Festive traditions from around the globe
Small rituals that shape the festive season, wherever you are
One of the pleasures of home exchange is discovering how the festive season quietly reshapes everyday life.
At People Like Us, the season never looks the same. It might mean candles lit by mid-afternoon or doors left open late into the evening. A heavy meal planned days in advance or seafood laid out on ice. Decorations pulled carefully from storage or added casually as the days go by. The details change, but the welcome does not.
Staying in someone else’s home makes these differences obvious. You notice what appears without comment. What happens at the same time every year. What people make space for, and what they let go of.
In much of Northern Europe, the season centres on Christmas Eve. Candles fill windows and rooms, often more important than decorations. The main meal is shared early, while it is still dark outside. After that, the night is quiet. People stay indoors. Gifts are exchanged. The rest of the evening is spent together, with nowhere else to go.
In the UK, the season builds slowly. Decorations go up in stages. A tree appears, then cards line shelves and windowsills. Christmas Day itself follows a familiar pattern. A roast in the middle of the day, pudding later, tea never far away. Walks happen before lunch if the weather allows. By late afternoon, people settle back into the house, the sense being that the day has reached its natural end.
In Canada and much of the United States, winter pulls everything inward. Boots pile up by the door. Coats are hung wherever there is space. Homes are lit from the outside with strings of lights, while inside trees are decorated with ornaments collected over years. Baking happens early and often. Drinks are poured to suit the cold, from hot chocolate to egg nog. The festive period stretches on, with days between Christmas and New Year blending together.
In Australia and across the Southern Hemisphere, the season belongs outdoors. Decorations are lighter and often temporary. Lights move to verandas and gardens. Christmas Day might start with a swim and centre around a long lunch rather than a formal meal. Seafood replaces heavier dishes. The day runs late, shaped by heat, shade and the slow easing of the evening.
Across Southern Europe, festive traditions revolve around time rather than timing. Decorations are modest inside the home, but streets and public spaces are brightly lit. Meals arrive late and last for hours. Families gather over several nights, not just one. Children stay up later than usual. Conversation matters more than schedules.
Across Latin America, the season is communal and outward facing. Homes, streets and shared spaces are decorated together. Music carries. Fireworks mark the night. Food is prepared in large quantities and shared freely. People come and go without ceremony, and celebrations often continue well past midnight.
Experiencing the festive season through home exchange feels different because nothing is arranged for you. You live inside these traditions as they happen.
You notice what is cooked. What is lit. When people arrive. When they stay.
Wherever you are celebrating this festive season, we hope it feels generous, welcoming and full of small moments worth noticing.
From all of us at People Like Us, season’s greetings. ❤️
People Like Us is the world's most trusted home exchange community. We believe in sharing, trust, generosity, respect, communication, equality, cooperation, honesty, hospitality, friendship, flexibility and adventure. We take pride in our homes and we care about the environment in which we live: our village, city, country and our planet. We care about the ethos of home exchange and we do it because we love the experience and the friendships that it generates.
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