Steve: Hi, this is Steve Webb, your OG Godcaster.
Steve: You're about to hear the LifeSpring Advent Calendar, which was recorded in 2006.
Steve: It's a daily show which will run right up to Christmas Day,
Steve: so be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Steve: Now, the story of Advent and Christmas is a timeless story, so it doesn't age.
Steve: However, the links and the phone numbers mentioned on the podcast have all changed but one.
Steve: WhyChristmas.com is still current and active,
Steve: and it's the best Christmas information website on the Internet.
Steve: LifeSpringPodcast.com now forwards you to LifeSpringMedia.com.
Steve: And the phone number you'll hear on the show is changed to plus 1-951-732-8511.
Steve: Welcome to Day 8 of the Lifespring Advent Calendar. I'm your host, Steve Webb.
Steve: Well, I guess we're starting to get through the calendar now. I wonder what's behind door number 8.
Steve: Let's take a look.
James: Well today Steve we're going to find out how different people around the world celebrate Christmas.
Steve: Oh, this is going to be fun.
James: We're going to start somewhere that's very warm during Christmas.
James: That's Ghana in Africa.
James: The Christmas celebrations in Ghana last from the 20th of December to the first week in January.
James: There are over 66 languages spoken in Ghana,
James: and all these groups have their own traditions and customs.
James: I think that could keep an advent calendar going all on its own.
James: The night of Christmas Eve is the time that the celebrations really start,
James: with church services that have drumming and dancing,
James: and sometimes the services can last all night long.
James: And then people also go to church on Christmas Day, and they're dressed in their best colourful traditional clothes.
James: After the service, people return home for the start of more parties.
James: It sounds like Ghana really knows how to celebrate Christmas in style.
Steve: Did you know that there are over 25 million Christians in India?
Steve: In Bombay, Christians often put a manger in the front window of the house,
Steve: and there's a great competition as to see who can have the best display.
Steve: Giant paper lanterns in the shape of stars are hung in the streets between the houses,
Steve: so they float above as you walk down the road.
Steve: Because you don't get many evergreen fir trees in India,
Steve: a banana or mango tree is sometimes decorated as a Christmas tree.
Steve: And in India, Santa Claus delivers presents on a horse and a cart.
Steve: I guess that gives the reindeer a rest.
James: Well, over in the UK, I think we have a Christmas holiday that you don't have over there in the States, Steve.
James: Boxing Day.
James: It's the day after Christmas, the 26th, and it started about 800 years ago.
James: And it was the day when the alms boxes, which are a type of collection box for the poor that were often kept in churches, were open so the contents could be distributed.
James: And it's also the day that household servants and staff normally had the day off work, so they could celebrate Christmas with their families.
James: Over the year it became the day when workmen would get their Christmas box or tip, but not many are given out on Boxing Day now.
James: And of course, it's also the first day that you can start having cold turkey sandwiches for lunch.
Steve: No, we don't have that one, James.
Steve: Perhaps I could try starting it here.
Steve: Do you have any more customs for us?
James: Well, I'd just like to say a quick happy Christmas to my cousins over in New Zealand.
James: And I hope they enjoy their barbecue for Christmas dinner.
James: And do you know, they sometimes have a full British-style Christmas meal with turkey and all the trimmings in the middle of June,
James: which of course is their winter rather than December, which is the middle of their summer.
James: So, however you're celebrating Christmas, I hope you have a great time.
Steve: Yes, enjoy. Have a great time.
Music: I played my best for you
Music: Bum-ba-bum-bum
Steve: Hey, if you've got a special custom or a tradition where you live or come from,
Steve: we'd love to hear about it.
Steve: You can either contact me at steve.lifespring at gmail.com,
Steve: or email James over at www.whychristmas.com.
Steve: We'd love to add it to the calendar.
Steve: As always, the theme music today was furnished by Brian Duncan and the Neal Soul Band with This Christmas,
Steve: and a little bit of a different arrangement of Drummer Boy was performed by The Alice Project.
Steve: I'm Steve Webb, and this has been Day 8 of the Lightspring Advent Calendar.
Music: And it's what I want
Music: This Christmas
Music: And it's what I want for you
Music: The story is told
Music: This Christmas
Music: Of a newborn love
Music: This Christmas
Music: It's the best of all I know
Music: This Christmas brings