Unusual Christmas traditions

Travel

Unusual Christmas traditions

Austria is home to the horrifying Krampus, a demonic beast sent to punish bad children. Events are held in December where young men dress in elaborate costumes and frighten children.

In Michigan, it is a tradition to hang a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree. The first child to find the ornament Christmas morning gets an extra gift. The tradition was once thought to have origins in Germany, but that is not the case. The origin may come from Georgia. According to some, a German-born Union solider captured and held as a prisoner at Camp Sumter in Georgia begged for a pickle on Christmas Day. The guard gave him one and every year after his release he hung a pickle in his Christmas tree.

In Japan, KFC is huge, with stores there selling five to 10 times as much chicken as normal. Japan is KFC's third largest market after the U.S. and China.

In England, it became popular in medieval times for every family member stir the plum pudding "from east to west to honour the Magi and their supposed journey in that direction." That tradition lives today in the Christmas pudding, which is now stirred in a clockwise direction and thought to bring luck to family members who help prepare it.

In Finland, cemeteries are alight with fires from candles left on graves. About 75 percent of those living in Finland will visit a grave on Christmas or Christmas Eve, officials say.

Sweden is home to the Yule Goat. The goats are usually made of straw, and the most famous one, the huge Gavle Goat, has been burned many times this year by vandals. The tradition is thought to have emerged from Norse myth, where Thor, the god of Thunder, rode around the sky in a chariot drawn by two goats.

In Greenland, nothing says Christmas like Kiviak, or fermented bird preserved in seal skin. Traditionally, about 500 birds (auks, complete with feathers, feet and beaks) are stuffed into a dead seal and fermented for about seven months.

In Norway, after Christmas gifts are opened, brooms are hidden so witches and other mischief makers do not steal them and ride them that night.

In Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) like Santa Claus. She is usually portrayed riding a broomstick (stolen from Norway?), but in Venice she can be seen riding a gondola.

In England, an old Welsh tradition that may be associated more with the New Year than Christmas, is Mari Lwyd, the gray mare. The luck-bringing ritual involves participants hiding under a sheet while holding a mare's skull on a stick, knocking on doors and singing for food and libations. The tradition died out during World War II but some are trying to revive it.

In Texas, Pancho Claus was created by Hispanic communities. Each city in Texas has a slightly different Pancho Claus, but they are usually easily distinguishable from his northern cousin, Santa Claus.

In Venezuela, many streets are closed one day in December prior to Christmas so people can roller skate to church.

In Iceland, the Yule Cat is a huge and vicious monster from folklore that eats the children of farmers that didn't work hard enough during the year.

In the Netherlands, Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) is a helper of "Sinterklaas" (aka Santa Claus). According to a 2013 survey, 92% of the Dutch public don't perceive Zwarte Piet as racist or associate him with the slavery.

In the Catalonia region of Spain, a tradition exists which we will translate as the "defecation log." Generally, a happy face is painted on the end of a log that has been given four legs. The log is usually covered with a festive hat or cloth so it will not get cold at night. Each evening, children "feed" the log bits of food and on Christmas Eve the log is thrown into a fire and children are told to go to their rooms and pray for the log to defecate presents.

Catalonia is home to another Christmas tradition involving feces. "El Caganer" statues can be found in Spain, Portugal and Italy. The statues usually feature a man dressed in a bright red Catalan hat using the bathroom. The figurines are considered "highly popular" in nativity scenes, and children often compete to see who finds it first. The practice is tolerated by the local Catholic church.

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Austria is home to the horrifying Krampus, a demonic beast sent to punish bad children. Events are held in December where young men dress in elaborate costumes and frighten children.

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