Winter Holidays Across the World: Seasonal Celebrations Overseas

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For many individuals, winter includes journey and new experiences—whether or not which means escaping the chilly climate again dwelling or looking for a comfortable winter wonderland overseas. In quite a few international locations all over the world, winter is a time to return collectively and luxuriate in distinctive seasonal traditions and holidays. For anybody inquisitive about finding out or interning overseas, wintertime is great for exploring new cultures, studying about native customs, and pursuing your tutorial or skilled objectives. 

Expertise the magic of the season abroad! Listed below are a couple of distinctive winter holidays you may have a good time as a scholar or intern overseas. 

Dongzhi Competition – South Korea 

Acknowledged in japanese Asian international locations like China and South Korea, the Dongzhi Competition celebrates the winter solstice, which marks the longest evening and shortest day of the 12 months. On the winter solstice, yin power (which symbolizes darkness and coldness) reaches its peak, after which the times start to develop longer and yang power (representing gentle and warmth) waxes. This vacation represents hope, renewal, and the pure cycles of life and nature, the move of yin and yang, evening and day. For individuals who have a good time the Dongzhi Competition, it’s additionally a time to reconnect with household and luxuriate in conventional meals like pink bean porridge (patjuk). 

By doing a research overseas or worldwide internship program in Seoul throughout the fall semester, college students have the prospect to expertise Dongzhi rituals firsthand, witness native celebrations, and embrace the heat of Korean winter vacation traditions. Enterprise to historic websites all through the town to soak within the native festivities, equivalent to Hanok Village—dwelling to a whole bunch of conventional homes, the place you may watch as masked folks dancers chase away evil spirits with their efficiency. In your method, cease by the Gyeongbokgung Palace for an opportunity to see this conventional South Korean landmark blanketed within the comfortable velvet of mid-winter snow. 

Boxing Day – England & Australia 

Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26, finds its roots in Victorian England. This vacation was possible created as a break day for servants and the working poor to return to their households and have a good time the season after serving their employers on Christmas Day. Right now, it’s a public vacation within the U.Okay. and commonwealth nations equivalent to Australia the place individuals change items, proceed vacation celebrations, and watch sporting occasions. 

Though many fall research overseas college students and interns in England or Australia can have returned dwelling by the point Boxing Day arrives, those that journey after their program ends or keep over earlier than their second, consecutive program begins in January, can expertise the post-Christmas celebrations firsthand. Doing so offers the chance to take pleasure in extra seasonal treats, discover native traditions, and soak within the winter vacation environment that carries via the top of the 12 months. 

Carnival – Europe & Latin America 

Celebrated in international locations the world over, Carnival is a winter vacation custom main as much as lent, typically marked by colourful parades and full of life events. Cities like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; New Orleans, U.S.; and Venice, Italy, are well-known for Carnival celebrations that includes their very own native influences of music, dance, and costumes. The Carnival interval begins after January 6, the Epiphany, and reaches its peak on the ultimate day earlier than Ash Wednesday. 

School college students and younger professionals finding out or interning overseas in Europe and Latin America throughout spring semester (which frequently consists of mid to late February) can take part on the spirited native celebrations. These finding out or interning overseas in Italy can enterprise to Venice to expertise Carnevale, which has been dwelling to well-known masqueradecelebrations stretching again to the Center Ages. Cities in Germany like Cologne and Düsseldorf are additionally well-known for his or her full of life Karneval or Fasching festivities that start as early as November and stretch into the pre-Lenten interval of late winter. Whereas Rio de Janeiro is greatest identified for its Carnaval celebrations in Latin America, Buenos Aires, Argentina, is one other nice metropolis to witness colourful parades and distinctive cultural performances that make this late winter vacation so particular. 

Saint Nicholas Day – Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic 

Saint Nicholas Day, additionally known as the Feast of Saint Nicholas, is well known on December 6 and honors the patron saint of youngsters and gift-giving. In a number of international locations throughout Europe, kids depart footwear or stockings out in a single day for St. Nicholas to fill with sweet and small items. 

Whereas the traditions and understanding of Saint Nicholas Day have largely been changed by Christmas celebrations, some cities and cities in Europe, together with these in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, nonetheless have a good time this Christian creation vacation. Go to the Christmas markets round Prague’s outdated city on the eve of Saint Nicholas Day to witness “Mikuláš” (St. Nicholas) impressed festivities, together with individuals dressed up as angels, devils, and St. Nicholas himself, who passes out sweet to deserving kids. In components of Germany and Austria, you may watch the St. Nicholas Day festivities come alive at charming vacation markets the place the red-cloaked Saint can typically be discovered greeting passersby. Some communities in Germany and Austria even have a Saint Nicholas parade the place you may witness the saint marching down the road along with his sinister companion, Krampus. In Hungary, public celebrations are much less widespread, however you may nonetheless really feel the “Mikulás” spirit as kids put together to obtain goodies of their footwear in a single day. 

Anybody inquisitive about experiencing these distinctive creation celebrations can research or intern overseas in Germany, Austria, Hungary, or the Czech Republic throughout fall semester. 

Las Posadas – Spain & Costa Rica 

Las Posadas is a nine-day winter vacation celebration main as much as Christmas that happens between December 16 – 24. The vacation is a commemoration and reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s seek for lodging in Bethlehem. Individuals journey from home to accommodate singing carols and having fun with treats with buddies, households, and neighbors. 

In Spain and a few Latin American international locations equivalent to Costa Rica, communities collect to benefit from the festivities with each other. Within the days main as much as Christmas, this is a superb time for anybody finding out or interning overseas in Costa Rica or Spain to completely immerse themselves locally and expertise the season via native music, meals, and festivity. 

Three Kings Day & Epiphany – Spain, Argentina, & Greece 

In lots of Spanish-speaking international locations, the Christmas season continues till January 6, when households have a good time Three Kings Day, also referred to as El Día de los Reyes Magos, the Epiphany, or “Little Christmas.” The vacation commemorates the arrival of the Three Sensible Males to see child Jesus and is crammed with colour, music, and custom. 

In Spain and Argentina, full of life “Cabalgatas” (parades) fill the streets with performers dressed up because the biblical kings Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar. Households share items and luxuriate in Roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped cake topped with candied fruit. Just like St. Nicholas Day traditions, kids pass over their greatest footwear and treats for the kings’ camels and wake to seek out small items and sweet in return. College students finding out or interning overseas early within the 12 months—throughout sure January Time period and choose spring semester packages can participate in these celebrations. 

In Greece, Epiphany is well known the identical day, honoring each the Magi and the baptism of Jesus. Coastal cities host the Blessing of the Waters, the place clergymen solid a cross into the ocean and swimmers dive to retrieve it—an emblem of renewal and luck for the 12 months forward.  

Hanukkah – Budapest 

Whereas Christmas festivities could also be extra in style in a lot of Western Europe and Latin America, many cities throughout Europe embrace Jewish tradition and traditions. Central and Jap European nations like Hungary are particularly well-known for his or her sturdy Jewish heritage andlively Hanukkah celebrations. 

Of all of the cities in Europe, Budapest is among the greatest locations to witness or participate in community-focused Hanukkah traditions. The Hungarian capital has an extended and wealthy historical past of Judaism; at present, it’s dwelling to the most important Jewish inhabitants within the area. On the primary evening of Hanukkah, these finding out or interning overseas in Budapest ought to go to the Metropolis Park Ice Rink—one of many largest and oldest in all of Europe—to witness a whole bunch of Jewish individuals and rabbis gathering to ice skate, sing songs, and lightweight menorahs in honor of this particular vacation. For any college students or younger professionals who desire a style of Jewish traditions overseas, experiencing Hanukkah in Budapest an excellent strategy to embrace the vacation! 

Uncover winter holidays all over the world—research or intern overseas with AIFS Overseas! 

Research or intern overseas within the winter with AIFS Overseas and expertise new vacation festivities that develop your cultural horizons and deepen your appreciation for the season. With AIFS Overseas’s useful program inclusions, equivalent to coordinating your housing and offering issues like journeys and excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site employees, and cultural and social actions, you’ll take consolation in realizing you’ll have help all through your complete expertise overseas.