Ornamentshop.com’s global tour of the traditions of Christmas has revealed one basic truism: there are many similarities in Christmas customs, from food to decorations. That is, until the tour disembarks in Ethiopia. This African country, home to King Balthazar – one of the three kings – is nothing if not original in how it celebrates […]

The next time you want to stump your friends with “tweet” or a Facebook challenge, consider this question: Which country is credited with the tradition of sending Christmas cards? Before you say “America,” here’s a hint: It’s actually another country whose flag also is colored red, white and blue. Yes, our good friends “across the […]

Ornamentshop.com’s tour of Christmas traditions has barely begun and already it’s clear: most countries blend serious, religious activities with those that are just all-out fun. Case in point? Colombia, whose people are considered the most devout Catholics in South America. They are especially mindful that the candles that light up the country’s streets are not […]

The materials are as varied as the people who create them: some are made of straw and dirt. Sturdier ones are constructed of cardboard and wood. The truly grand ones are made of porcelain. In the weeks leading up to Christmas in Chile, people devote a great deal of time to crafting pesebres, or Nativity […]

As Ornamentshop.com revels in its global look at Christmas traditions around the globe, we freely admit: it can be difficult to point to any one country and give it exclusive credit for inspiring any single tradition. At Christmastime, after all, the world becomes a melting pot of converging traditions, all somewhat familiar in their own […]