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 Donna: I have heard the good news for all people. I am a Canadian -- an original Canadian. I live along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec and my people are called the Huron tribe. For many years my people had not heard about Jesus at all. We didn’t know that God had sent His Son to become a person like us and to save us from our sins. But, four hundred years ago we heard the good news and, now, Jesus is my King, too.
Sam: Bon Jour! In the French tradition, Christmas Eve is a time for reveillon. Quebecois traditionally hold a night-long dinner and dancing party to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The French traditions of Christmas are an integral part of celebrating the birth of Jesus in France. It consists of favorite customs such as the Christmas tree, the chocolate buche, the Pere Noel. We have brought these traditions to Canada.
Josh - The Italians brought their tradition to Canada. The most important way to celebrate Christmas is the Nativity Crib Scene in honor of the birth of our Savior, Jesus! Using a crib to tell the Christmas story was made popular by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. Cribs are put in your home on December 8 but the baby Jesus is not placed in the crib until December 24. Christmas Eve is a huge celebration with seven fishes to honor the coming of our Lord!
Ben - Many British have settled in Canada to join the melting pot. Our tradition is that most families have a Christmas tree and we decorate the tree as a family tradition. Christmas trees were popularized by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. We decorate our streets with Christmas lights to symbolize that Jesus is the light of the world. Often, a famous person switches the lights on as a ceremony.
 Andrew - I love my country and being a Canadian is an honor. Many different cultural backgrounds live here and look at all of my new friends! There are a lot of different Christmas traditions that I have learned from my friends. Canada is the home of Santa Claus and we have a televised special parade in Toronto. What does this mean? Canadians believe Jesus is the reason for the season and Santa Claus is spreading the kindness and love that we need in a community!
Christmas in Canada shares many different traditions surrounding the birth of Jesus. This country has been influenced by British, Italian, French and German cultures to name a few. Canada is definitely a melting pot embracing all people with the good news of the gospel. I am so happy I have many friends that represent different ancestry.
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