tree with lights.   During the war, there was less light. || - wild meat (deer, pheasant, boar etc.) - ice cream cake - chocolate - pralines |||| - pork meat (roast for example) from a pig that was slaughtered at the beginning of winter - hotchpot - rabbit with plums || Gifts:
 * CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ||   ||
 * Present |||| Past ||
 * a) __ At home __ : a Christmas tree with glass balls, festoons, lights, a Chrismas crib and a star in the top of the tree. There are also candles and green decorations all around the house. ||||  a) __ At home __ : a Christmas tree with real candles, a Chrismas crib and garlands made of dried fruit.  ||
 * a) __ On the street __ : you can see lights everywhere: in trees, on hedges in the gardens, on the facades of the houses and garlands on the doors. ||||  b) __ On the street __ : Christmas trees and holly branches  ||
 * c) __ In villages __ : you can see a Christmas crib inside or near the church with living animals and a Christmas tree in the centre of the village. |||| c) ||
 * d) __ In the towns __ : there is a Christmas market where you can buy things to decorate your house and a Christmas tree. You can also buy Christmas presents there.
 * CHRISTMAS FOOD ||   ||
 * Present: a gourmet meal at Christmas ||||  Past: Not the same food as on ordinary days, but a speciality  ||
 * - the Christmas turkey
 * - the Christmas turkey

Nowadays everybody gives and receives gifts. Often there’s a kind of ‘lottery’ beforehand to decide who is going to buy a present to whom. Some buy and get presents to and from everybody else. The presents are put under the Christmas tree. Everybody tries to find a present the other person will appreciate. Toys, clothes, perfume, wine, chocolate, sweets, …

Half of the respondents say NO presents were given AT ALL in the past. The other half mentions new clothes, and sometimes sweets (given by the parents) Some children got money from their godmother or godfather When visiting a family member, some gave a honey cake in the shape of a heart