Greek Orthodox
There have been no mince pies for Father Leo Schefe of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, in Auckland, in the build-up to Christmas. Since November 15, he has been fasting to prepare for one of the year's major celebrations. That means no meat or dairy products, wine on only some days and no fish in the second half of the 40-day fast.
"It readies us for the advent of Christ," he says. "We don't have any festivities before [Christmas]. We fast up until the day, then we pull out all the stops and have a good old time when most Westerners are all pooped out and have had enough already."
His congregation will gather just before midnight on Christmas Eve for a liturgy that will end the fast with a few treats and start the celebrations. They will sing Orthodox carols, called kalanda, and wish each other Kala Christouyenna (Good Christmas). Families will eat together on the day, sharing Christmas bread, or Christopsomo, made with butter, nuts and dried fruits; kourabiethes, sweet, buttery biscuits studded with cloves and topped with icing sugar; and honey spice biscuits called melomakarona.
Christmas, however, is just the start of a 12-day holiday called the Dodecameron. On January 1 the Orthodox Church commemorates both St Basil's Day, honouring one of its three great hierarchs, and the circumcision of Christ on the eighth day after his birth. The celebration ends with Theophany on January 6, remembering Jesus' baptism.
"We bless the waters at that time, because when Jesus was baptised in the Jordan he actually sanctified all of nature and every year we commemorate that. What we'll be doing is going to Mission Bay on the 7th, we'll throw the cross into the water and the idea is we're doing a blessing of the harbour and, I suppose, the Pacific Ocean."
Indonesian
St Andrew's Indonesian-speaking congregation, in Auckland City, celebrated Christmas on November 17 this year.
Were they following a different Indonesian calendar? Or maybe some precious ancient tradition?
"It's because many of us, many students, are going back to Indonesia for the holidays and we can get a cheap fare before the high season," says the Rev Jusak Susabda, with an admirable sense of practicality.
Many of the Indonesian church's traditions - carols, food and so on - stem from the Dutch traders who brought their faith to the Pacific in the 1500s. But the early Christmas, "we make that tradition here in New Zealand," says the Rev Susabda. The earlier festivity is a time for thanksgiving.
"On one hand, we celebrate together. On the other hand, we encourage the Christians to give special gifts for the work of the Church: a golden offering we call it."
By comparison, December 25 is a more solemn occasion, complete with communion.
"After that, because most of the congregation have no family in New Zealand, we have a big dinner together at the church," says the Rev Susabda. A week after Natal, the Indonesian word for Christmas, another important celebration is held on New Year's Eve.
"In New Zealand, churches don't celebrate the closing and beginning of the year. We usually have a midnight service on the 31st and in the morning, at 7, we have another New Year's service.
"The basic difference between the Indonesian Christians and the Kiwi is that the Indonesians put more of a spiritual emphasis on Christmas, rather than just celebration. We emphasise service rather than party." Such priorities have consequences. Children will be terrified to learn that giving presents is not part of the Indonesian tradition.
Jewish
Without Hanukkah, says Jewish Council president Wendy Ross, there would be no Christmas. Hanukkah, which this year began on Thursday night, is Hebrew for dedication and commemorates the reclaiming of the temple by the Jews after overthrowing the Syrian Greeks in 165BC.
Ordered to eat pork, bow to idols and cease study of the Torah, the Jewish Maccabees led a guerrilla war that led to the establishment of an independent Jewish state. (Before long the Romans would take control and there would be no Jewish state until Israel was created in 1948.)
"It was a victory to be allowed to worship one God, not all the Greek gods," she explains. "If that victory hadn't been won, there would never have been a Christianity or Islam."
When the Jews rededicated the temple, they had only enough oil to last one day. Miraculously, the flame survived for eight nights, which is why Hanukkah lasts eight days and another candle is lit every night.
In the past, children were sometimes given a coin each night of Hanukkah, but now families often give each other gifts in the manner of Christmas. Happy Hanukkah cards have also become common.
Korean
With widespread conversion to Christianity a largely 20th century development, the Korean church draws most of its Christmas customs from the Western Protestant tradition.
However, Paul Kim, minister of the Hamilton Korean Church, says Korean congregations put a particular emphasis on Christmas pageants put together by the Sunday school, youth group and choir. Usually, they are presented on Christmas Eve.
"Many churches invite non-Christians to church that special day. There are many spectators. At the end of the presentations, the church gives the children and the young people gifts for their performances and to encourage them."
Church members bring presents with them, put them all in together and then, after the Christmas Eve service, select one each at random.
On Christmas morn, if you are woken by a jolly sound, it may be Korean carollers rather than Father Christmas.
"On Christmas Day," says the Rev Kim, "early in the morning usually before dawn, a number of people go to each member's home and they sing carols in front of the door. After the songs, they bless the home. One leader reads out a Bible passage as a blessing. In that case, some hosts bring people into their homes and sometimes give gifts or money to them. Those gifts go to rest-homes, prisons and hospitals."
Humanist
Bill Cooke, spokesman for the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists, says Christmas is a time of celebration.
Hang on. If there's no God, there's no son to welcome, so what would he have to celebrate at Christmas?
"Two things. White wine and barbecue sausages."
Ah. For a humanist, Mr Cooke explains, December 25 is a day when you could celebrate any number of divine births - Christ, Krishna, and Hercules, to name a few. It seems the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice was the only day to claim as your birthday if you were a deity looking for credibility. Even intellectual scepticism is no reason to look a gift-horse, or a gift-day, in the mouth.
"No, we're not bah humbugs," says Mr Cooke.
"Christmas is a family thing. Anyway, we are so similar to Christians in many ways, in that we value the importance of asking serious questions about living. The only thing we do is disagree on the answers."
Special season for those of every faith
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.