Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

(locally known as ''Natal'', from the

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

word for Christmas) is celebrated with various traditions throughout the country. Indonesia has approximately 28 million

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

(of which about 30% are Roman Catholics).Sensus Penduduk 2010:Penduduk Indonesia Menurut Wilayah dan Agama yang Dianut
Badan Pusat Statistik. Accessed by 15 December 2014. In regions with a Christian majority (Protestants and Catholics), there are Christmas celebrations with ceremonies and local food.
ID Nugroho & Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta. 30 December 2009. Diakses pada 15 December 2014. In big cities, shopping centres are decorated with plastic Christmas trees and '' Sinterklas'' (derived from the

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

word ''

Sinterklaas Sinterklaas () or Sint-Nicolaas () is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Other Dutch names for the figure include ''De Sint'' ("The Saint"), ''De Goede Sint'' ("The Good Saint") and ''De Goedheiligman'' ("The ...

''). Many local television channels broadcast Christmas musical concerts and the annual national Christmas celebration organised by the government. In addition to traditional foods, there are also unique Christmas Day foods, such as cookies, like ''nastar'' (

pineapple tart Pineapple tart is a small, bite-size tart filled or topped with pineapple jam, commonly found throughout different parts of Southeast Asia such as Indonesia (''kue nastar''), Malaysia (Baba Malay: ''kueh tae'' or ''kuih tair'', Malay language: ' ...

) and kastengel (from Dutch word ''kaasstengel''), or '

putri salju Putri salju ( id, kue putri salju) is an Indonesian '' kue kering'' (dried kue or cookie) shaped like crescents and covered with powdered sugar. ''Putri salju'' is Indonesian for "snow princess", referring to the powdered sugar coating that rese ...

'.Christmas in Indonesia
whychristmas.com. Diakses pada 15 December 2014.

By region

Papua

In the Papua region, after Christmas

mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different eleme ...

, a ritual cooking of pork for feasting is held using a ''Barapen'' (grilling stone). The pork meat is cooked in between hot stones that are heated using wood. Instead of using matches, Papuan people scrape the wood continuously to produce heat to set it on fire. In order to prepare the ''Barapen'', Papuan men dig a hole to put the hot stones in. At the same time, Papuan women prepare vegetables such as

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulus, bindweed or morning glory family (biology), family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a r ...

water spinach ''Ipomoea aquatica'', widely known as water spinach, is a semi- aquatic, tropical plant grown as a vegetable for its tender shoots. ''I. aquatica'' is generally believed to have been first domesticated in Southeast Asia. It is widely cultivate ...

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...

spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...

, and

papaya The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus ''Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...

. First, hot stones are stacked on the base of the hole. Then, the pork and vegetables are put into the hole and covered with another layer of hot stones. The pork is cooked in the hole for half a day. The tradition of ''Barapen'' is an expression of gratitude, togetherness, sharing, and love, characterised by eating pork together.Sukacita Natal di Nabire
, HidupKatolik.com – 23 December 2012. Accessed by 15 December 2014.

Ambon

In Negeri Naku, South Leitimur,

Ambon Ambon may refer to: Places * Ambon Island, an island in Indonesia ** Ambon, Maluku, a city on Ambon Island, the capital of Maluku province ** Governorate of Ambon, a colony of the Dutch East India Company from 1605 to 1796 * Ambon, Morbihan, a c ...

, there is a ceremony called ''cuci negeri'' (cleaning the nation). This ceremony symbolises the purification and liberation of

sin In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...

s from the local people and their environment. The ''cuci negeri'' starts with a gathering in the community

function hall Function or functionality may refer to: Computing * Function key, a type of key on computer keyboards * Function model, a structured representation of processes in a system * Function object or functor or functionoid, a concept of object-orient ...

for each clan to hold their own traditional ritual. From there, the Ambonese walk to the traditional function hall. They do not walk in silence but sing and dance along with the sounds of ''tifa'' (traditional music instrument). Along the way, the women bring some offerings like

betel The betel (''Piper betle'') is a vine of the family Piperaceae, which includes pepper and kava. The betel plant is native to Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, dioecious perennial, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins. Betel plan ...

areca nut ''Areca'' is a genus of 51 species of palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid tropical forests from the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia and India, across Southeast Asia to Melanesia. The generic name ''Areca'' is derived from a name ...

, and traditional drink called ''sopi''.Warga Negeri Naku Gelar Adat Cuci Negeri
, AntaraNews.com. Diakses pada 16 December 2014. During Christmas eve celebrations in the Maluku, ship sirens sound and church bells ring at the same time.

Yogyakarta

In the

Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...

area, Christmas celebrations are marked by a '' wayang kulit'' adaptation of the

Nativity scene In the Christianity, Christian tradition, a nativity scene (also known as a manger scene, crib, crèche ( or ), or in Italian language, Italian ''presepio'' or ''presepe'', or Bethlehem) is the special exhibition, particularly during the Christ ...

. Church

is led by the priest wearing traditional Javanese attire (wearing ''beskap'' and ''blankon'') and speaking in the local language. Similar to

Eid al-Fitr , nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast , observedby = Muslims , type = Islamic , longtype = Islamic , significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan , dat ...

, during Christmas time, people visit friends and family; children may receive money in an envelope from elders.Unique Indonesian Traditions for Celebrating Christmas
Tempo.co – Rina Atmasari. 25 December 2013. Diakses pada 15 December 2014.Tradisi Natal di Indonesia
, Muna Zakiah: KebudayaanIndonesia.net – 20 December 2013. Diakses pada 16 December 2014.

Manado

The pre-Christmas celebrations in Manado start from 1 December when the regional government officers go on the "Christmas Safari" – observe the

in a different district every day. As part of tradition, some residents of Manado join a

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

or visit and clean their families' graves. The series of Christmas celebrations end in the first week of January with a festival called ''kunci taon''. During this festival, there is a carnival across the region featuring unique costumes.

Bali

Most Christian villages in

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

are located on the southern of the island. In those villages, road decorations called ''penjor'' (made from yellow coconut leaves) are made for Christmas, which symbolise the Anantaboga dragon. The Christmas celebration draws influence from

Balinese Hinduism Balinese Hinduism ( id, Agama Hindu Dharma; Agama Tirtha; Agama Air Suci; Agama Hindu Bali) is the form of Hinduism practised by the majority of the population of Bali.McDaniel, June (2013), A Modern Hindu Monotheism: Indonesian Hindus as ‘P ...

.Balinese Christians: In Search of Tradition
Benito Lopulalan in Bali Today: Modernity by Jean Couteau et al. Page 111-115. 2005. Jakarta: KPG (Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia). Diakses pada 16 December 2014. In Bali, the Christmas tree is made from chicken feathers. This unique tree has been imported to some European countries.Uniknya Pohon Natal dari Bulu Ayam
, Ely – Ciputra Entrepreneurship. 19 December 2011. Diakses pada 15 December 2014.

Toraja

Torajan people The Torajans are an ethnic group indigenous people, indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 1,100,000, of whom 450,000 live in the List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, regency of ...

celebrate Christmas by having a cultural festival called ''Lovely December''. This festival consists of mass dancing, a culinary festival, cultural carnival, bamboo music performance, and handicraft exhibition. The festival is ended by fireworks and ''Lettoan'' procession which is held on 26 December.Tana Toraja Festival held on Dec. 25 to boost tourism
The Jakarta Post. 22 December 2011. Diakses pada 16 December 2014. ''Lettoan'' is a ritual of having pig parade with cultural symbols that represent three dimensions of human life. Those three symbols are: * ''Saritatolamban'', shaped like stairs, which represents a pray and hope for a better life (like the steps which always go up). * The Sun, which represents the source of life light. * ''Tabang'' flower, which represents success in the Torajan people's life."Lettoan" Meriahkan "Lovely December" Toraja
Aditia Maruli. AntaraNews.com – 27 December 2009. Diakses pada 16 December 2014.

North Sumatra

For the

Batak Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, ...

in North Sumatera, the Christmas Day is always followed by sacrificing an animal as a result of people chipping in and saving the money months before. This tradition is called ''marbinda'' and shows togetherness and mutual cooperation. The sacrificed animal can be a pig, a buffalo, or an ox, and the meat will be shared to all the people that participate in the purchasing of the animal.

National Christmas Celebration

Every year, Ministry of Religious Affairs holds the National Christmas Celebration of the Republic of Indonesia. The program started in 1993 as a suggestion from Tiopan Bernhard Silalahi, who was Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform in the

Sixth Development Cabinet The Sixth Development Cabinet ( id, Kabinet Pembangunan VI) was the Indonesian Cabinet which served under President Suharto and Vice President Try Sutrisno from March 1993 until March 1998. The Cabinet was formed after Suharto was elected to a 6 ...

, who has

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

background, to the then

President of Indonesia The President of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Presiden Republik Indonesia) is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The president leads the executive branch of the Indonesian government and is ...

Suharto Suharto (; ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a military dictator by international observers, Suharto ...

. Diakses pada 5 Desember 2017. Since that, National Christmas Celebration has been held every year (and was held as a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21), except in 2004, which was canceled as a condolence for the victims of the

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...

, in 2018, which was canceled as a condolence for the victims of the

2018 Sunda Strait tsunami The 2018 Sunda strait tsunami (Indonesian language, Indonesian: ''Tsunami Selat Sunda 2018'') occurred on 22 December 2018 at around 21:38 local time after large parts of the southwestern side of Anak Krakatoa collapsed onto its caldera. The land ...

, and in 2022, which was also cancelled as a condolence for the victims of the

2022 West Java earthquake On 21 November 2022, at 13:21 WIB ( UTC+07:00), a 5.6 earthquake struck near Cianjur in West Java, Indonesia. Between 335 and 635 people died, 7,729 were injured and 5 remain missing. More than 62,628 homes were damaged across 16 districts in ...

. Until 2013, National Christmas Celebration was always held in

Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...

, the most common used venue was

Jakarta Convention Center Jakarta Convention Center or JCC ( id, Balai Sidang Jakarta) is a convention center located in Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of earliest as well as popular convention center in Jakarta. Since its inauguration in ...

. But since 2014, the tradition was changed by the newly-elected

Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), popularly known as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician and businessman who is the 7th and current president of Indonesia. Elected in July 2014, he was the first Indonesian president not to come from an elite ...

.Joko Widodo Ungkap Alasan Perayaan Natal Nasional Digelar di Papua
27 December 2014. Diakses pada 5 Desember 2017. This is the list of National Christmas Celebration hosts since 2014:

References

External links

* {{Christmas

Christianity in Indonesia