Christmas is in full swing around Chapelle! The decorations are up around campus and the girls are in full holiday mode. Though we love our Christmas traditions of making hot chocolate and picking out a tree, other places have their own interpretation of what makes Christmas, well, Christmas.

In Sweden, the Gavel Goat is a Christmas tradition displayed annually at Castle Square in the middle Gävle, Sweden. It is a giant version of a traditional Swedish Yule Goat figure made of straw. It is put up each year at the beginning of Advent over a time of two days by community groups and has become famous for being destroyed in arson attacks during December. Even through security measures and the nearby presence of a fire station, the goat has been burned to the ground most years since its first showing in 1966. As of December 2017, the goat has been damaged 37 times.

Though Sweden has a dangerous way to approach Christmas, Japan has a more delicious way to celebrate. Eating KFC as a Christmas dinner has turned into a widely practiced custom in most parts of Japan. The Japanese also eat a delicious cake called the Christmas Cake. It is made up of sponge cake and strawberries. Though Christmas isn’t that popular in Japan, they do know how to make a mean Christmas feast.

In Germany, they do it saintly. Not to be confused with Father Christmas, St. Nikolaus goes around town riding on a donkey and leaves oranges, candies and small treats in good children’s shoes, leaving rotten potatoes in the bad kids shoes all over Germany. He visits schools and gives candies to the children who recite a poem, sing a song, or draw something.

Christmas traditions around the world allow us to celebrate diverse cultures. Though Christmas is a fun time for little boys and girls, it’s important to remember the true meaning, Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season and what brings the whole world together at Christmas!