Christmas

I found an interesting article about Christmas traditions around the world in Reader's Digest, June 2009.

According to Kenneth Davis, author of Don't Know Much About Anything, Boxing Day came about when noblemen 'boxed up' gifts for their servants on December 26.

In Spain, children leave shoes near a window on the evening of January 5, which is the eve of Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the Three Wise Men to the infant Jesus.

According to legend, the Wise Men arrive during the night before Epiphany to fill the children's shoes with small gifts.

For kids in Italy, eel is served as the traditional Christmas Eve meal. They also receive gifts from a kindly old witch called La Befana.

And in Sweden, festivities begin on December 13. The day starts with the oldest daughter of the family serving coffee and buns in bed to her family.

She would wear all white with a wreath of seven candles on her head.

Interesting right? I wonder where is the popular 'Santa and the Reindeer' who will sneak through the chimneys and distribute gifts.