International Holiday Traditions from Australia to Argentina
National, regional and local traditions are part of the beauty of the winter holidays. Here
are a few international holiday traditions from some of the world’s top wine countries.
FRANCE
Leave it to FRANCE to incorporate wine in a holiday tradition! During the Christmas season,
families burn a traditional Yule log made of cherry wood and spritzed with red wine so it
smells good. The food and drink that children might leave out before they go to bed is not
for Père Noël (Father Christmas), but rather, for Baby Jesus and Mary. On Jan. 6th, many
celebrate the Epiphany with flat almond cakes decorated by a crown, called Galette de Rois
(cake of the kings).
ITALY
The big winter holiday celebration in ITALY is Dec. 8th, the day the Church decided Jesus
was born of immaculate conception. Presepi (nativity scenes) are huge in this mostly
Catholic country. You’ll find them everywhere, and most are handmade. “Each family puts
up their own nativity scene,” says Nicola Guidi, of Cantine Guidi. “I really loved to make
presepi when I was a child. In some houses, they start to make them a month beforehand.”
International Holiday Traditions from Australia to Argentina
The eight days before Christmas are called the Novena. Carolers, both adults and children,
serenade their neighborhoods (in southern Italy, bag pipers from the mountains join in top).
On Christmas Eve many people attend midnight mass.
PORTUGAL
A short flight brings us to PORTUGAL, where Pipa Orrison of Orsion Wines fills us in on the
typical holiday festivities. “Our big tradition in Portugal is Christmas Eve. Most people work
only until lunchtime and then go home to start cooking with the family. Every single table
will have Bacalhau (fish, salted and dried cold) with steamed potatoes, carrots and
Portuguese cabbage. We warm up olive oil “sauce” to pour on top with thin sliced onions
and have Broa (savory corn bread) to dip in.
“It’s the only night of the year where children can stay up late as we open presents at
midnight (some families go to church at 11pm and that’s when Santa comes!).
The next day we all wear new clothing – normally gifted the night before. And we eat
roasted piglet. After lunch we go home, light the fireplace and watch Christmas movies.”
ARGENTINA
On the other side of the world, in ARGENTINA, Christmas occurs during the summertime.
“So the holidays are spent normally enjoying the outdoors,” says Ilana Naomi Richman, Ops
Manager at Dos Puentes Winery. “It is very common in Argentina for the whole family to get
together for an asado (traditional BBQ) and enjoy both the 24th and 25th with all of the
family. One tradition is at midnight on the 25th, the whole family launches firecrackers.”
AUSTRALIA
Down Under, in AUSTRALIA, it’s summertime too. “Many Aussies find themselves soaking
up the sun at the beach on Christmas day as its mid-summer,” says Daryl Groom, who is
winemaker for his family’s Groom Wines in Australia, and, with his son Colby, for Colby
Wines in Sonoma. “Traditional Christmas lunches and dinners vary from an Aussie style
barbecue , to a seafood spread of shellfish delights, to a ham and turkey thanksgiving style
meal.
“Santa Claus is more commonly known as Father Christmas,” Daryl says. “As kids we would
leave a beer out for him and he would always drink it!”
International Holiday Traditions from Australia to Argentina
Aussies decorate with both Christmas trees and the native ‘Christmas bush’, an Australian
tree whose white flowers turn red, sometimes in time for Christmas week.
“Carols by Candlelight” featuring performances by national celebrities are a big event.
They’re held in state capitols and small towns.
The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day (as it is in England and Canada) and the
tradition is to go shopping, visit friends or follow sports like the grueling Sydney to
Tasmania yacht race. Boxing Day is a federal holiday in Australia.
How to toast these fun international holiday traditions? Line up each country’s signature
wines and uncork Shiraz from Australia, Bordeaux red from France, Rhône blend from Italy,
Douro Port from Portugal and Malbec from Argentina. Now you have a world tour in your
glass, and what better gift could there be!
Join our International Wine Club today and uncork a worldwide adventure with
handcrafted wines from small artisan wineries across the world!