christmas in south africa

 Every year on December 26, South Africa celebrates Goodwill Day. This day has become a day to recover from the indulgences of the Christmas holidays. People are also encouraged to give back to society after the Christmas holidays.. When someone has goodwill towards another person, they act in a compassionate and friendly way. Goodwill is acting out of compassion instead of our selfish human nature. It is also putting the needs of others before our own. On Goodwill Day, South Africans distinguish between their needs and their wants. They give to others with an attitude of love and charity. What this day is not a cleaning day after Christmas. By Diaz Ortiz Edwin Uriel 

 December 24 - 25:  The birth of the Child Jesus is commemorated with the Christmas Eve Dinner on the 24th and the 25th is generally a holiday to celebrate his birth. The day after Christmas is known as "Goodwill Day", when donations of all kinds are made, such as clothes, toys and food, which go to those most in need. A custom that derives from the English tradition of "Boxing Day" By Diaz Ortiz Edwin Uriel 

 Special projections and floorshows are held in the most important cities of the country, the natives use pine branches to decorate their houses and there is never a lack of the traditional Christmas fir tree, where gifts for children are placed. It should be noted that in this country they have their own tree, different from the one we are used to seeing.  It consists of a wire structure and decoration of autochthonous symbols, such as Ndebel symbols and Zulu dolls. In South Africa there is no snow, since Christmas coincides with summer, but there are many wild flowers and its inhabitants love to show off this color, using them to decorate many of the towns. By Diaz Ortiz Edwin Uriel 

 Forget the snowman, the reindeer and the Christmas sweaters. South African Christmas is all about blooming trees, bright colours, white sandy beaches and long swims. In this period of the year almost everyone is on vacation and families have free time to spend together.  On Christmas day people gather for lunch, either at home or on the beach. But it is true that the choice of location may differ, what you will probably not miss is the braai, the traditional barbecue that usually lasts until late at night and becomes an occasion to congregate around the firewood, have fun together , open Christmas presents, as well as to relax, surf or practice other water sports. By Diaz Ortiz Edwin Uriel

  BETELEHEMU composed by the Nigerian musician Babatunde Olatunji and which became popular in African-American churches in the mid-20th century. The title literally means "Bethlehem" and is, of course, a tribute to the city where Jesus was born. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9gXWuqZcNw SIYAHAMBA It is originally from South Africa and its title means "We walk" in Zulu (from the phrase "we walk in the light of God" which is repeated several times). https://youtu.be/N1KZbMprW8U   BANUWA, SING NOEL! (AFRICAN NOEL) This song is quite peculiar because the melody originates from Liberia (a small West African country) but the original lyrics were a love song and it was even used as a lullaby. In the 20th century, it was adapted into English for African-American communities under the title African Noel (African Christmas) and has become a Christmas song. https://youtu.be/PSOuYLzCRKc By Diaz Ortiz Edwin Uriel

 GLAZED GAMMON It is a large boneless cut of pork that is traditionally cooked on the stove with vegetables and then roasted in the oven. ROAST TURKEY  In South Africa, turkeys are roasted in the oven or braai, giving them delicious smokiness and succulence. SEAFOOD  Christmas is a summer in South Africa, which means that seafood is a very popular Christmas dish, especially in coastal towns where fresh fish is available every day. Dishes such as crab tail, mussels, prawns and line fish By Diaz Ortiz Edwin Uriel

Because South Africa is in the southern hemisphere, Christmas comes in the summer, so there is plenty of sunshine and beautiful flowers in their splendor. Schools are closed for the Christmas holidays. Singing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve is very popular in towns and cities. Due to the good weather that accompanies all of Christmas, it is also used for meals and important celebrations around the beaches throughout the country, since from November to January temperatures range between 17º C and 29º C.  South Africa also has several other UK Christmas traditions, due to their historical ties. A good example is Boxing Day - it's also a public holiday in South Africa (December 26) and again, people like to be "out and about" and have a good time. Boxing Day is a special time of the year dedicated to donations of all kinds, from toys and clothing to food distribution to those most in need. Currently, this tradition is known as "Day of Good Will" or "Day of ...