From Straw Goats To Fried Chicken Feasts: 10 Wild Christmas Traditions Across The Globe

Christmas is known to have many popular traditions surrounding it, from hanging socks on the fireplace to opening presents. Jesus’s birthday has some iconic traditions attached to it. But some lesser-known traditions from around the world are just as interesting as obscure ones. Here are five Christmas traditions from around the world that tickled our fancy.

10 Christmas Traditions That Feel Royally Weird And Wild! 

1. Spain: Christmas Log

Everyone has heard of Santa giving gifts, but you wouldn’t have heard of a wooden log giving presents. You read that right! In Spain, a wooden log called Tio de Nadal is dressed up, including a face and legs and is given its own little bed and blanket to keep warm. Sounds adorable, doesn’t it? Well, don’t get too googly-eyed because the next morning, it is burnt.

Also Read: From Parisian Macarons To Craft Chocolates, 16 Best Christmas Gifts For Friends And Family

2. Mexico (Oaxaca): A Festival For Radishes

On December 23, in the city of Oaxaca, radishes take centre stage. During the Night of the Radishes, locals carve oversized radishes into scenes of nativity stories, village life, and playful figures and display them in a lively competition. What began in the colonial era as a way to attract shoppers has turned into a full-blown Christmas festival, complete with music and prizes for the most imaginative radish creations. For one night, this humble vegetable becomes the star of Christmas.

3. Canada: Spirits Walk The Streets

In Inuit communities of Nunatsiavut, Labrador, Christmas stretches into early January. On January 6, people mark Nalujuk Night. Elders dress up as Nalujuit, eerie, sea-spirit-like figures and roam the streets, knocking on doors. Children are tested on their manners and behaviour. Those who’ve been good are rewarded with treats. Those who haven’t might get a scare. The night blends ancient Inuit beliefs with the Christmas season, turning winter darkness into a time of stories and discipline. 

Also Read: From Parisian Macarons To Craft Chocolates, 16 Best Christmas Gifts For Friends And Family

4. Norway: Brooms And Mops

In Norway, people traditionally hide their brooms and mops during Christmas time. Why, you ask? It’s because they believe that during Christmas time, spirits and witches become very potent. They believe that if you don’t hide them, the witches and spirits will steal your mops and fly away with them!

5. Iceland: Where Santa Comes In Thirteens

In Iceland, Christmas doesn’t belong to one jolly old man, it belongs to thirteen of them. The Yule Lads arrive one by one over the 13 nights before Christmas, each with a personality that sounds straight out of a folk tale: Spoon-Licker, Doorway-Sniffer, or Sausage-Swiper. Children place a shoe on their windowsill every night, hoping the visiting Lad leaves a small gift. If they’ve been naughty, they might wake up to a rotten potato instead. These figures aren’t polished Santas either; they’re mischievous, troll-like characters rooted in Icelandic stories and legends, more playful tricksters than saintly gift-givers.

6. Japan: Christmas, Served In A KFC Bucket

There’s no turkey on many Japanese Christmas tables. Instead, there’s fried chicken, and lots of it! Thanks to a wildly successful 1970s KFC marketing campaign, “Kentucky for Christmas” became a national habit. Today, families pre-order their KFC Christmas meals weeks in advance, sometimes months, to avoid standing in long queues on December 25. 

Also Read: Bengaluru Bids Goodbye To KFC Signal In Indirangar; Netizens: “Imagine Saying Pizza Hut Signal”

7. Ukraine: Christmas Spiderwebs

Spiders are probably the last creatures that would come to your mind when you think of the jolly spirit of Christmas. But you’d be surprised to find out that in Ukraine, Christmas trees are decorated to look like they’re covered in spiderwebs. The story goes that an old lady who didn’t have any money to spend on Christmas tree decorations woke up and found her tree covered in spiderwebs on Christmas. These webs glistened in the sunlight and made her tree look beautiful.

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8. Poland: Guiding Star

In some parts of Poland, the tradition is to wait till it’s nighttime to open presents. Usually, the youngest child climbs on the roof and waits for the first star to appear in the sky. Only then can they open their presents. This appearance of the star is seen as a sign indicating that it’s okay to open the presents now.

9. Slovakia: Christmas Pudding

Just the thought of pudding and Christmas together might not seem that odd to you. However, in Slovakia, there’s a special pudding called the Lokse pudding. The tradition is that the head of the family takes a spoonful of the pudding and tosses it to the roof. The more pudding that sticks on the roof, the greater the luck coming your way. Certainly not applicable to the person responsible for cleaning up afterwards!

10. Sweden: Goat Burning

Every December, the town of Gävle builds a massive straw Yule Goat, sometimes over 13 metres tall. It’s meant to be a symbol of Christmas. But for decades now, another tradition has grown around it; people try to burn it down. Despite guards, fences, cameras, and even fireproofing, pranksters often manage to set it on fire before Christmas arrives. Some years it survives, but many years, it doesn’t. The whole country watches, waiting to see whether the goat will stand till the end or go up in flames again.

Also Read: 11 Christmas Cakes Across India, Perfect For Gifting Or Devouring This Holiday Season

Which of these Christmas traditions did you find to be the most interesting?

Cover Image Credits: kfc/website and nationalnordicmuseum/Facebook