A world Christmas sampler

The celebration of the Christmas season has created annual holiday traditions in many corners of the planet. Though the broad outlines of the observances are similar, the specifics vary endlessly from country to country.

Consider, for example, the many European faces of Santa Claus.

Here, he's a jolly old elf, clad in red from head to toe, who drives a toy-filled, reindeer-propelled sleigh on a global circumnavigation the night of Christmas Eve.

In Belgium, Saint Nicholas is a Spanish bishop who, on the night of Dec. 5, traditionally travels over rooftops riding a donkey, accompanied by a helper called Black Peter. In Holland, the Christmas spirit is known as Sinterklaas and he arrives on a steamboat. It's his helper Peter who actually delivers the presents to good boys and girls.

In France on Christmas Eve, children put their shoes (sabots) in front of the fireplace. They hope Father Christmas will fill them with presents. His partner, Father Spanker "rewards" bad children with a spanking, instead of the lump of coal they get here.

Christmas Markets are another continental holiday tradition. In late November across Germany and Austria, the central squares of villages, towns and cities begin to fill with booths brightly decorated with evergreen and twinkling lights. Warmed by crackling wood stoves, local artisans demonstrate their crafts, and vendors present their wares. Musicians play, choirs sing, and Noel noises mingle in crisp air rich with aromas of chestnuts, cookies and hot spiced wine.

Germany has dozens of wonderful Christmas markets. Munich's market, held in front of town hall on Marienplatz, may be the oldest, dating back more than 600 years. Besides seasonal handicrafts such as candles, nutcrackers and wooden toys, Munich is known for its intricate, hand-carved wooden creches. Nuremberg stages Germany's largest Christmas market. Its specialties are gingerbread houses and zwetchgenmanchen, or prune people, tiny figures made from nuts, raisins, figs and dried plums dressed in little costumes. Live tableaux depict nativity scenes. Two million people are expected to visit Cologne's Old Market, held in front of the city's signature Gothic cathedral, which recently celebrated its 750th anniversary. Significant markets are also held in Augsburg, Berlin, Dresden, Freiburg, Leipzig, Regensburg and Salzburg. Vienna, Potsdam and Rostock are staging special Sylvestre soirees.

The Christmas season in Britain will seem very familiar to Americans, with yule logs, mistletoe and decorated fir trees, though Santa is known as Father Christmas and there is somewhat less frenzy about the giving of gifts, the "12 Days of Christmas" notwithstanding.

In England and other nations that have been part of the British Empire, the day after Christmas is also an occasion for celebration. Boxing Day is a time to offer gifts to those who have been of service throughout the year. Its name derives from the tradition that this was the day alms boxes at English churches were opened and the contents distributed to the poor. Also, since servants got Dec. 26 off to celebrate with their families, it became traditional for working people to open their tip boxes.

Scots, on the other hand, celebrate their Christmas rather somberly, reserving most of their merriment for New Year's Eve, called Hogmanay, a word derived from a kind of oat cake given to children as a treat.

Virtually everywhere, Christmas is a holiday to be celebrated with good food. From Rome to Rio, families and friends will be sitting down for their Christmas feast. Here's what'll be on their tables.

Goose and the occasional turkey are the Christmas birds in Britain, France and Germany.

The English favor their fowl served with bread-stuffing, plum pudding and mince pies. French birds are preceded by oysters or foie gras, stuffed with chestnuts, and followed by a buche de Noel, a rolled Christmas cake. The midnight service on Christmas Eve is traditionally followed by a meal called le reveillon, which consists of oysters, sausages, wine, baked ham, roast fowl, salads, fruit and pastries. Sidewalk cafes and restaurants are open all night serving the savory feast.

In Germany, the fowl of choice is served stuffed with apples and leeks, with dumplings on the side.

For many Italians, the Christmas meal begins with a seafood antipasto, followed by pasta with fish sauce and panettone, a light fruitcake. In Poland, they will be feasting on red borscht, herring, sauerkraut with mushrooms and poppyseed cake.

The centerpiece of the Russian Christmas feast is suckling pig stuffed with buckwheat porridge, along with pickled mushrooms, cucumbers and a variety of small savory pies.

Mexicans enjoy bacalao vizcaina, dry cod in tomato sauce with potatoes. It's served with tortas, dried shrimp croquettes and a sweet flan. Down in Brazil the turkey is stuffed with farofa, made with manioc flour. For dessert, there's rabanadas, bread cut into thick slices and served like a sweet French toast.

This only scratches the surface of Christmas traditions. One wonderful aspect of America's melting pot is that so many of those who arrived here from other places brought their celebrations with them. No matter how you and your family observe the season, may it be a celebration of love, joy and peace.

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