Discovering diversity: A Journey through the Christmas Customs of the world

On December 7, 2007, Jacobs University invited the interested public to gain an insight into the different ways of celebrating Christmas in different countries. Organized by Jacobs University students, the event attracted about 100 people, who in one hour had the opportunity to explore the diverse Yule-traditions of foreign cultures.

[ Dec 07, 2007]  What kind of tree is decorated at Christmas time in India? And how does a Romanian Christmas carol sound? With the great number of diverse cultures present on campus at Jacobs University it is no wonder that students have different associations with the upcoming holidays. Christmas Traditions vary widely between different cultures, and there are a myriad ways to celebrate. Therefore, the hosted event was a perfect occasion to find out about the wonderful Christmas customs carried out all over the world.

The get-together, which is part of the series “Knowledge for Everyone” (Wissenschaft für Jederman)", was a colorful event with students presenting their home country with its typical activities during the festive season. A wide range of performances with music, dance, food, traditional clothes and a special Christmas quiz illustrated cultural diversity. Amongst Advent coffee and cookies participants also had a chance to have a friendly chat with their student table hosts about their home towns and the different ways of celebrating the special festival.