What do Belgians do in Christmas?

As a former Christian nation, Belgium used to celebrate in a very traditional way with a multi course dinner on Christmas Eve, attendance at midnight mass and a visit to the greater family on Christmas Day. But young families tend to view Christmas more and more as a cosy gathering rather than a religious feast.

What are some Belgian traditions?

What is the common Christmas decoration in Belgium?

Advent wreaths and crowns are made from fir or leylandii greenery, with four candles, each candle lit represents a week counting down to Christmas. Belgians decorate their towns, homes, and Christmas trees with lights, baubles, garlands, reindeer, even even likenesses of St. Nick himself.

Do Belgians go to church on Christmas?

Belgian Christmas food and celebrations

Christmas is on 25 December. It is a religious occasion, with services in churches and quiet family gatherings. Families bake special cakes and serve them during the holiday season. A traditional dessert is a chocolate Christmas log, made of sponge roll, layered with cream.

Is Belgium good for Christmas?

There's a reason why this fairytale city is a favourite winter destination, as Bruges in winter is remarkable, with the best Christmas market in Belgium and some wonderful Christmas festive traditions, from St Nicolas arriving by boat to the traditional Yule Christmas chocolate log. Bruges has it all.

What To Do In Belgium at Christmas | Visiting Bruges, Brussels and Ghent

Where is the most Christmassy place in Belgium?

Liège is proud to be the very first Belgian city to feature a Christmas market, also claiming to have the largest in the country. Downtown Liège transforms into a Christmas village during the holiday season where little wooden chalets let you shop to your heart's content.

Does it snow in Belgium at Christmas?

There's little temperature variation in winter and it's rare you'll see much higher than 4°C on holiday. Snowfall is more likely in the hills on the east of Belgium, but you could still have a few light snow showers in December. Temperatures are very low in December with a daily average of just 4°C.

What do they call Santa in Belgium?

On 6 December, Sinterklaas or "de Sint" in Flemish and Saint-Nicolas in French, brings presents to well-behaved children in Belgium. He can be described as a more serious version of Santa Claus. The character has its origins in Nicholas of Myra, a Greek bishop from Myra who lived in the fourth century AD.

Is Belgium very religious?

Belgium's religious tradition is Catholic, although Protestant churches, mosques, synagogues and temples are found in most cities. About 65% of the population is Christian, of which 58% are Catholic. Members of Protestant, Eastern Orthodox churches and other Christian denominations make up 7%.

Is everything closed on Christmas Day in Belgium?

As Christmas Eve took place on a Sunday this year, shops and services will remain closed on Monday for Christmas Day. While those who celebrated may still be recovering from food comas, most shops will reopen on Tuesday (Boxing Day).

How do you say Merry Christmas in Belgian?

Belgian Christmas Traditions

In the Dutch/Flemish language you say Merry Christmas as 'Vrolijk Kerstfeest', French is 'Joyeux Noël' , in German it's 'Frohe Weihnachten' and in the Walloon dialect it's 'djoyeus Noyé'.

What is Belgium Christmas dessert?

Bûche de Noel or Yule Log

The traditional dessert, made with chocolate and buttercream, served on Christmas Eve. Its log-shape refers to a time when poor people would not invest in a feast at that time of the year but a large piece of wood to warm up the house all night.

Does Belgium have a Christmas tree?

Traditionally, the Grand-Place in the centre of Brussels hosts a real Christmas tree each year, taken from the Ardennes forest. The normal height for these trees is around 20 metres (66 ft) high.

What do Belgians celebrate?

Belgium's Independence Day, which falls on the 21st of July every year, is arguably the most significant public holiday in the country. This commemoration honors the momentous occasion when Leopold I took the constitutional oath, becoming the inaugural monarch to govern the Kingdom of Belgium.

What is Belgium's national dish?

Belgium's national dish – Moules-Frites – has frites as a side dish alongside it. Mussels are popular in Belgium because they are raised in the coastal areas and are cheap compared to clams and oysters. Mussels have a pleasant briny seafood flavor and are prepared in many ways.

What do Belgians believe in?

Religion. The majority of Belgians are Roman Catholic, but regular attendance at religious services is variable. Although it is marked in the Flemish region and the Ardennes, regular attendance at church has decreased in the Walloon industrial region and in Brussels, and nearly one-third of Belgians are nonreligious.

Are there Muslims in Belgium?

Belgium has a population of ten million people and 5% of them—over 500,000—are Muslim. Muslims also constitute about 20% of the population of Brussels, the capital of the European Union. Over 300,000 Belgian Muslims are of Moroccan ancestry and over 160,000 are Turkish.

Which country has 13 Santas?

Unlike most countries that have a single Father Christmas or Santa Claus, Icelandic children are fortunate enough to be visited by 13 Yule Lads (or Jólasveinar) over the last 13 nights before Christmas. The Yule Lads originate from Icelandic folklore, but are, of course, very much alive and well.

What is Santa's real name?

It is believed that the first Santa Claus was Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was a monk and therefore did not marry. The Santa Claus that we know lives in the North Pole. According to some North American sources, his original name was Kris Kringle before he changed his name to Santa Claus.

What is Father Christmas in Belgium?

Be careful not to confuse Santa Claus (Father Christmas) and Saint Nicholas! In Belgium, they are two very different people. Sinterklaas (in Dutch) is the celebration of Saint Nicholas in Belgium and the Netherlands on 6 December. Santa Claus is celebrated on 25 December.

Is Belgium open during Christmas?

Christmas Day is not dissimilar to a Sunday, public transport runs to a Sunday timetable for example, but many shops that normally open for part of the day on Sunday won't open on Christmas Day (but some will). Almost all tourist attractions will be closed, it is a Monday so many would be closed anyway.

Is Belgium nice in December?

December is the start of winter in Belgium and one of the coldest months of the year (next to January). It's also a pretty dark month, with the shortest day in late December, so expect the sun to rise at around 8:30 am and set by about 4:30 pm.

How do people dress in Belgium in December?

Combine your jeans with a warm sweater and don't forget a big, comfy coat. Belgians rarely leave the house without a scarf, even in summer, and you shouldn't either. A warm fluffy hat and nice gloves are a big plus, too. Belgium often has rainy days or even short moments of rain on an otherwise sunny day.