Unusual Christmas Traditions from Around the World
Japan: Christmas is not a public holiday in Japan so perhaps it is not a surprise that they don’t eat the traditional turkey, ham, roast potatoes and brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner. Instead, millions of people in Japan go to KFC for their festive meal. This tradition started in the 1970s when a KFC manager noticed that foreign visitors were unable to get turkey and thought their fried chicken was the perfect substitute. This led to a massive marketing campaign with the slogan ‘Kentucky for Christmas’. The campaign was so successful that KFC is now the most popular Christmas day meal in Japan and their special Christmas Barrels need to be reserved months in advance.
Catalonia, Spain: Looking at a traditional Catalan nativity scene you may notice something unusual. You have Jesus in the manger, Mary and Joesph by his side, the 3 wise men presenting their gifts, an assortment of animals and of course a man taking a shit in the background. Yes, you did read that correctly. The squatting gentleman with his trousers down is known as El Caganer (literally meaning defecator) and is a symbol for fertilizing the land for a good harvest, good fortune and wealth in the coming year. He is often hidden in the background, making it a fun game for children to find him. The traditional Caganer wears a red Catalan cap, white shirt and black trousers but many people choose to buy contemporary versions depicting politicians, musicians, footballers and superheroes. That is not the only poo related Christmas tradition in Catalonia, they also have the Caga Tió, or pooping log. A log with a face that is kept warm under a blanket and fed snacks. It is then beaten with sticks (to aid its digestion) while people sing to help it poo out small presents such as sweets and nuts.
Iceland: From December 12th to Christmas Eve, children in Iceland can expect to be visited by the Yule Lads, the 13 sons of the terrifying troll Gryla and her husband Leppaludi. Children will leave a shoe on their windowsill and each night one of the mischievous troll like creatures will leave either candy or a rotten potato in the shoe depending on the child’s behaviour. Originally the Yule Lads were horrifying monsters designed to scare children but over time they have become cheeky pranksters and a beloved part of Icelandic Christmases.
Venezuela: While attending mass around Christmas time isn’t unusual, the way the people of Caracas get there is. Between the 16th and 24th of December for Misa de Aguinaldo (early morning mass), rather than drive or walk, residents of Caracas will skate. Arriving by roller skates brings a sense of joy and community to proceedings. This is known as Las patinatas and dates back to the 1950s. Some people even skate all night long to make sure they get to mass on time.
Norway: On Christmas Eve, Norwegians will hide their brooms and mops in the most remote parts of their homes. This is because in Norwegian folklore, witches and spirits are particularly active on this night. Brooms are famously a witch’s vehicle of choice so hiding them will reduce the amount of trouble a witch can cause. Makes a lot of sense to me, the last thing you would want is a witch flying around causing trouble as you are trying to open your presents.
Ukraine: Decorating your tree with spider web ornaments in Ukraine is a symbol of good luck, health and prosperity. This tradition dates back to a folktale about a poor widow who couldn’t afford to decorate her tree for the kids. Seeing her struggle, the spiders in the house spent all night weaving elaborate webs on the tree. By morning these webs had turned to gold and silver. The children had never seen anything as beautiful as this tree and they realised they were truly blessed and never felt poor again.
Guatemala: On December 7th the people of Guatemala celebrate ‘La Quema Del Diablo’ or Burning of the Devil, a tradition that dates all the way back to the 16th Century. Residents clean out the rubbish from their homes and put it in a massive pile outside. An effigy of the Devil is then placed on top of the pile before it is set alight. This is believed to burn away the negativity from the past.
Czechia: Single woman in Czechia have an odd way to tell if they will get married in the coming year. On Christmas eve they stand facing away from the front door of their house and then throw a shoe over one shoulder. When it lands, if the toe points towards the door, they will get married. If the toe points away from the door, it will be another year of being single.
Ireland: Not to be outdone, we have a few strange traditions of our own. There is lighting a candle on Christmas Eve for Mary and Joseph, the 12 pubs of Christmas, sea swimming, midnight mass and leaving a Guinness out for Santa Clause. But the one tradition that intrigued and terrified me as a child was the Wren Boys. Growing up in Dublin, this was never an issue but when I would visit family in Offaly over the festive period, I was told that the Wren Boys might be stopping by. The Wren Boys would consist of a group of men dressed in straw masks and costumes brandishing straw swords, and one man in a dress carrying a doll. They would go from house to house singing the Wren Boys song and dancing around living rooms and kitchens. Once they finish their performance, they receive food, drink and a few Euro before moving on to the next house. As an adult I can see it is just a bit of fun and community spirit but as a child, just the thought of them arriving at the house would keep me up half the night. There aren’t too many places that keep up with this tradition but everywhere that does seem to put their own spin on it. Whether it’s different costumes, playing instruments, carrying a fake wren or raising money for charity. The Wren Boys roots has links to the Pagans, the Druids and Christianity so it is hard to tell exactly how it started. Wherever it comes from or however it started, I think we can all agree that this is one of Irelands strangest Christmas traditions.
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