We all know what Christmas is like in our own countries but what's it like for the rest of the world. We've managed to find a few good examples.

Barbados
Christmas day is normally spent at home in the company of one’s friends and family. Gifts are exchanged and there is a big Christmas day lunch of mainly baked ham, macaroni pie and salad, rum cake, jug jug. Other Christmas goodies include Sorrel Drink, Cassava Pone, Sweetbread, Fried/ baked turkey, fish or chicken Some then go out by friends and/or relatives and exchange gifts. Others either hold Christmas parties or go to those of their friends.

Nigeria
Christmas in Nigeria is a family event, a time when lots of family members come together to celebrate and have fun. Most families that live in cities travel to the villages where their grandparents and older relatives live.

Many families will throw parties that will last all night long on Christmas Eve! Homes and streets are often decorated and most homes will have an artificial Christmas tree. Firecrackers are a great favourite among the children.

In addition to serving turkey, a traditional Christmas meal in Nigeria may include beef, goat, sheep, ram or chicken. Other dishes might included pounded yam, jollof rice, fried rice, vegetable salad and some type of stew.

Germany
In Germany Christmas Eve is traditionally known as Dickbauch or Fat Stomach. According to legend, people who do not eat a lot will be haunted by demons on Christmas Eve. The main meal consists of suckling pig, white sausage and macaroni salad, but there are many regional variations.

On Christmas Day, Germans tuck into fish or roast goose and an array of heavy fruit breads, marzipan and spice bars.

India
There are over 26 million Christians in India! Instead of having traditional Christmas Trees, a banana or mango tree is decorated. Sometimes people use mango leaves to decorate their homes.

One of the largest Christian Communities, in India, is in Bombay. Every household in Bombay displays a manger in their window, (there is a sense of great pride in making your house's nativity scene the best). Families go to great lengths to hang giant paper lanterns in the shape of star - these are hung between the houses so that the stars float above you as you walk down the road. Every household also makes sure that they have a stock of home made sweets ready to serve an on-going procession of visitors.

Jamaica.
Christmas is a very special time in Jamaica and radio stations play carols all through the holidays. Lots of people paint their houses and hang new curtains and decorations. Most families spend Christmas Day at home with friends and family members.

Usually prepared on Christmas Eve, the traditional Jamaican Christmas meal includes fresh fruits, sorrel and rum punch and meat. But before that breakfast includes ackee and saltfish, breadfruit, fried plantains, boiled bananas, freshly squeezed fruit juice and tea. Dinner is usually served in the late afternoon and this may also include chicken, curry goat, stewed oxtail, rice and peas.

The Jamaican red wine and rum fruitcake is traditional and is eaten in most homes. The fruits in the cake are soaked in red wine and white rum some months before.

Belgium
On Christmas Eve (le réveillion de Noël), a special meal is eaten by most families. It starts with a drink (apéritif) and 'nibbles', followed by a 'starter' course such as sea-food, and then stuffed turkey. The dessert is 'la bûche de Noël', ('Christmas log') - cake made with cream.

Father Christmas is called 'Saint Nicholas', the same as in Holland and he is believed to bring presents to children on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day, a long time before Christmas.

Small family presents are given at Christmas too, under the tree, or in stockings near the fire-place, to be found in the morning. Christmas breakfast is a special sweet bread called 'cougnou' or 'cougnolle' - the shape is supposed to be like baby Jesus. Some families will have another big meal on Christmas day.

Zimbabwe
For most people in Zimbabwe, Christmas day starts with a Church service. Afterwards, everyone has a party in their homes and people go from house to house, visiting all of their family and friends on the way home! Sometimes, this can take all of the rest of the day! At every house you have something to eat, exchange presents and enjoy the party!

Only the main room in the house is decorated in Zimbabwe. Most Zimbabwean homes do not have a traditional 'European' Christmas tree, but they decorate the room with plants like Ivy. This is draped round the whole of the top of room.

The special food eaten at Christmas in Zimbabwe is Chicken with rice. Chicken is a very expensive food in Zimbabwe and is a special treat for Christmas. This is often eaten at the Christmas Day parties.

America
America generally celebrates Christmas in a similar fashion to the UK, North Americans tend to eat roast turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes and gravy - the same as for Thanksgiving. But because of the USA's multicultural tradition, there are wide variations in what people eat.

Virginians tuck into oyster and ham pie and in Louisiana Creole Gumbo is a favourite. It consists of ham, veal, chicken, shrimp, oyster and crabmeat. In New Mexico, empanaditas - beef pies with apple sauce, pine nuts and raisins - are big while in Hawai Turkey Teriyaki, a kind of barbequed turkey, is traditional fare. In Baltimore, sauerkraut is sometimes served with turkey, but in North Carolina people eat Moravian Love Feast buns, a sweet bread made of flour and mashed potatoes.

Trinidad & Tobago
Christmas is also a memorable event that is celebrated by large gatherings of families and friends. Sumptuous meals are prepared, and visitors are invited to partake of the feast. These visitors include not only friends and family, but also those groups of people who go from house to house serenading the members of the home with indigenous Spanish carols, known as Parang.

The day begins begins with the opening of gifts first thing in the morning. Older girls join their mothers and extended family members in the kitchen to prepare the days meals whilst the fathers take the other children out of the way and indulge in recreational activities.

For Christmas lunch there will be Christmas rice, macaroni pie, stewed chicken, baked chicken, red beans, potato salad. But there will also be generous helpings of ham, turkey, pastelles, fruit cake, sweet breads, and other selected delicacies, along with traditional drinks such as sorrel, ginger beer, and ponche de crème for visitors.

After dinner children will go out to play and parents will visits close neighbours, then on Christmas night lots of people go parang for serenading and merriment til boxing day morning.

Dinner with the in-laws:
Fun facts about Christmas