From the tradition of Christmas trees and stockings for Santa in the United States to decorating mango and banana trees in India, holidays look different depending on the country you call home. At Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we think this diversity is something to celebrate.

Holiday Traditions Across the World

While people across the world might celebrate holidays on the same day on the calendar, the traditions associated with them are often very different. We describe some of these below:

• Australia. Christmas is a summer holiday in Australia, which means it is not unusual to see someone dressed as Santa on a surfboard and for families to celebrate at the beach. Lobster and prawn are popular holiday meals.
• Greece. On the Greek islands, some people choose to visit several of their neighbors to sing holiday songs while carrying small model ships. Since ships are such a large part of the Greek economy and culture, it is common to find them sitting in the harbor fully decorated with holiday lights.
• Japan. The Japanese view Christmas and related winter holidays more like what Americans would associate with Valentine’s Day. They attach little or no religious significance to the holiday and instead consider it one of romance and happiness. Less romantic is the fact that the typical meal on Christmas Day in Japan is a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
• Mexico. This nation celebrates Las Posadas, a nine-day event leading up to Christmas. A highlight of the celebration is taking a swing at a large Mexican pinata filled with holiday treats. This has been a tradition in Mexico since the 16^th century.

• Nigeria. People in this country use palm fronds to decorate homes and businesses during the holiday season. They look similar to what Catholic Americans would use during Palm Sunday mass. Some are natural while Nigerians weave other palm fronds into designs. The plant is meant to recognize peace and hope in Jesus.
• Russia. Russians celebrate Christmas on December 25 just as people in other parts of the world do. However, they also have a second celebration on January 7 that features a dinner with 12 dishes. This is meant to symbolize the 12 apostles of Jesus in the Christian Bible. The dishes typically contain vegetables, bread, and honey but no meat. Another big difference in Russia is that Santa Claus has the name Ded Moroz, which would mean Grandfather Frost in the United States.

Don’t Forget Your Child’s Teeth This Holiday Season

With goodies nearly everywhere you look this time of year, it can be easy for your child to overindulge and to get out of practice with a good oral hygiene routine. Please contact us at Wright Pediatric Smiles if you need tips on getting through the holiday season without new cavities or if you need to schedule an appointment.