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Christmas Culture

After many years living here, we have discovered the importance in our culture of observing religious holidays. As a Westerner we have a certain emotional response to how you celebrate appropriately. The sentiment is the same here as well, but it comes from practices that are very different from the Western tradition. I'll share two with you.
First of all, attending religious ceremonies is huge. Where in our tradition there isn't a service on Christmas Day, here there are multiple services. In addition to the Sunday before Christmas, after Christmas, and after New Years, there are services Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. Each on of these is at least 2 hours long - sometimes 3! In this culture who is present and who isn't are clearly noticed (and noted). This year we did our very best to attend all the Christmas services (but were worn out by the time the New Years ones rolled around). :)

Second in importance is the tradition of visiting people for the holidays. Usually this starts on Christmas Day and goes until New Years. Each family will prepare cookies, crackers, drinks, and a whole meal for the people who come to their home. It is a huge honor to the host family to have someone come to their home. During these days it is not unusual for someone to drop by unannounced. But in this culture no one feels very stressed about it. This year we went to 7 or 8 homes. Just yesterday I was told by the pastor of our church that many families were blessed by us visiting them. Upon hearing this we chuckled. We came to your house almost unannounced, ate all your food, my kids strewed crumbs all over your floor, and went nuts from all the sugar! I don't know how you are blessed by that, but I'm glad! 
That is often how culture works. I don't feel that I blessed you, I didn't feel that I was blessing you when I did it, but I did it because I knew you would be blessed by it. Much of what we do isn't because of the feeling, but because we know what the action means to you - and that is why we do it!


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