If you thought you knew everything about Christmas, here are some bizarre and unique festive traditions that take place worldwide.
With holidays such as Christmas comes a wide range of customs, traditions and rituals, which each country follows in their particular way.
Of course, one thing that brings these countries together is the fact that it is a time when family and friends come together in harmony, new memories are created, and special customs are followed. However, what makes this time of year so fascinating are the unique traditions which vary from place to place.
Let us give you a rundown of the ten most unique Christmas traditions from around the world for this festive season.
10. Christmas Crackers in Britain – the winner takes it all
If you have celebrated Christmas with Christmas crackers, this will seem completely normal. However, this is one of the most unique Christmas traditions from around the world, which is still as popular as ever. It involves pulling the cracker until it breaks, and the winner gets the prize hidden inside.
9. Minced Pies and Guinness in Ireland – a drop of stout for Santa
While many countries have the tradition of leaving some nibbles and drinks out for Santa, the Irish like to take it to the next level by leaving Santa a bottle of Guinness and some minced pies. While some still go with milk and cookies, it is an age-old tradition to leave out Guinness for Santa to indulge in.
8. Christmas BBQ in Australia – the summer Christmas feast
If you didn’t notice, Christmas falls during the summer period in Australia, and locals love having a traditional Christmas BBQ paired with a swim to cool down. You’ll find plenty of surf and turf at many Aussie BBQs, and it is generally a feast of champions.
7. Rollerblading to Mass in Venezuela – one of the most unique Christmas traditions from around the world
Could this be one of the most unique Christmas traditions from around the world? We think so! In Caracas, Venezuela, it is a local tradition to rollerblade to Christmas mass.
The government encourages this wonderful tradition, and certain roads are pedestrianised when the masses occur between the 16th and 24th of December each year.
6. KFC for Christmas Dinner in Japan – a tradition of chicken
If you don’t fancy cooking up a storm in the kitchen at Christmas, then why not go to Japan, where Christmas Dinner is had at KFC?
KFC’s Christmas campaign features Colonel Sanders dressed as Santa, attracting locals and international visitors annually. The 24th of December is officially the busiest day of the year at KFC in Japan, which you need to see for yourself.
5. Gavle Goat in Sweden – Sweden’s strange straw goat
Each year in Gavle, Sweden, the straw goat known as Gavlebocken is erected in the main square. Not only is this one of the unique traditions from around the world, which came about in 1966, but you risk a criminal record if you burn down this Swedish Christmas icon, and plenty has done it over the years.
4. The Pooping Log in Catalonia, Spain – a weird traditional
Yes, this has to be one of the strangest and most unique Christmas traditions from around the world. This sees local Catalonians create a log wither from chocolate or wood with a Santa’s face at one end and a blanket at the other.
The log is filled with candies, known as caga tios (pooping guys), and it is beaten and sung to on Christmas Eve to encourage the log to poop the candies – a special albeit strange treat for kids.
3. Unusual Christmas Food in Greenland – a stomach-churning meal
Never again will you complain about having to eat your mother’s Brussel sprouts when you hear what they eat in Greenland each Christmas.
Christmas delicacies include both mattak – raw whale skin covered in blubber and chopped up, and kiviak – a small arctic bird covered in sealskin and buried for months until the decomposed flesh is eaten for Christmas.
2. Giant Lantern Festival in The Philippines – a bright sight to behold
This annual festival, held in mid-December each year, takes place in San Fernando in The Philippines. Here, giant lanterns known as parol are displayed in competition, making the city light up, deeming CNN to call Asia’s Christmas capital.
1. Spider Webs in Ukraine – not just a spooky symbol
While many of us may consider spider webs more of a Halloween tradition, Ukrainians consider them a traditional Christmas tree decoration. This is combined with baubles, lights and other colourful decorations.
The tradition goes back to an old story in which a lady with no money for decorations awoke to shiny spider webs woven over her tree.
So, there are some of the most unique Christmas traditions from around the world. We still can’t get our heads around some.
