Update:
The giveaway has now ended:
http://www.gog.com/forum/general/the_great_nations_gog_giveaway_5_special_festive_edition/post30


The Great Nations GOG Giveaway #5 - Special Festive Edition.

Welcome to the fifth Great Nations Giveaway - Special Festive Edition! As it is the festive season, I thought I would host an international edition of the Great Nations Giveaway. For this edition, I want you to share an interesting fact on a tradition, custom, or event that you celebrate or that happened/happens during the month of December. These traditions can include those regions who do not celebrate Christmas, but rather their own traditions and events, as I am interested to learn more about how other cultures celebrate their own festivities in December. Whether these be Pagan (Winter Solace), Christian, Atheist, Jewish, Islamic, Martian, or anything else. If it happens in December and is an interesting fact about your country, region, religion, or culture, then it qualifies.

Usually these giveaways have a selection of games from the featured country, but as this edition is international, I will just give a $5.99 prize to two lucky winners. The aim of these giveaways is to share interesting facts from all over the world, in this case, fact about traditions, customs, or events that happen/happened anytime during the month of December. I was originally going to call it a Christmas Special, out of habit, but I was interested to see what other interesting things happen around the world. It doesn't have to be something big, in fact small regional events and traditions are often very interesting.

Everyone who wishes to enter the giveaway is required to post an interesting fact related to a tradition, custom, or event that occurs during December. It can be a place, a landmark, a person, an historical even, a tradition, custom, or anything at all that is interesting or entertaining. You cannot just include a picture as your fact, you would have to accompany the picture with a description for it to count as a valid entry, so no posting just an image by itself.

The only condition to this is that it must not be something derogatory or that puts a country, people, or religion in a bad light. Every country, people and religion has it's unsavoury elements and history, but that's not what I want to highlight here. I want to highlight the high points, its culture, heritage, and history. Even if you are not entering the giveaway for the prizes, you are more than welcome to add an interesting fact.

The Rules:
1. Say if you are in or not.
2. Open to anyone who joined before November 2014 and has a rep of at least 25.
3. You can enter for yourself or another person (maximum of 2 entries per person).
4. You must include an interesting fact (see above).
5. Interesting and detailed posts may get an additional bonus entry.
6. The giveaway will end on Friday 12th December at 18:00 GMT.
7. The winner will be chosen randomly by a paper raffle.

In the parts of Germany where I come from, it's a tradition to arrange a small nativity scene (crib) at home at the beginning of the Advent and it stays there until January. It's usually made of natural components like moss, twigs, bark and sand, arranged around a stable or grotto. The figures are traditionally made of wood or gypsum, but there are also cheap plastic variants. The stable I'm using was built by my great-grandfather and I love to arrange it a little different every year.

Thanks for the giveaway ddickinson! I'm in.

"Didn't those traditions trascended form Spain?, since I come from Venezuela, and we were colonized and teached catolicism by them, and we do those cribs here too!, maybe is the influence of catolic religion, I guess"

Not in & +1! :DD

Hmm, looks interesting enough. Count me in and thanks for another educational GA. :)

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Here in Slovakia, Christmas (as Slovaks are mostly Catholics) is probably the most popular and celebrated holiday. Normally the whole family meets to have a Christmas dinner, which is held on the 24th of December (on the Christmas Eve).

It usually starts with christmas wafers (served with either garlic or honey), mushroom soup or (more often) cabbage soup ("kapustnica" - with mushrooms, sausage and/or smoked meat). The soup is followed by either fried carp ("kapor") or a schnitzel with potato salad. As the last meal are served "<span class="bold">opekance</span>" (also called "bobaľky", usually with poppy seeds or chopped hazelnuts). There are normally also apples, different kinds of nuts, gingerbread or pumpernickels on the Christmas dinner table.
(And, of course, 99,9% of Slovaks drink a tons of Kofola, but that's not a tradition :( ... yet. :P)

Children get presents mainly two times during the Advent and Christmas season; from Sv&auml;t&yacute; Mikul&aacute;&scaron; (St. Nicholas) on the 6th of December (they put one of their rubber boots, cleaned and polished, on a window sill and find the gifts there in the morning) and from [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ježiško]Ježiško[/url] (the Child Jesus) on the Christmas Eve. After the dinner, children go to a decorated "Vianočná jedlička" (small Christmas fir tree), under which usually presents are.

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Hope that I described everything I wanted to. But I probably didn't. (And BTW, don't take that Kofola part absolutely seriously. :P)

* Daily Bump! *

A big thank you to everyone who has taken part so far. If few people enter by this time next week, then I will end the giveaway early, so that the winners can use their $5.99 prize in the sale and maybe get multiple games.

We have a local dead celebrity poet here in Indiana, and he has a remarkable poem about this time of year. My wife just this week, so in December, took a class of fourth graders to visit the home of the dead poet. And, while there, the kids in unison recited for the staff:

James Whitcomb Riley. 1853–1916

"When the Frost is on the Punkin"

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best, 5
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here— 10
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock— 15
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill; 20
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps 25
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me— 30
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

I am in, please and thank you!

An awesome idea for a giveaway!
I don't think there're a lot of festivals or such that happen in Pakistan in December, though. There is Quaid-e-Azam Day, the birthday of the founder of Pakistan, which is a public holiday, but no real customs related to it. Since it is on the 25th of December, it is mostly used as an excuse for people to celebrate Christmas in some superficial way, or for Pakistani Christians to celebrate it freely.

Most festivally type things follow the Islamic Calendar, which is shorter than the Gregorian Calendar, so they don't stay fixed in the (Gregorian) year. Up until a couple years ago, for a couple years, Ramzan (the month of fasting) was in winter (and December).
It's kinda funny, although not unexpected, I suppose :D, that a month of fasting would be marked by loads and loads of eating and tasty foods :D. Fasting occurs from dawn till dusk, so just before dawn and just after dusk there's a LOT of eating going on. Typical stuff that you'd see at the meal:
Rooh Afza and dates, what you'd open your fast with. In winter there'd be less ice and maybe have it in milk instead of water. Rooh Afza is a sort of rose extract drink.
Kashmiri Tea would be the alternate one to drink at night preparing for the fast. It's a pretty heavy, butter/creamy tea type thing with crushed nuts and stuff.
Fruit Chaat, which is basically spicy fruit salad.
Samosas and Pakoras, basically savoury pastry type things filled usually with potato or mince or some vegetable.
Jalebis, which are sweet wheat things, fried in rose water and syrup

...I'm a bit hungry now...
EDIT: Oh, and I'd like to be in, thanks!

Not in this time, but thanks for the giveaway!

In the Netherlands, we have this can of worms called 'Sinterklaas' on the fifth of December. It used to be all jolly and good - a feast mostly for children, although adults celebrate it as well. An old guy with a beard and a robe shows up from Spain bearing gifts. So far, so good. However, he has these helpers called Black Pete, and for the past few years, there have been huge discussions about whether Black Pete is racist or not, and whether he needs to change. As for me, I feel that some changes are definitely in order, but mention that to most Dutch people and they'll go ballistic. Either way, the discussion has sucked most of the joy out of the event, and I've just stopped celebrating it altogether. It's especially alarming to see how riled up people get over this discussion. There's even been violence.

Edit: this is not exactly positive, sorry about that. Just thought about it because it's a pretty big thing in the Netherlands, and the discussion over it has gotten really heated, so I guess it's at the forefront of my mind. :P Don't let me spoil the fun.

Where are all of the participants? *looks around* So strange! Well, I'll be in since the GA needs some love! :D

We have our Christmas at home with our respective families, then pack up the kids and head over to my parents' place for a potluck dinner. With Dad's mother, four kids, seven grandchildren, and the sons and daughter-in-law, that makes for a whole lot of people! My brother and his four children have been living in Japan for the past 2 years, so that's 6 fewer people, and the house is still full!

My husband and I take separate cars since our youngest (our non-verbal autistic) can't tolerate the noise and shuts down quickly. When we get to Mom & Dad's, we immediately do presents for my hubby and our youngest, and as soon as she shuts down, they go back home, leaving myself and eldest to enjoy the festivities. We eat dinner then head into the living room to open presents. When things quiet down, we'll watch little brother's family video for the year (always sweet and funny!). By then I'm usually feeling guilty for my husband missing out, so I pack up a plate of food, eldest, and our Christmas "loot", and head home to spend the rest of the day basking in Christmas cheer with my family at home. :)

December 7th is the traditional opening day for the new season of Milan's Scala theatre. It's the feast day of St. Ambrose, the patron saint of the city.

The premiere this year is going to be Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. Directed by Daniel Barenboim.

Can I please be entered for a chance to win a $5.99 game? Thanks. This isn't a tradition in a whole country, but it was a tradition in my house when I was a small child. Once a year, when it got to be Christmas season, my stepfather would make eggnog for the whole family.

It was such delicious eggnog! But some time after drinking it (hours or days), at least some members of my family would get what seemed to be a stomach virus or something. We weren't sure what it was, but the illness came every year like clockwork, and symptoms only lasted about 24 hours. Not once did any of us ever say, "Maybe we should stop drinking this eggnog every year!" It was just what you did during the Christmas season, and it helped us get in the holiday spirit because it only happened during Christmas season.

Now I know I am lactose intolerant and probably shouldn't have been drinking eggnog, but nobody knew that at the time. And you know what? Even now, knowing I'm lactose intolerant, if I could go back in time, I wouldn't stop myself from drinking that eggnog! It was the best eggnog I've ever had!

I'm In.

I was born in the Soviet Union. Did you know 80% of males who born in 1923 and beyond, did not survive the second world war?

I'm in for genkicolleen, thanks for the giveaway dd!

I need to hire a ghostwriter so I can keep up with all your giveaways, seriously they pop up like mushrooms on a humid summer day.
This time, I can very conveniently copy paste my post from your Switzerland giveaway where I preemptively shared information about our traditions in December:

In my hometown, we have a tradition called "Tricheln" (Trychlen/Treicheln) which happens on Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th. A trychle or treichel is a cowbell and on that day several groups of school children hang cowbells around their hips and accompany Santa Claus and his Schmutzlis as a sort of human cow herd, making lots of noise. Every neighborhoods gets its own Santa & Schmutzlis & Trychle team and I used to take part in this tradition as a kid as well. It's fun going from house to house and watching Santa knock on every door and hand out candy, nuts and fruit. Sometimes, it was brutally cold but we were always rewarded with free lunch plus gingerbread and whipped cream and a commemorative Five Francs coin later on. You could trade these coins for real money or collect them and see them increase in value over time.
In high school, we had another Santa tradition that was quite fun as well: Every year in December, the entire school had to gather inside the school's theater hall, everyone including the teachers had to attend. A week or so earlier, you could secretly rat out your fellow students to Santa if they did something that you thought Santa would deem worthy of punishment and Santa (a dressed up senior student) would then read out these bad deeds in comedic poem form.
The culprits would then have to walk up to the stage where they would accept their punishment, usually something non-violent like getting their hair soaked with water that had sugar in it or something along those lines. Schmutzlis (dressed up seniors as well) were there to lend a helpful hand with the water boarding or whatever was in order and 'persuade' reluctant students who didn't want to get up on stage with slaps from long brooms made from hazel tree branches.
But in most cases the actual punishment was the simple fact that the entire school would hear what the students did and that was embarrassing enough.

Fortunately, I never had the pleasure of being a culprit (nor did I rat out anyone else) but I had the pleasure of being a Schmutzli once, and I also helped with writing some of the culprit stories into rhyme form. We borrowed black robes from the monks from the adjacent monastery, painted our faces black and equipped ourselves with Schmutzli weaponry, aka those long brooms. Our Santa that year was the strongest guy in school, a heavyweight champion in fact, so he technically didn't need any Schmutzli goons for his protection but nevertheless, Schmutzlis are a must-have tradition and the dirty arm of noble Santa law. Our job was to slam the broom ends into the stage floor after every sentence Santa made, this was to add to his authority and the scary atmosphere. Might add that they always played Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana at the beginning of each year's ceremony, that nicely set the tone for what was to come. We also had to smack people with our brooms if they didn't walk up to the stage fast enough, or if they looked at Santa the wrong way. "Wrong" being up to personal interpretation. But like I said, people are more scared about being embarrassed in front of the entire school than they are scared about getting hit by Schmutzli brooms.
Most culprits didn't resist too much except for one guy who was very athletic and tried to grab my broom, fortunately he wasn't too smart about it and only grabbed the broom with one hand while I held onto it with both hands. So even though he was way stronger he only managed to break off the tip which resulted in the broom becoming shorter but more effective as in less pliable. This new effectiveness was tested out on his rear end promptly. I strongly dislike any and all non-consensual violence but this was for a good cause, traditions must be honored. Plus, we mostly just hit the naughty ones and especially those who we know were not nice to their peers and thus in need of some of their own medicine. Sadly, some of the worst people weren't being called up to the stage because our Santa law usually addressed particular -often comedic- incidents and not general evilness of people. There is no justice system in the world that punishes those who deserve it most the way they really deserve it.
Being a Schmutzli is not easy because teenagers are in general somewhat irresponsive of law and order (especially considering both Santa and the Schmutzlis are teenagers as well), but it's a very interesting experience even if it isn't anything that adds to your future professional resume. Although I could add a line saying "extrajudicial law enforcement experience in paramilitary organization operating in- and outside Geneva convention parameters"