Indonesians celebrate Ascension Day, one of the most significant Christian holidays, each year with an array of traditions. The most notable traditions may be those surrounding the Cathedral Church (Jakarta), though celebrations for this Indonesia holiday do go beyond this. In this article, we’ll be going over celebrations as well as Ascension Day meaning in Indonesia.
By learning about Indonesian culture, including the most significant Indonesian holidays, you’re opening yourself up to a greater comprehension of the country and its language. In turn, this will greatly improve your Indonesian language skills as you learn it in context of a greater, more vivid picture. And at IndonesianPod101.com, we hope to make this learning journey both fun and informative!
1. What is Ascension Day in Indonesia?
1- The Basics
Kenaikan Isa Almasih or Ascension Day is one of the important days of the Christian tradition that is celebrated forty days after Easter. According to the New Testament, on the 40th day after the resurrection, Jesus brought his disciples to the Mount of Olives to see Him go into heaven.
The Ascension Day of Isa Almasih is commonly mentioned as the Ascension Day of Jesus Christ by Christians. Isa Almasih is the title given to Jesus Christ in Al-Quran. Isa is “Jesus” in Arabic and Masih is “Messiah” in Arabic.
2- Is Ascension Thursday a Holy Day of Obligation?
So, is the Ascension a holy day of obligation? This is a common question regarding Ascension Thursday in Indonesia.
The answer is “yes.” This indicates that Indonesian Catholics are expected to go to the Mass service on this day at a Christ Cathedral (Jakarta or elsewhere).
2. When is Ascension Day?
The date of Ascension Day varies from year to year, as it is the fortieth day of Easter. For your convenience, here’s a list of this holiday’s date for the next ten years.
2019: May 30
2020: May 21
2021: May 13
2022: May 26
2023: May 18
2024: May 9
2025: May 29
2026: May 14
2027: May 6
2028: May 25
3. Reading Practice: Indonesian Ascension Day Traditions
How do Indonesians celebrate Ascension Day? Find out by reading the Indonesian text below, and find the English translation below it.
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Tradisi yang lazim dilakukan oleh umat Kristen pada hari ini adalah ziarah makam. Sejak subuh, taman pemakaman umum sudah mulai dipenuhi orang yang ingin berziarah ke makam keluarga dan leluhur yang sudah meninggal dunia. Kesempatan ini dipakai untuk mendoakan arwah keluarga kepada Yesus dengan harapan agar mereka naik ke surga, sama seperti Kristus. Setelah berdoa, mereka melakukan prosesi tabur bunga di atas pusara.
Pada hari ini pun, umat Kristen menghadiri misa dan kebaktian di gereja. Kelompok-kelompok gereja, seperti kelompok pemuda dan anak-anak sekolah minggu, juga sering menggunakan hari libur ini untuk mengadakan kegiatan sosial yang diwarnai oleh semangat kenaikan Isa Almasih.
Libur nasional ini jatuh pada hari Kamis setiap tahunnya. Kesempatan ini digunakan oleh banyak orang yang tidak merayakan untuk berakhir pekan yang panjang dengan mengambil cuti di hari kejepit, yaitu hari Jumat, dan berjalan-jalan ke luar kota bersama keluarga.
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The common tradition performed by the Christian on this day is visiting grave sites. From dawn, the public cemetery is crowded with people visiting the dead ancestors’ and family members’ graves. This opportunity is used to pray for the family members’ spirit to Jesus with the hope that they go to heaven, just like Christ. After praying, they continue with the procession of flower sowing on the grave.
On that day, Christians attend mass and service in church. The church groups, such as the youth group and the Sunday school students often use this holiday to hold social activities that are colored by the spirit of Ascension of Jesus Christ.
This public holiday is celebrated on Thursday each year. This opportunity is used by many people who don’t celebrate it to have a long weekend by taking leave on Friday, the day squeezed in between (or “sandwiched”), and having a trip out of town with the family.
4. Sunday School Activities for Ascension Day
What activities are often conducted by Sunday school students on the Ascension Day of Jesus Christ?
Usually Sunday school students attend a service in the classroom. In welcoming the Ascension of Jesus Christ, they conduct the service on the hilly land to appreciate the event of the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Another way to appreciate it is by releasing balloons into the air.
5. Useful Vocabulary for Indonesian Ascension Day
Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Ascension Day in Indonesia!
If you want to hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, check out our Ascension Day in Indonesia vocabulary list. Here, you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation.
Conclusion
Do you celebrate Ascension in your own country? If so, are celebrations similar or different from those in Indonesia? Let us know in the comments!
To learn more about culture and holidays in Indonesia, visit us at IndonesianPod101.com. Here, we have something for every learner and every learner can master the language and culture of Indonesia with our array of learning tools! Through insightful blog posts like this one, free vocabulary lists, and an online community forum, we hope to make your Indonesian learning experience both fun and informative! Also check out the features of our MyTeacher program, and consider upgrading to a Premium Plus account to take advantage of this one-on-one learning opportunity.
Know that your hard work will pay off, and you’ll be speaking Indonesian like a native before you know it!
Learn all the Indonesian New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join IndonesianPod101 for a special Indonesian New Year celebration!
Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.
So, how do you say Happy New Year in Indonesian? Let a native teach you! At IndonesianPod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Indonesian New Year wishes!
New Year’s Day, which falls on January 1, is the day that marks the turning of the solar year in Indonesia. Like in other countries, New Year’s Day is celebrated in various ways in Indonesia.
Now, before we go into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-
Do you know how many times in one night the Indonesian people count down to the New Year?
If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. So, keep reading.
On New Year’s Eve, most Indonesian people love to be outside of the house, in Indonesian rumah, gathering together in centers of activity. There are also many who like to drive, which means that road congestion is often inevitable. In Jakarta, vehicles have great difficulty passing through roads near the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout as it’s always a hotspot for people to gather. Ancol Beach is also a favorite place to wait for the last seconds of the turning of the year, or tahun. In Yogyakarta, Malioboro is a very popular spot to hang out while eating gudeg, a sweet-savory dish consisting of rice, vegetables, and poultry all cooked in coconut milk. Trumpets, or terompet, sell well on New Year’s Eve, and when the year changes, the trumpets blare.
More traditional communities celebrate the new year with spiritual activities, gathering at home with family to pray. Christians begin the new year by worshiping at their church, or gereja. The turning of the solar year is especially important for Christians, who begin the new year with a special mass or church service.
Various year-end event packages are also offered by hotels and tourist spots at extravagant prices. More economical enjoyments may take place in an empty field with an offering of dangdut music, a genre of music originating from the Arabic gambus, and which is played with a single organ and a female singer. With this single organ, the public dances dangdut into the early morning while enjoying a type of savory fried food, instant coffee, and Indonesian ginger tea provided by street vendors, in Indonesian called pedagang kaki lima.
Now it’s time to answer our quiz question-
Do you know how many times in one night the Indonesian people count down to the New Year?
The answer is three times. Indonesia has three different time zones. Jakarta, the capital of the country, is located in the last time zone to enter the new year.
Happy New Year!
Selamat Tahun Baru!
2. Must-Know Indonesian Words & Phrases for the New Year!
1- Year
tahun
This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Indonesia could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?
2- Midnight
tengah malam
The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!
3- New Year’s Day
hari tahun baru
In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.
4- Party
pesta
A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.
5- Dancing
dansa
Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.
6- Champagne
sampanye
Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.
7- Fireworks
kembang api
These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.
8- Countdown
hitung mundur
This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!
9- New Year’s Holiday
Liburan Tahun Baru
In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.
10- Confetti
konfeti
In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.
11- New Year’s Eve
Malam Tahun Baru
This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?
12- Toast
bersulang
A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!
13- Resolution
resolusi
Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!
14- Parade
parade
New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At IndonesianPod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Indonesian New Year celebrations are like!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions
So, you learned the Indonesian word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at IndonesianPod101 – what are yours?
Learn these phrases and impress your Indonesian friends with your vocabulary.
1- Read more
Lebih banyak membaca.
Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Indonesian in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Indonesian language skills!
2- Spend more time with family
Meluangkan waktu lebih banyak dengan keluarga.
Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.
3- Lose weight
Menurunkan berat badan.
Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!
4- Save money
Menabung.
Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to IndonesianPod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!
5- Quit smoking
Berhenti merokok.
This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.
6- Learn something new
Mempelajari sesuatu yang baru.
Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!
7- Drink less
Mengurangi minum-minum.
This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!
8- Exercise regularly
Berolahraga secara teratur.
This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.
9- Eat healthy
Makan makanan yang sehat.
If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!
10- Study Indonesian with IndonesianPod101
Belajar bahasa Indonesia dengan IndonesianPod101.com
Of course! You can only benefit from learning Indonesian, especially with us! Learning how to speak Indonesian can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. IndonesianPod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.
Make decorative notes of these in Indonesian, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Indonesian incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
Still undecided whether you should enroll with IndonesianPod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.
As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Indonesian could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Indonesian – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Indonesian – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.
7. Why Enrolling with IndonesianPod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!
If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Indonesian! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that IndonesianPod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!
Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Indonesian at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Indonesian that makes sense!
Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!
Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Indonesian? IndonesianPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Indonesian Christmas phrases!
Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Indonesian speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, IndonesianPod101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Indonesian!
Christmas, or the birthday of Jesus Christ, is celebrated on December 25 in almost all parts of the world, including Indonesia. The tradition of putting up a Christmas tree, decorating the house, pilgrimages to ancestral graves, and visiting family are all traditions commonly observed by Christians all over Indonesia.
Let’s talk about the massive Christmas celebrations in the province with a Christian-majority population. The North Sulawesi province.
Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-
What percentage of the Indonesian population celebrates Christmas?
If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. So, keep reading.
During the month of December, the government of Manado City in North Sulawesi holds a Christmas safari, or Safari Natal. During the Christmas safari, they visit different cities to have meet-and-greet events and worship with members of the community. As preparation for Christmas, residents of Manado also parade through the city and carry out the tradition of visiting family graves, in Indonesian called ziarah, in which family graves are cleaned and decorated with Christmas lights. Christmas festivities end in the first week of January with the Kunci Taon tradition, in which people parade around town wearing funny, socially themed costumes, or in Indonesian, kostum.
In South Sulawesi, in the area of Toraja, local authorities hold Lovely December, an annual festival of culture and tourism. The event starts at the beginning of December and is characterized by the slaughter of spotted buffalo, or kerbau. This series of festivals includes a carnival, a Christmas bazaar, buffalo contests, artistic performances, exhibitions, handicrafts, and culinary exhibitions. The festival culminates on December 26 with a procession called lettoan, a parade contest of pigs dressed with Toraja Tribe cultural symbols.
In Kampung Tugu, an area located in Jakarta, the locals perform Rabo-rabo, a tradition passed down from soldiers of Portuguese descent who settled in Jakarta. Not exactly on Christmas Day, but right at the beginning of the year, residents will visit homes singing songs in keroncong, a music genre that originates from Portuguese music. The songs sung are Christmas songs, but what is unique is that those who are visited will usually join in the singing and accompany the singers to the next house.
Sending parcels, or hantaran, is a tradition of the Indonesian people in times of celebration. During the time of Eid, Muslims traditionally send diamond-shaped packed rice to neighbors. Around Christmas time, Christians return the gift by sending parcels in the form of pastries.
Now it’s time to answer our quiz question-
What percentage of the Indonesian population celebrates Christmas?
Around ten percent of Indonesia’s population is Christian. Thus, there are only a few places that hold big celebrations.
2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season
1- Merry Christmas!
Selamat hari Natal!
Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Indonesian? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!
2- Happy Kwanzaa!
Selamat Kwanzaa!
Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!
3- Have a happy New Year!
Selamat Tahun Baru, semoga bahagia selalu!
In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.
4- Happy Hanukkah!
Selamat Hanukkah!
Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.
5- Have a great winter vacation!
Selamat berliburan musim dingin!
This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.
6- See you next year!
Sampai jumpa tahun depan!
Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.
7- Warm wishes!
Salam hangat!
An informal, friendly phrase to write in Indonesian Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.
8- Happy holidays!
Selamat liburan!
If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Indonesian, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.
9- Enjoy the holidays!
Nikmatilah liburan!
After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Indonesian, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.
10- Best wishes for the New Year!
Semoga sukses di tahun yang baru!
This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.
3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Indonesian! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At IndonesianPod101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!
1- Christmas
Hari Natal
This is the Indonesian word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Indonesian will include this word!
2- Snow
salju
In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.
3- Snowflake
bunga salju
Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.
4- Snowman
manusia salju
As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.
5- Turkey
kalkun
Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?
6- Wreath
rangkaian bunga bundar
Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.
7- Reindeer
rusa kutub
Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?
8- Santa Claus
Sinterklas
Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!
9- Elf
peri
An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!
10- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph si rusa kutub berhidung merah
‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!
11- North Pole
Kutub Utara
The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!
12- Sled
kereta luncur
A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.
13- Present
hadiah
Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.
14- Bell
lonceng
On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.
15- Chimney
cerobong asap
The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!
16- Fireplace
perapian
In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!
17- Christmas Day
Hari Natal
This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.
18- Decoration
hiasan
Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.
19- Stocking
stoking
According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.
20- Holly
holly
Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.
21- Gingerbread house
rumah gingerbread
According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.
22- Candy cane
permen tongkat
According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!
23- Mistletoe
mistletoe
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!
4. Twelve Days of Christmas
Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Indonesian, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.
‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?
5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture
This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Indonesian! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.
6. IndonesianPod101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!
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