In Afrikaans (one the languages spoken in South Africa) Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Geseënde Kersfees'; in Zulu it's 'UKhisimusi omuhle', in Sesotho it's 'Le be le keresemese e monate' and in Xhosa it's 'Krismesi emnandi'. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.
Christmas Day, celebrated on December 25 in Catholic, Protestant, and most Orthodox churches, is a public holiday in South Africa. On this day Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The date is traditional and is not considered to be the actual date of his birth.
Celebrates African heritage, unity, and culture. Kwanzaa (/ˈkw?ːn. z?/) is an annual celebration of African-American culture held from December 26 to January 1, culminating in gift-giving and a feast of faith, called Karamu Ya Imani. It was created by Maulana Karenga and first celebrated in 1966.
List of gift-bringers
| Nation | Old man |
|---|
| South Africa | Sinterklaas, Father Christmas, Santa Claus |
| Spain | Papá Noel (Father Christmas); Olentzero in the Basque Country; Apalpador in some areas of Galicia, |
| Sri Lanka | Naththal Seeya |
| Sweden | Jultomten (Christmas Gnome) |
10 Places You Could Be Spending Christmas in South Africa, and Why
- A SPIRITUAL RETREAT – MCGREGOR.
- BACKYARD BRAAIS AND PLENTY OF COMRADERY – IN THE KAROO.
- OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK – A WILDERNESS AREA.
- A TOWN CALLED BETHLEHEM.
- A 'WHITE' CHRISTMAS – TIFFENDELL.
- LIFE'S A BEACH – THE SUNSHINE COAST.
- IN PARTY MODE – JOHANNESBURG.
In Mexico, presents might also be brought by 'El Niñito Dios' (baby Jesus) & Santo Clós (Santa Claus) In Mexico most people speak Spanish (Español), so Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Feliz Navidad'.
1.Biltong & droewors
- Boerewors. This is a traditional South African sausage made from beef, mixed with either pork or lamb and a mixture of spices.
- Chakalaka & pap. Chakalaka and pap are mainstays on every South African dinner table.
- Braai/Shisa nyama.
- Bunny chow.
- Bobotie.
- Melktert.
South African Culture, Customs, and Traditions. Some of the prominent cultures of South Africa include the Khoikhoi and San culture, Zulu, Ndebele, Xhosa, and Sotho cultures among other cultures.
Therefore Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town are DE FACTO capitals and not actual capital cities. The reason we have 3 capital cities date back to the days of Union, Bloemfontein and Pretoria used to be capital cities of the old Boer republics and Cape Town already had a parliament from the cape colony days.
Although Christmas celebrations in South Africa are unique, the spirit of Christmas remains the same. In Afrikaans, the greeting for Merry Christmas is “Geseende Kersfees,” and Santa Claus is known as “Sinterklaas” & “Kersvader.”
South Africa Facts for Kids
- The official name of South Africa is the Republic of South Africa.
- South Africa is located at the southern end of Africa.
- In 2011 the population of South Africa was around 52 million.
- South Africa has three capital cities, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
- The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg.
In summary we have no special dress for Christmas, just our newest and best clothes for what ever event we are attending. If we have opened your presents early in the day we may wear one of our gifts of clothing we have received. These are also suitable for ladies or a skirt or dress. Thongs or shoes.
At Christmas, Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditional Christmas decoration often can be admired and festive celebrations can be joined in most countries, even in many of the countries where Christianity is not the religion of the majority of people.
The Christmas meal is either turkey, duck, roast beef, mince pies or suckling pig with yellow rice & raisins and vegetables, followed by Christmas Pudding or a traditional South African desert called Malva Pudding (sometimes also called Lekker Pudding) - get the recipe.
It falls on February 2, which is traditionally the 40th day of and the conclusion of the Christmas–Epiphany season. While it is customary for Christians in some countries to remove their Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve), those in other Christian countries historically remove them on Candlemas.
Christmas is about totally pure, unconditional, irrepressible, inconceivably awesome, self-denying TRUE LOVE. John was one of twelve disciples of Jesus, and he wrote the book in the Bible known as The Gospel of John. The word gospel means Good News.
Santa's age updated and accurate for 2020. Saint Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, was born in an unknown month of 270 AD so he would now be 1,750 years old. The date is most likely shrouded in mystery to protect the Baby Claus from possible temporal incursions by nefarious time travelers.
The first recorded incidence of Christmas being celebrated actually dates all the way back to the Roman Empire in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine – so technically the Romans invented it, although there's no specific person who is credited with having done so.
Most people stick to the same date to take down their tree - January 5. The reason for this is that the Twelfth Night - the twelfth day after Christmas dictates the end of the festive season. It's widely believed to be bad luck to keep decorations up after this date.
Why is Christmas Day on the 25th December? Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus).
Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam do not recognize Christmas as a public holiday, but the holiday is given observance.
