Christmas In South Africa

African Christmas Ornament

Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday, so much like Florida, people flock to the beaches. You’ll see lots of carolers on Christmas Eve traveling from home to home. You may hear them shouting “Christ is coming! He is near!

Before Christmas Eve dinner, families go out and play games in parks together, then go home for the big Christmas Eve feast. Christmas dinner in South Africa most likely takes place outside at a park, and yellow rice with raisins and plum pudding are likely on the menu.

On Christmas morning, people are woken up by carols. A typical Christmas tree,  for example, is a palm tree adorned with lots of lights and bells.

Those who can afford it will generally give gifts at Christmas but the holiday is not nearly as commercial as it is in Europe or the Americas. Presents such as cotton cloth, soap, sweets, pencils, and books are exchanged. After presents are opened, the family  goes to  the morning a church service and is held in which the Christmas scene is enacted and hymns and carols are sung. Dinner is eaten outdoors with everyone sitting in a circle to share stories and make family memories. Then fireworks finish off Christmas night.

Merry Christmas in South Africa is said Geseende Kersfees!

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