When Was Christmas First Celebrated In South Africa

In ghana the festivities start early around december 1 when shops and homes are decorated with christmas trees and blinking lights.

When was christmas first celebrated in south africa. The date is traditional and is not considered to be the actual date of his birth. On june 3 2009 in his state of the nation address president jacob zuma announced the annual celebration of south africa s most famous son nelson mandela. The culture of south africa is one of the most diverse in the world. Mandela day will be celebrated on the 18th of july each year.

The request by fedusa was motivated by the fact this year workers in the country will only have 11 public holidays instead of 12 due to fact that 25 december christmas day falls on a sunday. Christmas or feast of the nativity is an annual festival commemorating the birth of jesus christ observed primarily on december 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. Christmas christian festival celebrating the birth of jesus. The fun might be postponed but it still fun nonetheless.

A substantial majority of the south africans still live in the rural areas where cultural traditions have survived. December 25 has become widely accepted as the date of jesus birth. On this day christians commemorate the birth of jesus christ in bethlehem. 27 december 2016 was declared a holiday by president jacob zuma following a request by the federation of unions of south africa fedusa.

Traditions associated with the christmas holiday are diverse in their origins and nature with some traditions. Christmas has also become a secular family holiday that is observed by christians and non christians is marked by the exchange of gifts and features the mythical figure of santa claus. Christmas traditions include a variety of customs religious practices rituals and folklore associated with the celebration of christmas many of these traditions vary by country or region while others are universal and practiced in a virtually ubiquitous manner across the world. Christmas in south africa and namibia.

There is also double celebration as christmas falls on the end of the cocoa harvest. Christmas day celebrated on december 25 in catholic protestant and most orthodox churches is a public holiday in south africa. Read more about christmas traditions in africa e g. In south africa and as in many other countries christmas is a joyous celebration filled with lots of family time and of course plenty of delicious food.

A feast central to the christian liturgical year it is preceded by the season of advent or the nativity fast and initiates the season of christmastide which historically in the. When it comes to christmas celebration africa goes big.