Question: Christmas Angels Around the World: Ethiopia

Here's a look at some Christmas angel traditions from Ethiopia...

Answer:

In Ethiopia, people wear white (the color of purity that's associated with angels) to Christmas worship services, where they light candles in honor of Jesus Christ as the light of the world and commemorating how the angels lit up the sky over Bethlehem when they announced Jesus' birth.

Then they walk around their church three times (to symbolize the trinity of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and stand for the Christmas service, which may last up to three hours and involves prayer, preaching, chanting, Communion, and singing Christmas carols (many of which mention angels). The service begins very early in the morning -- at 4 a.m. -- on January 7th, the day Ethiopians celebrate Christmas.

Ethiopians call Christmas "Ganna," which is also their name for a special game that Ethiopian boys play right after church on Christmas. The game is similar to hockey, and an ancient tradition says that the shepherds in Bethlehem played it in fields there after angels told them about Jesus' birth.

The people of Ethiopia also enjoy making and displaying nativity scenes that feature angels watching over Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Magi, and animals.