Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere
Christmas is all about snowy streets and beautifully decorated pine trees. But did you know that there are countries that celebrate Christmas in the summer? 25th December might be a chilly winter for the Western countries like the USA and Canada. But for Australia, New Zealand, Paraguay, South Africa, Madagascar, Bolivia, Comoros, Angola, and a few other nations that lie in the Southern Hemisphere, it is summer in December. Hence, instead of dressing up for a frosty Christmas season, people in these countries experience summery vibes.
Christmas in Summer
The countries mentioned above have their winter in June or July which is peak summer for the Western countries. So how is Christmas in the southern hemisphere celebrated? People in Australia and New Zealand have fun out on the beaches and other tourist spots picnicking and surfing during this holiday season. Christmas treats are served just like other parts of the world along with family gatherings and church visits. Though the evergreen trees that are usually decorated for Christmas are adaptive and can grow well throughout the year, countries like Bolivia don’t have natural trees in their homes. They usually have a small artificial tree decorated and kept indoors. But, the tradition of carol singing and floral decorations exist.
Talking about Christmas in countries like Madagascar, an island nation off the coast of South Africa, it’s quite different from the rest of the world. People send Christmas wishes in their native language Malagasy. “Arahaba tratry ny Noely” means Merry Christmas in Malagasy and that’s how people greet each other on this day. Even the Christmas carols are sung in their natuve language. Apart from these, they have French lychees on Christmas, a famous seasonal fruit in Madagascar.
Which of the Following Countries Celebrate Christmas in Summer?
- A. USA
- B. New Zealand
- C. England
- D. Canada