Christmas Traditions

Africa

"Merry Christmas!"

Afrikaans: Gesëende Kersfees!
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees!
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats!

December in South Africa is summertime. There is no snow, of course, but South Africa has beautiful beaches, green mountains and colorful flowers.

In Ghana, churches and homes are decorated early on, about four weeks before Christmas. This season happens to coincide with the cocoa harvest, so it is a time of wealth.

The night before Christmas, children in the streets sing Christmas Carols and shout "Christ is coming! He is near!" in their language., People flock to churches in the evenings, to sing traditional hymns.