Bryan Stalder
Contributor

Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. In America, many of our Christmas traditions are rooted in Christianity, while others are cultural, commercial, or simply fun. Here in Historic Northeast, our neighbors come from around the world, and many celebrate Christmas in ways that reflect the customs of their home countries — sometimes blending them with new traditions they’ve adopted since moving to Kansas City.

Here’s a look at how Christmas is celebrated across a variety of cultures, including places where Christians make up only a small minority.

Myanmar

Myanmar is religiously diverse, though most of its population identifies as Buddhist. In Chin State, however, as much as 70% of residents are Christian, making Christmas one of the most anticipated seasons of the year. Street vendors, hotels, and shopping centers decorate heavily, and Christmas festivities often spill into public spaces — even among people who don’t celebrate it as a religious holiday.

Churches host caroling events, and families exchange small gifts. It’s common for people to receive a new outfit at Christmas and wear it proudly to services. Sticky rice steamed in banana leaves is among the traditional dishes served during Christmastime.

Children write down their wishes on small slips of paper and tuck them into their socks or shoes before leaving the house, hoping those wishes will come true upon their return. December in Myanmar is cool, foggy, and filled with blooming cherries and rhododendrons, giving the holiday season a uniquely colorful backdrop.

In Burmese, “Merry Christmas” is “ပျော်ရွှင်သောခရစ္စမတ်ဖြစ်ပါစေ,” pronounced “Pyawshwinsaw hkarahchcamaat hpyitparhcay.” Most people simply say “Merry Christmas.”

Democratic Republic of Congo

In the DRC, known for its rich musical traditions, Christmas is celebrated primarily as a religious holiday rather than a commercial one. Gift-giving is not a major part of the celebration, but community worship certainly is.

Churches spend months preparing elaborate Christmas Eve programs. Many congregations have multiple choirs that perform throughout the night, and nativity plays can last hours — often beginning with the story of Creation and ending with the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Wise Men. These dramas are designed so that Jesus’ birth occurs right at midnight, followed by more singing that can continue until dawn.

Families who can afford it enjoy a special Christmas meal, with chicken or pork as the centerpiece. After a long night of celebration, Christmas Day tends to be quiet and restful.

“Mbotama Malamu” means “Merry Christmas” in Lingala, one of the DRC’s most widely spoken languages.

Somalia

“Kirismas Wanaagsan” means “Merry Christmas” in Somali, though the phrase is rarely heard. Somalia is overwhelmingly Muslim, and in 2015 the government formally banned public Christmas celebrations to preserve Islamic traditions. Foreign nationals are allowed to celebrate privately, but hotels and public venues are not permitted to host Christmas events.

Even so, small pockets of Christmas observance exist. Somalis who grew up abroad and later returned home sometimes bring Christmas customs with them — from privately decorated homes to shared meals with friends. For many families, Christmas celebrations remain quiet, personal, and deeply tied to diasporic identity.

Vietnam

“Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh” is how Vietnamese speakers say “Merry Christmas.” Though only about 8% of the population identifies as Christian, Vietnam’s cities glow with Christmas decorations each December — a legacy of French colonial influence and modern commercial enthusiasm.

Across Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang, streets shine with lights, nativity displays, and public Christmas markets. Hotels, malls, and restaurants put up trees, play holiday music, and host seasonal events. Many stores run large sales, making the season more of a social and commercial celebration than a religious one.

Children eagerly await “Ông già Noel,” or “Old Man Christmas,” the Vietnamese name for Santa Claus. Catholic families build elaborate nativity scenes, known as hang đá, which often include waterfalls, lights, and handmade sculptures.

Despite the tropical climate — often around 80°F in December — families create a festive atmosphere filled with music, church services, and shared meals. For many, Christmas is the country’s second-largest celebration after Tết, the Lunar New Year.

South Sudan

In South Sudan, Christmas is a community-centered celebration marked by simple but joyful gatherings. Many families cannot afford gifts or decorations, and travel is difficult due to unpaved roads and limited transportation. Even so, the holiday is filled with singing, dancing, and shared meals.

People wear their best clothing to Christmas services, where children perform songs and reenact the Nativity. Nativity scenes typically reflect the look of local villages, with thatched-roof huts and traditional Sudanese architecture.

English is the official language, so “Merry Christmas” is widely understood, but many people also use their tribal languages. In Dinka, one of the country’s major languages, the holiday greeting is “‘Bi door e dhien e banyda rear ke week eben ayenakaan.’”

For many South Sudanese families, Christmas is also one of the few times of year when they enjoy meat — making it an especially meaningful occasion.

Mexico

With around 80% of Mexicans identifying as Catholic, Christmas is one of the country’s most important annual celebrations. The season officially begins on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, marked with prayer, music, and large community gatherings.

One of Mexico’s most cherished traditions is Las Posadas, held nightly from December 16–24. Children carrying candles reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging, stopping at homes to sing and ask for shelter. Families celebrate Noche Buena, or Christmas Eve, with a feast that may include pozole, roast pork, tamales, turkey, and rompope — a creamy holiday drink similar to eggnog.

At midnight, many attend Misa de Gallo, the “Mass of the Rooster,” followed by fireworks that light up towns and cities across the country.

In many regions, children receive gifts on January 6 — Día de los Reyes, or Epiphany — when the Wise Men bring presents. Families share a ring-shaped cake called Rosca de Reyes, which hides a small figurine of baby Jesus. Whoever finds it hosts a celebration on February 2 for Candlemas.

Large, colorful nativity scenes, or Nacimientos, are often the centerpiece of Mexican holiday décor, sometimes replacing Christmas trees entirely.

Cuba

Cuba’s Christmas traditions were dramatically shaped by politics. From 1969 to 1998, Fidel Castro banned public Christmas celebrations to reduce religious influence. Families who observed the holiday did so quietly, decorating with whatever materials they had — sometimes simple branches adorned with cotton and handmade ornaments.

Christmas was officially reinstated in 1998 during Pope John Paul II’s visit to the island, and the holiday has gradually reemerged as a public celebration.

Today, Cuban families gather for Nochebuena on Christmas Eve, enjoying roast pork, rice, fried plantains, and desserts such as rice pudding. Many attend midnight Mass, a tradition that has returned with growing visibility.

One of Cuba’s most spectacular celebrations happens in Remedios, where Las Parrandas — a massive Christmas Eve festival — fills the streets with music, lights, floats, and friendly competition between neighborhoods. Fireworks mark the arrival of Christmas Day.

Children also receive gifts on Epiphany, a tradition rooted in Catholic culture. Many families encourage kids to leave grass or water out for the camels of the Three Kings.

Central America

Across Central America, Christmas traditions share similarities with Mexico but also feature unique local customs.

In Honduras, churches host pastorelas — dramatic reenactments of the shepherds’ journey to Bethlehem. Many Hondurans also fast during Advent as a spiritual preparation for Christmas.

Guatemala marks December 7 with La Quema del Diablo, the Burning of the Devil, where families symbolically cleanse their homes of evil by burning effigies and old belongings. This leads into December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Guatemalan families build detailed Nacimientos using local materials. Brightly dyed sawdust and handcrafted figurines reflect both Spanish influence and indigenous artistry.

In Honduras, the New Year begins with the striking of the centuries-old clock in Comayagua — the oldest functioning clock in the Americas — whose chimes are broadcast nationwide.