5 Obscure Christmas Traditions From Across The Globe

24 / 05 / 2023

5 Obscure Christmas Traditions From Across The Globe

Christmas traditions, every family has them! Whether it be eating christmas dinner in your pajamas, or dressing up, or dressing up the dogs in pajamas, waiting till dusk to open your presents or up well before dawn; it’s not christmas in our house without a ‘lively family debate’ (or argument), traditions do bring us together and make the season feel all the more special. Here’s an assortment of wacky customs from around the world for you to chuckle at (and take comfort in the knowledge that your ‘weird’ family christmas isn’t as weird as you thought!)

#1 Watch for witches

In the freezing darkness of a Norwegian Christmas Eve, Witches and other such malevolent spirits are believed to visit the earth, so Norwegians always make sure to hide their brooms before they head to bed.

#2 With a BANG!

Don your lederhosen and dust off your cannonballs, in the highlands of Bavaria, a rather extravagant tradition of proudly sporting the national costume whilst firing mortars into the air can be observed.

#3 It’s getting ho ho hot in here

On Christmas Eve in Estonia, families traditionally share a sauna session

#4 Cobwebs you’ll want to keep!

Traditional Ukrainian christmas trees are decorated with glittering imitation webs, to emulate the folktale of a poor family who went to bed on christmas eve disheartened at their bare christmas tree, who woke up to discover the spiders had heard their dismay, and spun silky webs all across the tree, which as dawn broke turned into threads of pure gold and silver, thus changing the family’s fortune forever

#5 KFC (Kentucky Fried Christmas?)

In Japan, a lack of Turkey and a (very) successful advertising campaign in the Seventies means that a large majority of Japanese people actually have a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken for christmas dinner. Some families even book a table at the restaurant In fact, KFC Japan recommends pre ordering your christmas bucket weeks in advance!