It’s Christmas time once again, a time when Christians gather together and celebrate the birth of Jesus and spend time with loved ones. Here in America, we usually attend a church service on Christmas Eve and open presents early the next morning on Christmas Day. The rest of the day is spent enjoying time with family and usually culminates with a large meal.
If the American way is a bit too boring for you, then check out some of the bizarre ways that folks from around the world celebrate Christmas.
FINLAND
The cemeteries in Finland on Christmas Eve are a spectacle to behold – thousands of candles flicker light onto the surrounding headstones leaving a memorable sight for all to see. After a light Christmas Eve lunch, Finnish families head to the sauna for a soothing sweat before starting the evenings celebration. At about 5 or 6pm, families begin to make their way to the cemeteries to light a candle at a loved-ones grave site in remembrance.
INDIA
Christianity is the third largest religion in India, comprising of only about 2.3% of the population, but in a country of 1 billion this adds up to around 25 million Christians! Much like in America, the midnight mass on Christmas Eve is very important to the Indian Christian. Families will generally walk to their church for the midnight mass celebration, which is then followed by a massive feast containing several different delicacies. Instead of pine trees, the Indians use banana trees to decorate with lights and ornaments, and the tree is left outside their homes, only the banana leaves are brought into the home for decoration.
JAPAN
On Christmas day in Japan, folks head to the local Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food establishment for a Christmas meal! Sales of KFC chicken spike 5 – 10 times the average on Christmas. This bizarre custom was started over four decades ago as a clever marketing campaign, and today, it’s passed down from generation to generation despite its commercialization. I love KFC, but on Christmas??
VENEZUELA
In Caracas on Christmas Eve, before going to bed for the night, children tie one end of a string to their big toe and leave the other end hanging out of their bedroom window. Early the next morning, people actually roller skate to the Early Morning Mass at church, tugging on any of the strings they see hanging along the way.
UKRAINE
Ukrainian Christmas trees are adorned with artificial cobwebs and spiders. According to local folklore, there once was a very poor family that couldn’t afford to decorate their Christmas tree, so they decorated it with cobwebs instead. It is said, that when the children awoke early on Christmas morning they were greeted with a most amazing spectacle, the morning light shone brightly on the cobwebs covering their tree turning them into silver and gold, changing their luck! So cobwebs on a Christmas tree are supposed to bring good luck.
GERMANY
German parents hide a pickle ornament within the boughs of the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and the first child to find it in the morning receives an extra little gift from St. Nicholas.
ITALY
Popular folklore says that Befana met with the Three Wise Men a few days before the birth of Jesus. They asked her if she knew where the Son of God was located, but she did not know. She provided them with a meal and shelter for the night, but turned down their offer to join them on their journey. Later she had a change of heart and attempted unsuccessfully to find the baby Jesus. Legend says that to this day, she is still looking for him.
Today, the children of Italy on the Eve of the feast of Epiphany (Jan. 5th) children receive small gifts in their stockings from Befana if they have been good, or a lump of coal if they were bad. Before Befana leaves the house she will sweep the floor clean with her broom, sweeping away all the problems of the year.
ETHIOPIA
Ethiopia still uses the old Julian calendar, so they celebrate Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th. The Christmas celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called Ganna and most people go to Church on Christmas day.
Many people fast on Christmas Eve (January 6th). The next day most people will wear a traditional garment called a shamma, a thin white cotton cloth with brightly colored stripes across the ends and worn like a toga to the Christmas celebration (Ganna). Each person is given a candle and the whole procession proceeds to solemnly walk around the church three times. The men and women are then separated and the mass begins.
CATALONIA, SPAIN
Catalonia gets my vote for the strangest of the strange award for their “Caganer.” A Caganer is a figurine that is traditionally featured in Catalan nativity scenes squatting with pants down and in the process of defecating!!
Traditionally the Caganer is of a peasant, but more recent examples include those of famous people and people of authority like the one of Obama. By representing them in a most embarrassing way, with their trousers down, the Caganer serves as a leveling device to bring the mighty down.
GUATEMALA
On December 7th, Guatemalans sweep their homes and property clean of all trash and debris, then they collect it all in a huge heap in the middle of the street. A large effigy of the devil is placed at the top of the heap and the whole thing is set ablaze destroying all that is evil, giving the participators a clean slate for the upcoming Christmas celebration and the new year.
Share any strange Christmas customs or celebrations that you have come across on your travels in the comments below.
GUTTERPUP ADVENTURES WOULD LIKE TO WISH EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU THE HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
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Hi my name is JP Chartier and I write for Gutter Pup Adventures.com where you can expect to read well-written and entertaining articles about the people and places that often get overlooked at many popular vacation destinations around the world.
It’s so cool to see the different customs from around the world.
Jaklien recently posted…Citizen M Hotel in Amsterdam
I thought it was too, thanks for taking the time to read, hope to see you around..
While I knew about some of these Christmas celebrations, like Germay, Italy, it’s interesting to find out about the rest of them, but the Catalan tradition sounds very kitschy! 🙂
Michela of Rocky Travel Blog recently posted…Housesitting in Australia as Solo Traveller
I would have to say that the Catalans get the “Most Bizarre Christmas Tradition” prize for sure 🙂
That Catalan tradition is quite humorous. I can’t help but wonder who first got the idea to include celebrities in it. In any case, you found a unique photo to accompany it, JP. I guess no one is immune. 🙂
Linda Bibb recently posted…11 Things About Bethlehem to Know Before You Go
I have to admit Linda, I laughed when I first learned of the Catalan tradition too. You know you’ve made it to the bigtime when the Catalans make a figurine of you pooping lol
I’ve heard about this Japanese KFC tradition before – so it’s really true huh?! The Finnish one sounds intriguing but beautiful – I love this collection of Christmas anecdotes from around the world!
Shikha (whywasteannualleave) recently posted…A unique & quirky Christmas cinema experience in London at The Underground Film Club
Thank you Shikha! Yes it’s really true about the Japanese and KFC, heard this one first-hand from my Japanese friend 🙂 I really like the Finnish tradition too – never forget those that have passed on!
Haha, it’s funny that I’m Ukrainian, but I have never heard of that tradition you spoke off. Maybe it’s really local or popular in just one region…Where have you gotten that info from? 🙂 I would love to know!
We sometimes decorate Christmas trees with cotton balls to imitate snow. At least that’s what we’ve been doing in my family sometimes 🙂
Elena@Elena’s Travelgram recently posted…Dream Destination – Yacht Sailing in Saint Tropez
That’s interesting, I’m not for certain if there is a specific region that adheres to this, but if you Google “Ukraine cobweb Christmas” you’ll get tons of info about it. I got my information from Ukraine.com (Official website) http://www.ukraine.com/blog/spiders-and-their-webs-are-not-showed-the-door-on-ukrainian-christmas
Merry Christmas Elena!
Funny 🙂 Seriously, I have never heard or seen my family and friends doing such thing or speaking of this tradition. Will go ask my bf and friends who come from other parts of Ukraine than I do as I’m now really curious where did that come from and how outdated this tradition is (or me) 🙂
Merry Christmas to you too, JP Chartier!
Elena@Elena’s Travelgram recently posted…Dream Destination – Yacht Sailing in Saint Tropez
Seems like the English websites badly misinterpreted this tradition and blown it up a bit.
The story and the tradition was made up in small village in Western Ukraine, still followed (not certain about this) at those regions.
Elena@Elena’s Travelgram recently posted…Dream Destination – Yacht Sailing in Saint Tropez
Thanks for the updated info. I think it’s a cool way to decorate the tree anyway, thinking about adding some to our tree 🙂
It’s true. The Japanese people actually think that KFC is where you go for Christmas. They are actually surprised to learn that people in other countries DONT go there!
You know Andrew, maybe they know something we don’t?? You up for a KFC Christmas dinner this year?
Some of these celebrations are strange indeed. I agree with you, the one from Catalonia is the grossest one of all. I know about the one from Germany, but the rest were new to me. Very good post.
Anda recently posted…Christmas Traditions I Can’t Live Without
Thanks! Catalonia is “outside the box” when it comes to Christmas traditions for sure! But it is kind of funny 🙂