Do you know your 'Noche Buena' from your 'Braai'? With a crew representing more than 65 different nationalities across two vessels, we asked 11 crewmembers to share their favourite cultural Christmas traditions.
Christmas celebrations within OM’s Ship Ministry are always bursting with rich and diverse cultures. Crewmembers are given many opportunities throughout the Christmas season to share their cultural traditions through food, music, dance, traditional dress and so much more! These are occasions crewmembers learn from one another and grow in cultural understanding.
1. Peter (Zambia), Bookfair
“The entire week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is always filled with celebrations,” Peter said, describing Christmas in his home country. “When I was young, we would dance all night to the beat of African drums and traditional songs. Elders told children African tales of how life used to be. You could always find a party going on somewhere. On Christmas Eve, many Zambians celebrate until midnight and on Christmas Day they go to church where songs are sung and sometimes dances are performed. It’s also custom that all children go to one house and all the adults go to a different house to have a party and eat throughout the day. Beef or goat meat is commonly eaten, as well as Nshima (corn meal).”
Speaking of his first Christmas on board Doulos Hope, Peter said, “This Christmas, I look forward to being together with my international family on board and learning how Christmas is celebrated in other cultures.”
2. Shura (Ecuador/Chile), Crewmember
Shura is about to celebrate her third Christmas on board Logos Hope with her family. She said, "I enjoy celebrating with people from all over the world and having a small taste of different cultural traditions thorugh the Advent Services on board. We love celebrating Advent and lighting the Advent candles. It's not somethign that's widely celebrated in our region. Maybe we will keep this special tradition when we go home to Ecuador."
Shura’s daughter, Michaela, added, “It’s cool to see people experience Christmas in a different way to back in their home countries. People can share Christmas celebrations in their cultures and, as we share, we find similarities.” Additionally, the whole family enjoys Christmas Day brunch, which is a highly anticipated yearly celebration on board.
But that doesn’t mean family and friends back home aren’t missed. Shura said, “Christmas is a very special season and the most important family gathering of the year. Preparations in Ecuador begin at the end of November when people go crazy buying gifts. We celebrate on Christmas Eve. Families get together to read the Bible story of Jesus' birth, pray and eat A LOT! On Christmas morning, we open presents that have been left next to our shoes around the Christmas tree. It’s a season to be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.”
3. Salomi (Pakistan), Events Coordinator
Returning to OM’s Ship Ministry after many years, Salomi said, “Participating in Christmas decorating on board is always fun. It brings the community closer together. I get to know people better and enjoy decorating with them. I’m excited for my first Christmas on board Doulos Hope. I look forward to celebrating the love of God together as one, unique multicultural family.”
She continued, “Back home, we start decorating our houses, streets, shopping malls and church buildings from the beginning of December each year. In Pakistan, it’s common to go from house to house in the village singing Christmas carols with the church choir and to have Christmas parties with friends and family. We do a lot of Christmas shopping, as it’s traditional to give gifts and cakes to one another. We attend Christmas services with our families and thank God for sending us our Saviour, Jesus. There is a special church dinner on Christmas Eve and another one with our families on Christmas Day.”
4. Urpi (Peru), Volunteer Coordinator
“In Peru, many organisations, schools, universities and community groups will run different children’s programmes during the Christmas season. They’ll share hot chocolate and gifts with them. Houses are decorated inside with a traditional Christmas tree and outside with different lights. Families gather to celebrate on Christmas Eve for a special meal of turkey stuffed with yellow rice mixed with corn, sausage, carrots and raisins. Christmas in Peru isn’t Christmas without Panettone, which is an Italian type of sweet bread and fruitcake, and everyone drinks hot chocolate. Christmas is a time to be with family. You spend all evening together until it is time to open gifts.”
This will be Urpi’s first Christmas on board Doulos Hope. She said, “I look forward to feeling at home on board Doulos Hope this Christmas because for me the season is all about family. Here we are a small community, and we are all far away from home, but we’re united and can celebrate together as a family during this season.”
5. Ruut, Finland, Marine Operations Administrator
Ruut excitedly shared the traditions of Christmas in Finland. “People sing carols during the Christmas season and on Christmas Eve there is a tradition of attending church services. Families often come together during this time, reuniting to see each other and enjoy Christmas meals together.”
“But on board Logos Hope, I love how we all prepare together. We decorate the ship and have amazing Advent Services where we share Christmas traditions and talents from all over the world. They are the highlights of my week throughout December. I want to take home some of the Christmas songs and recipes from other cultures I’ve experienced and introduce them to my family.”
6. Ted (Philippines), Receptionist
“Many Filipinos value Christmas because it’s a joyous season of hope and love amid the struggles they face,” said Ted, highlighting the importance of family for Filipinos during the Christmas season. “We get so excited that we start celebrating as early as September! Lights shine through the streets and the sound of Christmas carols fills shopping malls, all in the lead-up to Christmas Eve dinner, which we call ‘Noche Buena’. It’s a huge feast where the whole family clan comes together from far and wide for this special moment once every year.”
“Now I am on Doulos Hope, I’m looking forward to seeing how different people come together and celebrate for one common reason, celebrating the birth of Jesus. It’ll be interesting to see how each culture contributes to the season.”
7. Jireh (Philippines), Videographer
Jireh on board Logos Hope adds to this. He said, “The lead up to the year’s end is about reflecting with family members on the past year and looking towards the future. Most families prepare for Christmas by frequently attending church and decorating. But it's less about typical celebrations and more about the importance of being all together.”
8. Addey (South Africa), Technical Administrator
In stark contrast to the commonly thought of winter wonderlands of Christmas in many countries, Addey is used to a little more heat. “Christmas time is always family oriented for South Africans. We have lots of ‘Braais’, which are gatherings of friends and family outdoors to enjoy well-seasoned meat, and because it's summer, there are many beach days. On Christmas Day, people usually go to church and have a special lunch, enjoying games and cherishing quality time together as a family.”
9. Aaron (Canada), Steward Department Storekeeper
“On Christmas Eve, we attend a church service in the evening to sing carols and see the children re-enact the birth of Jesus,” said Aaron, describing his family’s traditions. “Canadians usually open presents first thing in the morning on Christmas Day and, in my family, we have a cake for Jesus' birthday as our breakfast. Later in the day, it’s traditional to have a turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and other vegetables. But this year, I’m looking forward to spending time with international friends on board Doulos Hope and learning about their own Christmas traditions.”
10. Ben (UK), Deck
Ben shares about Christmas traditions in London and across the UK. “In the lead up to Christmas, people bundle up in big coats, scarves and hats to stay warm while going to see special Christmas lights throughout the streets of London. One of the most classic things is having a British Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. We often have a green vegetable called ‘brussel sprouts’, even though many people don’t like them, because it's a tradition. We also have pigs in blankets, which is a small sausage wrapped in bacon, as well as gravy, turkey, potatoes and cranberry sauce. Since Christmas dinner is quite a feast, the next day we traditionally make sandwiches from the leftover food.”
Ben is eagerly anticipating spending Christmas on board Logos Hope. He said, “I'm delighted to be spending Christmas on the ship. Through my diverse fellowships and friendships on board, I can experience the Christmas traditions of various cultures. There will be a special event and dinner on Christmas Eve, and onboard dance or music groups showcase different talents through Christmas-themed performances. I’m super excited to see the ‘individual cultures’ of crewmembers and 'ship's culture' come together all in one place!”
11. Haelyn (Trinidad and Tobago), Community Engagement
& Tiemen (Netherlands), Chief Engineer
Haelyn and Tiemen are no strangers to a multicultural Christmas. Having met on Logos II and with six ship Christmases between them, Haelyn and Tiemen, along with their daughters, are experienced when it comes to blending cultural celebrations. Tiemen said, “The Dutch celebrate in a simple manner without creating big events. However, in Trinidad and Tobago it’s the opposite – a big celebration!”
Haelyn added, “Our family culture generally seems to apply and reflect the most valuable aspects from each other's home cultures.”
Haelyn and Tiemen bring this multicultural attitude into their celebrations with the Logos Hope community. Their daughters Ilja and Thieske enjoy Secret Santa gift giving with their ship family, which is a group of crewmembers from different backgrounds who are supported by a couple who act as ‘parent figures’. Haelyn shared, “Our favourite things are the cultural Advent Services and the special Christmas Eve dinner with our ship families.”
The cultures, traditions, languages, backgrounds and celebrations of crewmembers on board Doulos Hope and Logos Hope may vary. But everyone is united through the common celebration of Jesus’ birth. Together, the ships’ crews seek to share the true source of hope, joy and peace, throughout the Christmas season and beyond.
If you'd like to celebrate Christmas on board an OM ship next year find out more:
Get on board