The Way Christmas Is Celebrated in Different Countries

Because Christmas is approaching, I decided to learn something about the Christmas traditions in Germany, Japan, and Spain by reading several articles on the Internet.
Germans begin preparing for Christmas early. The night of December 5th is called Nikolaustag in German, and it is the time when German children put their boots outside. Santa Claus, whose German name is Nikolaus, leaves presents in the shoes of the good kids. However, the naughty children receive some unpleasant things from Nikolaus's servant, Knecht Ruprecht. On Christmas Eve, some parents place gifts for their kids in a room that also contains a decorated Christmas tree and lock the room. After that, they open it in order for their children to see the presents and the tree, and the whole family sings Christmas carols.

Although most of the residents of Japan are not Christians, many Japanese people celebrate it, and their number often increases. The way Christmas is celebrated in Japan consists in people decorating the places where they live, giving presents to their friends, and eating special food. By special food I mean an amazing Christmas cake. The image in the post is an example of such a cake.

Celebrating Christmas in Spain starts early and continues until January 6th. On December 22nd, the winning lottery ticket for El Gordo, a lottery with very big prizes, is drawn, which is an important Christmas event. Some Spaniards receive presents on Christmas Eve, whereas others do it on January 6th. There is an additional celebration between the beginning and the end of the period during which Christmas is celebrated. It is something like April's Fools Day and happens on December 28th.

If you would like to find out where I took the information from, click on the following links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/christmas/german/

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2299.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/christmas/spanish/

Spain's Skiing Places

I recently read an article about the ski resorts of Spain, and I learned some facts that I find interesting.

For example, Spain's places where you can ski aren't the main things that contribute to the country's reputation for being popular for tourists, but they are also great. The high average elevation of Spain makes it the second most mountainous country in Europe; Switzerland is the most mountainous one. Therefore, Spain has many ski resorts that appeal to various kinds of tourists.

One of those resorts attracted my attention. It is called Sierra Nevada, and it is Europe's southernmost spot where skiing is possible. Some of its peaks have altitudes of more than 3,000 meters. However, during some parts of the year, Sierra Nevada offers the amazing opportunity to ski and then go swimming in the Mediterranean on the same day.

Ohrid

Ohrid, Macedonia, is an amazing city, and it is one of the best Balkan places to spend a weekend in. First, Ohrid has access to the famous lake whose name is the same as the name of the city. This lake's depth of about 300 meters makes it one of the deepest ones in Europe, and its water is extremely clear. The city's area's beauty comes mainly from the lake. However, there are other things because of which Ohrid is beautiful. By other things I mean the great buildings that the city is full of and its numerous churches; there are about 350 of them. The activities that you can do if you are in Ohrid include visiting the churches and museums, swimming and sailing. Even just watching the lake is not boring. I have been to Ohrid three times, but I hope that I will travel to the city again.

Vlasina Lake

The Vlasina lake is in Serbia, close to the Bulgarian border. The area around it is a very beautiful place, and it provides fantastic opportunities for tourism. The region where the lake is situated is mountainous, and its altitude is about 1200 meters, so it is suitable for people who enjoy mountains and hiking. What is more, the buildings near the lake are also vey nice; most of them are splendid wooden houses that make you want to stay in them when you see them. If someone is a fan of cycling, they may find the roads that connect the lake to nearby Serbian cities wonderful. I mean that they are probably among some of the least crowded ones in Europe; if you encounter a car on one of these roads, you can be sure that no other vehicles will appear in the next fifteen minutes. Last but not least, several football and basketball fields that everyone can use allow tourisits to play these sports as much as they wish. However, your ball is likely to enter the lake if you kick or throw it too hard.