Everyone loves Christmas … don’t they? Christmas has established itself internationally on an unparalleled scale. The holiday is now celebrated around the world as a seasonal festivity – by Christians and non-Christians alike.

Beyond its religious message, the unique atmosphere leading up to Christmas, its focus on family ties and its consumerist aspects have broad cross-cultural appeal. Known in Germany as the Fest der Liebe (a celebration of love), Christmas produces high expectations – and often a whole lot of disappointment. It can also lead to feelings of exclusion – for those alone at Christmas time, who can’t afford a fancy dinner or presents, or who don’t celebrate the holiday for religious or cultural reasons. Christmas can also shine a spotlight on various areas of social conflict ‒ such as the debates around racism that have been simmering for years in the Netherlands with regard to Sinterklaas’s companion Zwarte Piet (Black Pete).

Bringing together a mix of objects from the MEK collection with photographs, music and film, this exhibition uses a Yuletide alphabet to explore light and dark, pop culture and High Mass, protest and humour. Things that are typically associated with Christmas, such as Advent calendars and gift wishlists, are displayed alongside contemporary music videos, Hollywood films and selfies. This array of objects sheds light on a whole range of themes, including N for Nachhaltigkeit (sustainability), which looks at the mass production of Christmas trinkets in the Chinese city of Yiwu; F for Fernsehen (television), exploring the role of television as part of the holiday rituals; and T for Tradition – something that can be observed in very different ways.

A special exhibition of the Museum Europäischer Kulturen, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.