While most celebrations include trees, lights and presents, we all have slightly different ways of celebrating Christmas. Tree Time Christmas now present, a list of the world’s best Christmas Celebrations.

Australia

In the southern hemisphere, autumn and winter does not fall until April or May. Thus, Christmas in Australia is celebrated in the great outdoors. Without snow and without a chilly winter breeze, Australians greet the season with outdoor barbecues and decorate their homes with evergreens, palm leaves and flowers that bloom during the Australian summer.

The most celebrated and touching tradition is called Carols by Candlelights. It may appear to be an image from a postcard, but this is when people come out to gather, light candles and sing carols under the brightness of the evening summer sky.

China

While there is only a small percentage of Christians/Catholics in China, Christmas is still observed by this small population. To the Chinese, the figure of Santa Claus is seen as a good luck figure and calls him Lan Khoong-Khoong (Nice Old Father). Celebrations are usually marked by red paper cut-outs, red paper pagodas and red Christmas lanterns strung around the home.

Major cities like Beijing are decorated with lights and tinsels and in Hong Kong the season is welcomed with a display of fireworks. Hong Kong residents also see this as a time of peace and renewal and offer gifts to saints.

Mexico

Christmas in Mexico is a 9-day event that officially starts on December 16. Called Las Posadas, the 9- day festivities include piñatas and reenactments of the Nativity scene. Christmas Eve is marked by a procession lead by children and ends with placing a clay figure of the baby Jesus in a Nativity scene set on Church grounds.

Japan

The Japanese take on Christmas festivities is purely a secular one. Like cities in the West, Japanese metropolises are decorated with myriad colorful Christmas ornaments. Inspired by the message of peace and love for all mankind, the Japanese enjoy giving gifts and cards during this season.

Ethiopia

Deeply religious, Orthodox Christian Ethiopians celebrate Christmas every 7^th of January. The season last for about two weeks and culminates in the commemoration of Christ’s baptism on January 19.

During this time, Ethiopians mark Christmas with Church mass, ball games and meals containing meat, vegetables and eggs. The most joyous part of the Ethiopian tradition is the music. Using a traditional musical instrument known as the sistrum, the vibrant rhythms support priests in their lengthy Christmas sermons.

Sweden

By December, countries in the northern hemisphere experience shorter days and longer nights. Thus, Christmas Festivities in Sweden officially start with St. Lucia’s Feast Day on December 13. Based on tradition, the eldest daughter would wear a crown of leaves and candles, dress up in a long white gown and go from room to room to serve drinks and treats for the family.

Regardless how each country celebrates Christmas, the message and hope that comes along with the season are similar. The beauty of the season is that whatever one’s belief is, Christmas is a time for rejoicing and remembering our human community.