Christian traditions

Christian traditions span the globe, from Ethiopian Orthodox fasts and Filipino Simbang Gabi to Swedish Lucia, Mexican posadas, Easter in Greece and the harvest services of Britain.

Christian traditions span the globe, from Ethiopian Orthodox fasts and Filipino Simbang Gabi to Swedish Lucia, Mexican posadas, Easter in Greece and the harvest services of Britain. They centre on Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, Pentecost, saints' days and the sacraments of baptism, communion, marriage and burial. Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Pentecostal churches each have their customs, and local cultures have shaped them in distinct ways. Here they are described with respect for the believers who keep them, and for the variety of ways of keeping them.

The church year

The year begins with Advent and builds to Christmas, then Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, followed by Pentecost and the long season of ordinary time. Saints' days mark local patrons, and many towns have a patronal feast with a procession and fair. Orthodox churches keep their own calendar, so Christmas falls on 7 January in several countries. Fasting seasons shape food, and feasts follow.

Around the world

Christians in different countries have made the faith their own: the dawn masses of the Philippines, the carols of Wales, the gospel choirs of the American South, the white-clad pilgrims of Lalibela, the Corpus Christi carpets of flowers in Spain, and the Nativity scenes of Naples. These customs combine faith with local food, music and craft, and are among the most visible traditions of the world.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Christian (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreChristmas Eve The evening before Christmas, marked by church services, family meals, and gift preparations across Christian cultures.Festival · Dinner

🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreMaslenitsaМасленица A seven-day Eastern Slavic festival of pancakes and bonfires marking the end of winter before Lent.Festival · Breakfast

🇩🇪 Nuremberg, Germany and 5 moreChristmas marketWeihnachtsmarkt A seasonal street market held during Advent in German-speaking regions and beyond, featuring stalls, food, and crafts.Festival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreAdvent calendarAdventskalender A daily countdown to Christmas using doors, images, or small gifts.Festival

🇸🇪 Stockholm, Sweden and 4 moreSaint Lucy's Day A December festival of light and song held across Scandinavia and Italy to honour a Christian martyr.Festival · Breakfast

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreFat Thursday A Thursday before Lent when doughnuts, grilled meat and Carnival take overFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreMichaelmas A Christian festival honouring the archangels, marked by autumn harvest foods and legal terms in the British Isles.Festival · Dinner

🇺🇦 Kyiv, UkraineChristmas in UkraineРіздво (Rizdvo) A Ukrainian Christmas celebration with a twelve-dish vegan supper on Christmas Eve and observance on January 6 or DecembFestival · Supper

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreTwelfth Night The closing evening of the Christmas season, kept with cake, carols and wassailSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals

🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom and 5 moreChristmas cracker A decorative paper tube pulled apart with a bang during Christmas dinnerFestival · Dinner

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 5 moreFastelavn A pre-Lenten carnival in Northern Europe where children dress up, sing for treats, and break candy-filled barrels.Festival · Sweets given and shared

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 4 moreRisalamande A chilled Danish Christmas rice dessert with cream, chopped almonds and cherry sauceTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇸🇪 SwedenJul A midwinter holiday of feast tables, doorstep gift givers, and candlelit morningsSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreRéveillon A luxurious late-night feast that stretches until dawn across the winter holidaysTable custom · Dinner

🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands and 4 moreSinterklaasSinterklaas / Sint-Nicolaas A Dutch winter feast on 5 and 6 December, when Saint Nicholas brings gifts to childrenFestival · Sweets given and shared

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSaffron bun A golden, spiced yeast roll flavoured with saffron, baked for festive and holy daysTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 3 moreBanitsaБаница A layered Bulgarian cheese pastry baked for morning meals and holiday fortunesTable custom · Breakfast

🇬🇷 GreeceMagiritsaΜαγειρίτσα A Greek lamb offal soup eaten after the midnight Easter service to break the fastTable custom · Fasting and breaking the fast

🇪🇸 Seville, SpainSeville FairFeria de Abril de Sevilla A week-long spring festival in Seville of carriage parades, marquee tents and dancingFestival · Dinner

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 6 moreAsh WednesdayDies Cinerum A solemn Christian holy day of prayer, fasting, and the placing of ashesSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast

🇪🇸 Jijona, Spain and 5 moreTurrón A festive Mediterranean nut-and-honey confection shared at Christmas and local feastsTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇵🇱 PolandEaster in Poland A spring holiday of family breakfasts, blessed baskets, decorated eggs, and water games.Festival · Breakfast

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreKoulourakiaΚουλουράκια Sweet butter pastries baked for Greek Easter and shaped into rings and braidsTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇵🇱 PolandWigilia Poland's meatless Christmas Eve supper, begun when the first star appearsTable custom · Feasts and festival meals

🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreVasilopitaΒασιλόπιτα A New Year bread or cake with a coin baked inside, shared out slice by sliceTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreChristmas dinner The festive family meal of Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, with roast meats and puddingsTable custom · Dinner

🇸🇪 Sweden and 3 moreGlögg A spiced, warm winter wine served across Nordic countries around ChristmasTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

🇩🇰 DenmarkJul Winter feasts, carols around the tree, and family gatherings across DenmarkFestival · Lunch

🇳🇴 Norway and 2 moreJulebord A Scandinavian Christmas banquet of traditional dishes, festive drinks and celebrationTable custom · Feasts and festival meals

🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreBread and saltхлеб-соль Bread and salt offered to a guest: a welcome kept from Russia to AlbaniaEtiquette

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreŚwięconka The Polish Holy Saturday blessing of baskets filled with Easter morning foodSpiritual

🇬🇧 United KingdomLammashlāfmæsse A harvest festival marking the blessing of the first baked bread from the new wheat cropSeasonal 🇳🇴 NorwayJul An eight-week Norwegian midwinter season of feasts, family gatherings, and gift-givingSeasonal · Lunch

🇲🇹 Valletta, MaltaMaltese Carnivalil-Karnival ta' Malta A lively week of costumed parades, dancing, satirical floats and sweets across Malta.Festival · Sweets given and shared

🇮🇪 Dublin, IrelandBarmbrackbairín breac A sweet Irish fruit loaf with charms baked in, eaten at Halloween and on New Year's EveTable custom · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreOld New YearСтарый Новый год (Russian), Стара Нова година (Macedonian), Српска Нова година (Serbian), Hen Galan (Welsh) An informal holiday marking the start of the Julian calendar year, celebrated on 14 January in the Gregorian calendar.Festival · Dinner

🇵🇱 Zakopane, PolandKulig A traditional Polish winter sleigh ride party celebrated during the Carnival seasonFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇪🇸 Madrid, Spain and 4 moreFeast of Saint Isidore the LaborerFiestas de San Isidro Labrador A May festival honoring the patron saint of farmers, marked by processions and harvest gratitude in Spain and former colFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇵🇹 PortugalMissas do Parto Nine morning Masses in Madeira that follow Mary through the last days of her pregnancySpiritual · Feasts and festival meals

🇮🇸 IcelandChristmas in IcelandJól A winter festival of mountain folklore, family feasts and thirteen mischievous visitorsFestival · Dinner

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Christmas in Ukraine: Halyna Kuchmanych, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Saint Lucy's Day: Fredrik Magnusson, CC BY 2.0, source
Advent calendar: Andrea Schaufler, CC BY 2.5, source
Michaelmas: Julian P Guffogg, CC BY 2.0, source
Maslenitsa: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Fastelavn: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Jul: Holger.Ellgaard, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Risalamande: Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Christmas cracker: en:User:Cgros841, Public domain, source
Saffron bun: Nenniu, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Banitsa: Sheku80, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Magiritsa: Andrew Dalby, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Seville Fair: Sevilla Congress & Convention Bureau, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Fat Thursday: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Ash Wednesday: Oxh973, Public domain, source
Turrón: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0, source
Easter in Poland: Silar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Twelfth Night: Hablot Knight Browne: scanned by Steven J Plunkett, Public domain, source
Koulourakia: foodistablog, CC BY 2.0, source
Korovai: Olli Niemitalo, CC0, source
Wigilia: Przykuta, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Vasilopita: Μυρμηγκάκι, Public domain, source
Barmbrack: Solo Beckett, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Christmas dinner: Austin McGee, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Christmas in Iceland: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, source
Missas do Parto: Porto Bay Events, CC BY 2.0, source
Old New Year: ceridwen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Kulig: various, Public domain, source
Feast of Saint Isidore the Laborer: Ángel Lizcano Monedero, Public domain, source
Christmas Eve: Carl Larsson, Public domain, source
Christmas market: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Maltese Carnival: Ronny Siegel, CC BY 3.0, source
Glögg: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Jul: Erik Christensen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Julebord: Holger.Ellgaard, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Święconka: Błażej Benisz, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Lammas: Paddy, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Sinterklaas: R.F. (Roel) Jorna, CC BY-SA 4.0, source