Snapshot of what Christmas in Canada is like

No matter where you find yourself during the holiday season in Canada, there are a few Christmas traditions you are likely to experience.

Christmas is officially a religious observance of Jesus Christ’s birth, the central figure of Christianity. But over half of Canadians observe Christmas as a secular holiday these days.

While Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas are celebrated at the national level, Canada does not have an official religion, and more than half of the population identifies as Christian. To celebrate Christmas, Canadians do not need to be Christian, however. In Canadian political culture, religious equality and diversity are cornerstones. As such, many Canadians, particularly during the holiday season, attempt to hold on to the spirit of diversity and inclusion.

Here are some popular Christmas time rituals without further ado, which you will definitely find Canadians doing during the month of December.

Saying, though not in a religious way, ‘Merry Christmas,’

Even among those who consider Christmas to be secular, “Merry Christmas” is the most popular holiday greeting. Christmas is now considered to be a secular holiday by about two thirds of people who say “Merry Christmas”. Just about a third of Canadians use the words’ Happy Holidays’.

Asking for gifts from Santa Claus

You may have heard of Santa Claus, he’s a jolly fellow wearing a red hat and a white beard carrying Christmas gifts to the kids. Ok, in Canada, Santa’s postal address is… oh yeah.

An annual limited time window is provided by Canada Post for children to send letters to the North Pole to write letters to Santa, and receive a reply before December 25.

Alternatively, at most big shopping malls, you will find Santa. Canadians are going to bring their kids with Santa to take a photo, and they will get a chance to chat face-to-face with him.

The last opportunity to chat with Santa is on Christmas Eve. “Typically, children leave milk and cookies out with a note that may be a final reminder of what is on their wish list, or just to say “Merry Christmas.

Xmas shopping

Canadians enjoy spending money mostly during holidays.

According to the Retail Council of Canada, Canadians spent a median of $792 on Christmas gifts in 2019. Canadians are going to spend about three-fourths of their Christmas budget on others, and the rest on something for themselves.

For their loved ones, the most popular gifts that Canadians would purchase come under consumable categories like food, alcohol, and candy. Second and third, clothes and toys come in.

Getting too much to eat

To celebrate Christmas, Canadians are most likely to have a turkey dinner, while a growing number are eating chicken or going vegetarian. The main course, with potatoes, vegetables, cranberries and desserts, is the traditional Christmas meal.

Cutting Christmas trees down

There is also a common practice of trudging into the wilderness to carry home a tree to cut down. The lawfulness of cutting down trees varies by province, some require licenses, and some regions allow people to purchase from tree vendors. Farms in Canada are also available where you can pay a fee to cut your own Christmas tree. In 2016, Canadians purchased some 77.6 million dollars worth of Christmas trees.

Catching the lights

Like moths, during the holidays, Canadians love lights. There is some form of tradition in most communities where Canadians will enjoy Christmas light displays.

Some parks, maybe with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows, will be decked out with Christmas lights for individuals to explore. Some light festivals, such as Illumi in Quebec, could not even stop a global pandemic from lighting up trees and throwing out illuminated decorations