Which country does Christmas the best?

[Viking]

christmas cat? icelanders are just lazy if that's the best they got.

Aren't they thecountry where like 25% of the people believe in gnomes? you'd think they'd come up with something better

Iceland has a whole separate tradition unrelated to any other. The cat eats children who aren't wearing new christmas clothes, clothes which the won't get unless they are on their best behaviour. The cat belongs to a mother troll who has a deadbead husband who is constantly drunk and 13 malevolent sons who are the icelandic version of santa clause. They show up one per day in the 13 days before christmas each of which is expert in one form of thuggery or other, usually some form of sabotage towards the christmas preparations (stealing food, candles and breaking stuff).

Iceland also imported some hannukah traditions and icelandic kids put a shoe in their window and get a small present each of the 13 days before christmas from the foreign santa clause who is nice, unlike the icelandic ones.


http://www.iceland.is/iceland-abroad/us/education-and-culture/curiosities/christmas-in-iceland/

The 'Christmas Cat'
An old Icelandic folklore states that everyone has to get one new piece of clothing at Christmas. Anyone who was left out was in danger of being eaten by a malicious beast called the Christmas Cat. The Christmas Cat is Grýla's cat (see Yule Lads) and every effort was made to ensure that no-one would "go to the Christmas Cat". Thus, everyone worked very hard to make a new piece of clothing for each member of the household.
The first stories about the Christmas Cat arose in the 19th century and were probably aimed at lazy children. It seemes to have worked as, to this day, everyone gets a new piece of clothing either before or at Christmas.
Similar stories exist about a bull in the Baltics and about a goat in Norway.
The Yule Lads
Icelanders have not one, but thirteen Santas, or Yule Lads. These lads are not related to Santa Claus in any way. They are descendants of trolls and were originally used to scare children. In the last century, however, they have become a lot friendlier.
The number of Yule Lads has varied throughout the centuries but now they are consistently thirteen. The number 13 was first seen in a poem in the 18th century and the names that they carry today was published in Jón Árnason's folklore collection of 1862. Their current names are: Stekkjastaur (Sheepfold Stick), Giljagaur (Gilly Oaf), Stúfur (Shorty), Þvörusleikir (Spoon-licker), Pottasleikir (Pot-licker), Askasleikir (Bowl-licker), Hurðaskellir (Door-slammer), Skyrgámur (Skyr-glutton), Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-pilfer), Gluggagægir (Peeper), Gáttaþefur (Sniffer), Ketkrókur (Meat-hook) and Kertasníkir (Candle-begger). As you can tell from these names, the lads are very mischievous and they have retained their unique characteristics to this day. They live in the mountains with their parents, Grýla and Leppalúði. They come to town, one by one, in the days before Christmas. The first one arrives on December 12th and the last one on December 23rd. Formerly, they tried to pilfer their favorite things or play tricks on people (hence their names), but now their main role is to give children small gifts. Every child in Iceland puts their best shoe on their bedroom window sill on December 12th (some try to put their boot, in the hope that they may get more, but so far the Yule Lads haven't been fooled) and they get a small gift from each lad when he arrives in town. But beware not to be naughty or the lad might just leave a rotten potatoe in your shoe!
Their original clothing are rags that are similar to farmer's clothes in the 18th century. and they are often seen carrying their favorite food. Nowadays, however, they are usually seen in familiar red clothing with white beards and black boots.
They often make appearances at Christmas dances, which are very popular among Icelandic children. Children (adults are of course welcome to join them) dance around a Christmas tree and sing carols. The highlight of the dance is when one of the Yule Lads joins the celebration and dances and sings with the kids and usually gives them a goody bag before he leaves.
The day after Christmas the first lad returns to the mountains. Then they leave, one by one, until the last one leaves on January 6th, which is the last day of the Christmas season.

[Liep]

The last couple of years Christmas seem to be all about putting the ugliest and brightest light displays on, dress up in Carlsberg's blue Christmas cloth while binge drinking November and December away.

No thanks. The Spanish version is equally annoying, just in a more fake plastic sort of way, so I'll go with the Russian if that's different.


PS. Gløg is an abomination.

[Phillip V]

Which country focuses most on the birth of baby Jesus?

[CountDeMoney]

Which country focuses most on the birth of baby Jesus?

Probably Vatican City.

[Malthus]

So Austria has Krampus, the pedophile S&M demon; Russia has the hott Snow Babe; and Iceland has the style-critic, kid-eating cat (and the 13 Christmas thugs).

Still liking Russia. 

[Malthus]

Never heard of this Krampus before.

It's a Germanic thing. Only they could turn Christmas into a festival of horror and sexual deviancy. 

[The Larch]

Which country focuses most on the birth of baby Jesus?

It is LARPed over here, mostly in the countryside. Not the actual birth, though, we're mostly about the adoration of the magi.



Also, there's not a single house in Spain without its own nativity scene diorama style:

[merithyn]

I love nativity sets.

I think I'm going to make one of my own in pottery just to have. More for my cultural history than my particular religious beliefs. We always had one up on Christmas.

[derspiess]

I need to get one of those.  Apparently I'm not going to be inheriting my parents' nativity set.  Problem is my 1-year old (who already things all the Christmas tree ornaments are her toys) would lose half the pieces.

[merithyn]

I need to get one of those.  Apparently I'm not going to be inheriting my parents' nativity set.  Problem is my 1-year old (who already things all the Christmas tree ornaments are her toys) would lose half the pieces.

Give her her own set.



And teach her that this is hers, but THIS is Mama and Papa's.

[derspiess]

I need to get one of those.  Apparently I'm not going to be inheriting my parents' nativity set.  Problem is my 1-year old (who already things all the Christmas tree ornaments are her toys) would lose half the pieces.

Give her her own set.

And teach her that this is hers, but THIS is Mama and Papa's.

Yeah, that won't work.  If she gets it in her mind that both are hers, they're hers.  Maybe next year.

[Queequeg]

Germany or the US.  I was in Prague for Christmas 08.  It was wonderful.  Very close to the German.

I'd probably choose German, in the end.  Mulled wine FTW.

[Syt]

Which country focuses most on the birth of baby Jesus?

It is LARPed over here, mostly in the countryside. Not the actual birth, though, we're mostly about the adoration of the magi.



Also, there's not a single house in Spain without its own nativity scene diorama style:

What was it with the Spanish custom of having a guy with a naked butt in the nativity scene?

[The Larch]

What was it with the Spanish custom of having a guy with a naked butt in the nativity scene?

That's a Catalan thingie, the caganer. And it's not just there with a naked butt, it's supposed to be taking a dump.



It's meant to be semi-hidden in the background so kids have to look for it.

[derspiess]

Lol I've never heard of that.