Christmas Around the World

One of my absolute favorite things to look forward to every Christmas season is the Frederick Meijer Garden's Christmas Around the World event. They have around 40 trees, and decorate each tree as a different country. It's so much fun to read the signs, learn about the traditions and see all the detail they put in. I gotta hand it to them, they spare no expense in this event. And now enjoy this photo dump of some of my favorite trees! Ukraine

Spider webs? Tradition has it that once upon a time, a pinecone dropped from a tree outside a family's home and started taking root. The children of the house were thrilled and couldn't wait to decorate it, but the parents were extremely worried because they knew they were too poor to ever afford decorations. The spiders within the house heard them, and during the night decorated the tree in beautiful webs that shone like silver. In Ukranian culture, spiders and webs are seen as a symbol of good fortune and good luck.

Mexico

 M would like to confirm that this is NOT how Mexcians decorate their trees, and never has he ever seen a pinata on a Christmas tree. He refused to take a picture next to it because it was so culturally inaccurate. what a shame, I kinda like the crazy pinatas.

Africa

Africa only got one tree because the whole continent is the same, le duh. 

This is supposed to be representative of life, as every single element of the tree they pick can be used for something different--leaves, trunk, roots, etc.

 Traditional Victorian Tree

Russia

Big fan of the Faberge eggs, not a fan of the creepy dolls.

Side note: I am always surprised by how many countries decorate with DOLLS. WHY?!

 American Indian

Or as M likes to call it, "the real Americans' tree." Because even after 700+ years, we are still not real Americans. Womp womp culture.

Belize

 Apparently they like to decorate with shells and fish ornaments in celebration of the coral reefs that surround them. 

Denmark on the left, Sweeden on the right

Finland

Netherlands

Japan

Greece

Other Random Pretty Things

How do you decorate your tree?  White lights, colored lights? Tinsel or no tinsel? Do any of your decorations hold cultural significance for you?