Traditional Christmas Greeting: "Kellemes Karacsunji Unnepeket" (Abundant Christmas Holidays), "Boldog Karacsonj" (Merry Christmas)
Location: Central Europe
Tree Type: Traditional

Decorations:
- Gilded nuts
- Fruit
- Paper cornucopia filled with homemade fudge (Szalon Cukor)
- Foil wrapped fudge
- Embroidered felt hearts
- Slippers
- Honey cookies (Mezeskalacs)

Traditions:
Christmas in Hungary kicks off when Mikulas (Saint Nicholas) visits on December 6. He arrives dressed as a bishop, complete with white robes, a tall red mitre, and a staff, to dole out presents or switches with the help of his mischievous assistants, the Krampusz. Mikulas leaves these gifts and punishments in the carefully polished boots that each child has left out for him the night before.

The holiday spirit continues on December 13th with Luca Napja, or Luca's Day. Traditionally a day of fortune telling and love predictions, young men and women often spend the evening "casting lead" in the hopes that the shape made by the metal will reveal information about their future spouses. The construction of Luca's chair is another tradition for many Hungarians. People spend their free time from the 13th to the 24th carving the chair, and they believe that anyone who stands on it during mass on Christmas Eve will be able to tell which members of the community are witches.

When Christmas Eve arrives, many families follow the old custom of preventing children from seeing the Christmas tree until it is fully decorated. When they're summoned by a bell to see it beautifully illuminated and strung with candy and goodies, children are encouraged to believe that baby Jesus and his angels have brought them the miracle themselves.

As in most countries, the dinner that follows is extremely lavish. Hungarians enjoy fish and cabbage, turkey, brioche, lentils, gingerbread, and a special walnut poppy seed bread called beigli. Christmas is followed in Hungary by two days (national holidays) spent with family and close friends.