Traditional Christmas Greeting:"Joyeux Noel"
Location: Western Europe
Tree Type: Cultural
- The ornaments have no significance other that the colors of red, white and blue which represent the colors of the national flag.
- The Christmas tree is not a holiday tradition.
Traditions: The giving of presents is done on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. If the children have been good, St. Nicholas comes the night before and leaves candy and gifts. If there is a knock on the door, that means the children have been bad and Black Peter is coming. Black Peter or the Husicker is an old man dressed in black. He carries a big basket full of twigs, sticks and black coal. If the children have been really bad black Peter may chain them to his belt and carry them off kicking, screaming and crying throughout the village so that every one will know which children were bad the last year. Once Black Peter has visited a child he or she will usually be good the next year.
Christmas is a religious holiday in Luxembourg. After attending midnight mass a typical winter meal is served. Other Christmas Eve and Day functions include Nativity plays, concerts and Christmas tree auctions. The proceeds from these events are given to charity.