All around the world people celebrate the festive season in different and unique ways. Lara, an ESOL(English Speakers of Other Languages) student, shares with us how the Christmas season is celebrated in her home country, Syria.
While only 10% of the Syrian population follows Christianity, most Syrian people celebrate Christmas and share greetings and good wishes with their neighbours and friends using the Arabic words Milad Majid for Merry Christmas.
Usually, in Syria, you can feel the Christmas celebration atmosphere approaching on December 4th, with the Feast of St Barbra celebrated by the Western Church then on December 17th by The Eastern Orthodox Church. Children dress up in costumes and go to collect sweets from their friends’ and relatives’ houses, and the families prepare a special dish called the Barbara, which consists of boiled grain and corn with sugar, Sultane, nuts and pomegranate seeds.
We have two days when we celebrate Christmas Day in Syria. The first one is on December 25th, and the second is on January 6th, depending on which church you go to. The houses, buildings, trees, shopping centres and roads are festooned with Christmas lights to reflect the moods of the Christmas season.
For the Eastern Orthodox followers, the children leave their shoes outside on Christmas Eve with some hay and water beside them for the Wise Man, the most miniature camel, who brings gifts every Christmas eve. The smallest camel is a seasonal character of the Nativity story and it is said that he had an extremely rough time making the journey which he was unable to complete, despite his efforts. For his loyalty and determination to see the Christ Child, he received a blessing of immortality and hence on the night of every January 5th, the little camel brings gifts.
The little camel is equivalent to Father Christmas for Western Church followers who brings gifts to the children.
Christmas dinner is also a tradition followed by Christians in Syria, and we eat lamb or turkey, pastries, nuts and homemade liqueur.
I'm well-versed in various social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn, and I have a good understanding of their functionalities and how they've evolved over time. Let's dive into the concepts mentioned in the article.
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Facebook: It's one of the largest social media platforms globally, connecting billions of users. Over the years, it has expanded its services beyond just social networking, including features like Marketplace, Groups, Pages, and Messenger. Facebook is often used for sharing updates, photos, videos, and connecting with friends and family.
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Facebook Messenger: This is Facebook's instant messaging app, connected to the main platform. It allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, share media, and even play games within the app. It's widely used due to its convenience and integration with the Facebook platform.
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WhatsApp: Another popular messaging app, acquired by Facebook, offering end-to-end encryption for secure communication. WhatsApp allows text and voice messaging, voice and video calls, as well as sharing various media files. It's known for its simplicity and broad user base globally.
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LinkedIn: Unlike the others, LinkedIn focuses on professional networking. It's used for job hunting, professional connections, industry discussions, and sharing content related to careers and business. It's a platform for building professional profiles and connections.
Now, regarding the Christmas celebrations in Syria, the article provides a beautiful insight into the cultural traditions during the festive season. It highlights the diverse ways in which Christmas is celebrated, emphasizing the blending of customs and festivities.
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Feast of St. Barbara: Celebrated on December 4th (Western Church) and December 17th (Eastern Orthodox Church), it involves children dressing up, collecting sweets, and families preparing the special dish called Barbara.
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Christmas Days: Celebrated on December 25th and January 6th, depending on the church affiliation. Houses and public places are adorned with Christmas lights, reflecting the joyous mood of the season.
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Traditions around Gifts: The article touches upon the tradition of leaving shoes out with hay and water for the Wise Man or the little camel (Eastern Orthodox), symbolizing the arrival of gifts on Christmas Eve. This character is comparable to Father Christmas in Western Church traditions.
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Christmas Dinner: A significant tradition involving the consumption of lamb or turkey, pastries, nuts, and homemade liqueur.
These traditions offer a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and unique customs observed during the Christmas season in Syria, highlighting the fusion of religious beliefs and festive celebrations among the Syrian population, despite differing religious affiliations.
