I’m Celebrating Christmas the European Way

Did you know in Europe, Christmas is celebrated as a season not just for the day?

The season stretches far beyond Christmas Day, right up until the 6th January. And this isn’t to extend the shopping season, but rather to allow time to celebrate many holy days associated with Christmas.

But, don’t worry, this will be my last Christmas post. Though, I am adopting a very European Christmas, channeling the vibes right up until the 6th December, I won’t be filling my blog space with useless Christmas content which no doubt none of you will appreciate now that it’s technically over LOL.

Though I did want to share with you my final Christmas pictures, taken from last minute frantic explorations around Sydney, catching the decorations before they were all taken down after the New Year.

First a little explanation to why the Europeans and the brits celebrate Christmas up u til the 6th January – we’ll sort of anyways.

First comes advent, which is four Sunday’s before Christmas Eve. There is also the Feast of St. Nicholas, celebrated mostly by Catholics on the 6th December. But it’s Christmas Eve which is the most celebrated day in Europe, which follows on with Twelve Days of Christmas.

Despite what is celebrated as Twelve Days of Christmas for most of the Western World, with it being the first 12 days of December, in Europe the Twelve Days of Christmas actually begins on Christmas Day and then finishes up on January 6th, after New Year’s.

These twelve days are dedicated to gift-giving, and in Europe this period is spent catching up with loved one, sharing food and gifts with all. Which is called Epiphany. Representing the day the Three Kings delivered their gifts, to which the season would then go into hibernation for twelve months following.

From Norway to the UK, there are many Christmas traditions which are still carried on today with many family traditions, such as Christmas Eve feasts, sharing gifts and food with loved ones on Boxing Day, decorating the Christmas Tree and even writing letters to Santas is a very old tradition, where children wold spend their Christmas Even writing letters to Saint Nicholas and then send them off into the fireplace in the hopes he would respond.

2020 has been a tough year, and I hate that when Christmas is over here in Australia, the festive spirit disappears. It goes all too quick for me, and it’s bad enough that we have all had a really rough year. I think we all need a little festive cheer to carry us through into 2021.

So, with that being said, I will be extending my Christmas celebrations well and truly into the new year, well at least up until the 6th December (like the old days).

Here are a few places I went and visited over New Years, to help carry the traditional of Christmas into the New Year.

The Rocks:

Martin Place Christmas Tree:

Burwood Park:

Around Sydney City: