Source
r/belgium•
concise_dictionary

When I tell Belgians that Christmas is a big holiday in the U.S., they are often surprised. Anyone have a guess for why this is?

I’ve been chatting with various Belgians these last two months about the holidays, and when they find out I’m American, a lot of them have said to me, “In the U.S., Thanksgiving is the big holiday, right? You don’t really celebrate Christmas,” and they seem very surprised when I say that Thanksgiving is a big holiday, but that Christmas is definitely also a really big deal there.

I lived in Germany for a while and I’ve talked to a lot of Germans, Italians, Spaniards, and French people about Christmas. I can’t remember any of those friends or acquaintances ever being surprised that Americans celebrate Christmas. More often than not, they talked about how their local traditions were becoming Americanized, because the little kids wanted Santa to bring presents on the 25th, instead of the Three Kings in January or the Christ Child on 24 December.

Anyway, it has made me wonder, so I’m here asking you. Do you have any guesses for why the Belgians around me keep assuming that Americans don’t celebrate Christmas? Is it because they assume the U.S. is such a racially-mixed group of people from so many different places that we wouldn’t officially celebrate a Christian holiday? Is it because traditionally St. Nicholas’ day was bigger in Belgium, so the Americanization of Christmas doesn’t strike Belgians as clearly as it does, say, the Germans? Something else entirely that I’m missing?

Posted Jan 8, 2016, 8:59 AM UTC

246
Diwonuso•

I think you spoke with some out of touch Belgians.

27
concise_dictionaryOP•

That's part of what surprised me. I've mostly been talking to people who are in their 30's or 40's. They work in places like Brussels or Leuven and most of them seem to have travelled a lot in Europe or in the world. One of them was even married to a Brazilian man, and another worked for the European Union for many years (she was 60-ish, so a bit older). So they have seemed like fairly worldly people in general, which is why I keep being sort of surprised by their reaction.

1
GetInMuhBelly•

The high number of shitty American Christmas movies and television shows on Belgian television in December should at least give them a hint towards understanding how popular Christmas is in the US.

2
carbondnb•

I don't get it. I know full well that Christmas is a big US holiday.

One of the main differences though is the perception of Santa Claus. In the US the Santa Claus brings presents for the kids on Christmas Day. In Belgium everyone knows that the presents are bought by your relatives, but on the 6th of december we have 'Sinter Klaas', who brings the kids presents.

6
concise_dictionaryOP•

Can you help clear something up for me? Is Sinterklaas the same person as Sint-Nicholas? Or is Sinterklaas just the name of the holiday when Sint-Nicholas comes to give kids presents?

2
krikke_d•

wikipedia covers it pretty well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas#Sinterklaas_as_a_source_for_Santa_Claus

3
concise_dictionaryOP•

Thanks!

1
AlexthegreatbelgianAntwerpen•

Sinterklaas and Saint-Nicholas are the same person. Sinterklaas is just a child version of the name so to speak.

It's celebrated on 6 December because that is his 'saint day' in Catholic history. It just happens that people refer to the holiday with his name.

2
concise_dictionaryOP•

Thanks! That makes sense.

1
GetInMuhBelly•

Not to confuse with Sint-Maarten. He arrives in certain parts of Belgium somewhere in November. Those places are tainted in the eyes of Sinterklaas who does not revisit those regions in December.

2
MyOldNameSuckedWest-Vlaanderen•

And Sinterklaas brings controversy to the people in America.

1
concise_dictionaryOP•

No, that's mostly Zwarte Piet, I think.

1
MyOldNameSuckedWest-Vlaanderen•

Zwarte Piet is Sinterklaas' property according to the controversy.

2
arostganomoBrussels Old School•

This is very strange. I have always perceived Christmas to be much bigger in the US than here. Belgians are generally aware of the large christian majority in the States. Were the Belgians you spoke with Flemish or Walloon? Perhaps that makes a difference.

5
concise_dictionaryOP•

It was mostly Flemish folks. A couple of Brusselars. I don't know, maybe I've just been chatting with some odd folks! At any rate, thanks for your answer.

2
twenty2sevenWest-Vlaanderen•

The only Americanisation is to idolize Santa Claus, but Christmas tradition came from the Roman Empire. Most Belgians know it's a huge thing in America. Off-topic: why are people downvoting this thread? OP asked a simple question.

3
concise_dictionaryOP•

Yeah, Christmas by itself is definitely not just an American thing. I guess I've just had a lot of German friends (in particular) complain to me about how German kids now idolize Santa Claus, and how he never used to be a Christmas figure.

2
twenty2sevenWest-Vlaanderen•

The interwebs told me that Coca-Cola idolized the figure of Santa Claus around 1930.

1
concise_dictionaryOP•

Yeah, that makes sense. Those ads became so iconic I can picture them without looking them up. On the topic of people trying to influence Christmas, I read somewhere that in the 17th century in both the U.S. and in England, the Puritans, who were an off-shoot of the Calvinists, disliked Christmas so much that they banned it when they got control of the government. I think the ban lasted for something like 20 years. In Massachusetts, I believe you had to pay a fine if you got caught celebrating on 25 December!

2
twenty2sevenWest-Vlaanderen•

Did they have an argument to forbid or dislike it?

2
randomf2•

but Christmas tradition came from the Roman Empire

The winter solstice was a Germanic pagan festivity called Yule which meant God. In the Scandinavian languages it's still called Jul (or similar). Like so many other pagan celebrations, they were assimilated by the Church.

Though you're right in that every culture including the Romans celebrated something similar, but it's not a tradition introduced by the Romans.

2
PressXtoHuehueBelgium•

Younger people are constantly in touch with American media and entertainment, which is why we are much more in tune with American customs and whatnot.

In short; You've likely just stumbled across people who don't know a lot about the US to begin with.

3
concise_dictionaryOP•

Yeah, that makes sense.

1
ThomasDMZ•

According to my perception, Thanksgiving is a more celebrated holiday in the US. From what I see and hear, it's the kind of holiday that causes a big spike in air travel as families living in different states meet up for a big celebration. I believe Christmas is celebrated in a smaller fashion, with closer family & friends, is that correct?

2
concise_dictionaryOP•

Hmm, that's interesting! It really depends on the family, I think. But among my friends and family, it's much more common for people to stay closer to home for Thanksgiving and then travel the big distances for Christmas. But "closer to home" in the U.S. can mean that you only drive for 4 hours to get to your aunt's house, instead of flying across the country to see Grandpa. So travel around Thanksgiving can be more stressful, because you have to do it all on a long weekend. Most people get more vacation time around Christmas than they do for Thanksgiving. Maybe that's why you've heard more about Thanksgiving travel!

3
aris_ada•

I have the same perception. We are also much more receptive to Thanksgiving, because it's an holiday we don't even understand pretty well. When watching some US-based movies/series/sitcoms, Thanksgiving gives us much more attention than Christmas because xmas is the same boring thing in here.

1
concise_dictionaryOP•

Interesting. That makes sense.

1
oompaloempiaOost-Vlaanderen•

I think the point they were trying to make is that in Belgium, Christmas is definitely the single biggest holiday of the year, while I would say in the US Thanksgiving and Christmas are about equally big. Or am I wrong there and is Christmas actually bigger than Thanksgiving?

Maybe they can't fathom the thought of having two major holidays (except Christmas/New Year's but that's kind of merged into one here).

You're wrong to think that Sinterklaas traditionally is bigger than Christmas though. That isn't the case by far. Sinterklaas is bigger among children because of the chocolate and candy and presents, but Christmas is the huge holiday where everyone spends time with their family and so on.

2
concise_dictionaryOP•

Thanks for the answer! I think Christmas is bigger in the U.S. than Thanksgiving, although Thanksgiving is also important.

1
_iTzNick_Antwerpen•

I think those people need to get out of their appartment more. I've allways known that Christmas was a huge deal for you americans, and for gods sake, why shouldnt it!

1
seutje•

I can imagine people who hate their relatives with a passion would try to forget about christmas altogether.

1
concise_dictionaryOP•

Ha ha, fair enough.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Corabb•

I'd appreciate it if you'd stop talking to Belgians.

You are spreading the American taint.

0
concise_dictionaryOP•

I'm married to one, so that's going to be a bit difficult.

1
Corabb•

Now I feel bad for your wife, has she had counselling?

-1
concise_dictionaryOP•

You seem awfully cranky.

1