NATIVITY SCENES: MANY CULTURES....ONE JESUS!

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity." (Micah 5:2)

FROM BETHLEHEM, ISRAEL - BIRTH PLACE OF THE LORD JESUS, THIS SET IS MADE WITH OLIVE WOOD.
(All photos are from the annual Nativity Festival held at the Springfield Illinois CHIARA CENTER. Click here for website)

This Peruvian Retabios is 

unique to the Andes of 

South America. It is used to 

tell Bible stories to local 

indigenous folks who are 

not as educated as 

westerners.

Native American (Southwestern USA)

 T'is the season for 
Nativity Sets, Nativity Scenes or Creches all over the world!  This is also the time of year when all kinds of debates happen across North America and Europe about Religious Liberty and Christianity.

From Germany, where the
 "Baby Jesus is not added to the
 Nativity Scene until
 after Christmas Eve!

From India, Mary in sari

All of this fades in light of the wonder and beauty of the true meaning of the Christmas season. It is precisely times like this which caused the great Francis of Assisi, over 800 years ago to create the first ever Live Nativity Scene. Francis (the founder of the Franciscan Order of Priests) noticed in his land of Italy, that people were more interested in the festive aspects of Christmas and gift giving than what Christmas really represents. So he got a cave, some real animals and began a tradition which has lasted ever since. We are so grateful to this kind and gentle saint, Francis for what he did.

Handmade classic from Italy

From Springfield, Illinois

Over these 800 years, with the rapid spread of Christianity, Christmas around the world has taken up a most unique flavor, for an event which honors the same person - Jesus Christ, the very Son of God! While visiting a recent Nativity Festival locally, the impressive array of depictions of the Birth of the Christ Child is so amazing to behold. The creativity and cultural differences between the nations are only surface deep when you really boil it down. However, each piece of artistic design and work reflects the strong individuality of every tribe and tongue.

From Korea

The photos here represent such a wide range of cultures: from Native American to Korean....from Honduras in Central America to Central Illinois....from Africa and India to the authentic olive wood, from the little town of Bethlehem. Some of the raw materials used are just phenomenal - from straw, to wood shavings to porcelain to marbel to brass etc....all manner of creation!! These sets of Nativity creches all show the love, devotion and detail which represent just a fraction of the wonder, majesty and magnificent of the Greatest Person Who ever walked this earth- the Lord Jesus Christ!
(Photos from the Nativity Festival at the Chiara Center, Springfield, Illinois - website here)

From AFRICA

From Honduras, made from straw

From China, handcrafted w/some wood shavings

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." (Luke 2:13-14)

This direct message from heaven was for all mankind from all over the earth, for ALL time.  The fact that the Good News of Christ's descent to earth to bring Salvation (since the name "Jesus" means "He will save the people from their sins") has reverberated worldwide ever since we began celebrating His birthdate as December 25! It is confirmation of John 3:16, where our Great God in Heaven SO loved us (the world) that He gave His only begotten Son. 

This gift is celebrated many different ways in almost all countries. Each culture has its own rich tradition. I have lived in both first and third world countries and love the Flavor of Christmas with both the Irving Berlin "White Christmas" setting as well as the Feliz Navidad Caribbean/hispanic and others I've witness both here in North America and elsewhere.

There are different stories of Christmas in every country. The traditional Christmas food in each land is amazing! From the black rum cake and punch de creme of the West Indies to the Shepherd's Pie of Great Britain to the pastries of Europe and the Christmas cookies of North America....the assortment is mind-boggling! 

So what about music? Well,the wide range of Christmas music is phenomenal, as wekkm and so rich! So without further ado, here is a sample of Christmas music from around the Globe, on Christmas Day:

THIS ONE COVERS ALL CULTURES IN ONE FELL SWOOP - 

FROM AFRICAN TO AUSTRALIAN TO AMERICAN: 

HAWAII:

Afrikaans

"Geseënde Kersfees en ‘n Voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar"

Arabic

"I'd Miilad Said Oua Sana Saida"

Argentine

"Felices Pasquas Y felices ano Nuevo"

Armenian

"Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand"

Basque

Eguberri on

Bohemian

"Vesele Vanoce"

Breton

"Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat"

Bulgarian

"Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo"

Chinese

[Mandarin]

"Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan"

SPANISH LANGUAGE:

IRELAND:

GERMANY (WORLD WAR 1):

[Catonese]

"Saint Dan Fai Lok"

Cornish

"Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth"

Croatian

"Sretan Bozic i Nova Godina"

(Merry Christmas & Happy New Year)

Czech

"Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok"

Danish

"Glædelig Jul"

Dutch

"Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar"

Inupiaq Eskimo

(Kotzebue area in NW Alaska)

"Quvianagli Anaiyyuniqpaliqsi suli Nakuuluni Ukiutqiutiqsi"

(Merry Christmas and Happy New Year)

English

"Merry Christmas"

Estonian

"Haid joule ja head uut aastat"

Farsi

"Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad"

Filipino

"Maligayang Pasko"

ITALIAN (TRADITIONAL):

ITALIAN (FUNNY):

FRANCE:

Finnish

"Hyvaa joulua"

French

"Joyeux Noël"

German

"Froehliche Weihnachten"

Greek

"Kala Christouyenna"

Hawaiian

"Mele Kalikimaka"

Hebrew

"Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova"

Hindi

"Shub Naya Baras"

Hungarian

"Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket"

Icelandic

"Gledileg Jol"

Indonesian

"Selamat Hari Natal"

Iraqi

"Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah"

JAMAICAN:

TRINIDAD:

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

Irish

"Nollaig Shona Dhuit"

Italian

"Buone Feste Natalizie"

Japanese

"Shinnen omedeto, kurisumasu omedeto."

The first part is translated Happy New Year.

"Kurisumasu omedeto" means Merry Christmas.

Korean

"Sung Tan Chuk Ha"

Latvian

"Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu"

Lithuanian

"Linksmu Kaledu"

Navajo

"Merry Keshmish"

Norwegian

"God Jul"

Pennsylvania German

"En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr"

Polish

"Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia"

Portuguese

"Feliz Natal" "Boas Festas"(Good Holidays.)

Romanian

"Craciun fericit"

(Merry Christmas)

Russian

"Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva s Novim Godom"

Serbian

"Hristos se rodi"

Slovakian

"Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce"

Samoan

"La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou"

Scots Gaelic

"Nollaig chridheil huibh"

Serb-Croatian

"Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina"

Slovak

"Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok"

Slovene

"Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto"

Spanish

"Feliz Navidad"

Swedish

"God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År"

Tahitian

Merry Chrismas:

" Ia orana te Noera"
Thai

"Sawadee Pee Mai"

Turkish

"Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun"

Vietnamese

"Chuc Mung Giang Sinh"

Welsh

"Nadolig Llawen"

Yugoslavian

"Cestitamo Bozic"

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL THE WORLD!