We all have special Christmas traditions. Common Christmas traditions include things like a December 1st Box or opening one gift on Christmas Eve. You may always play a board game on Christmas morning or you may host a Christmas party every year.
I knew a family who used to make a Happy Birthday Jesus cake for December 25th (and they weren’t even religious). Strange? Perhaps. But not as bizarre as some of the Christmas traditions from around the world as reported by Chicks Gold. Yule be amazed by these odd and interesting Christmas traditions!Â
Make sure you share your own unique Christmas traditions with us – we will gather our faves to share in a later story.
Italy: Merry WitchmasÂ
This one is extra odd. In Italy, Christmas goes well past December 25th thanks to the arrival of La Befana, a wine-drinking witch who arrives on January 5th, the eve of the Epiphany. Families leave out a glass of wine for the Christmas Witch, plus a plate of sausages and La Befana is said to visit households by riding down the chimneys on her broomstick. According to folklore, she missed the birth of Jesus so now searches for him every year. What the actual?
Iceland:Â The Clothing-Obsessed Yule CatÂ
Crazy Christmas cat stalks Iceland! This is the gist of the Yule Cat tradition, known as the Jólakötturinn. He’s a fashionable feline from folklore who roams the countryside on Christmas Eve. According to legend, the Yule Cat will devour anyone who hasn’t received new clothes for Christmas.Â
Japan: Kentucky Fried ChristmasÂ
Turkey, ham and prawns are often on the menu for Christmas lunch in Australia but not in Japan. Japan’s unique Christmas tradition revolves around none other than KFC. Introduced by an insanely successful 1970s marketing campaign, families across Japan now flock to Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets to enjoy a festive meal on December 25th.Â
Wales: Horsing Around
In South Wales, the ancient and superstitious tradition of Mari Lwyd (Gray Mare) involves parading around with a horse head! Created by draping a white sheet over a pole with a horse skull attached, this eerie tradition dates back to Celtic times and reflects Wales’ rich folklore.
The group carrying the Mari Lwyd knocks on doors, often startling the residents, who then must sing back to Mari Lwyd, earning themselves some nice festive food or drink.
I think I’ll stick to Christmas carols, thanks.Â
Mexico: Radish Fetish
Every December in Oaxaca, Mexico, the Night of the Radishes (La Noche de Rábanos) transforms ordinary radishes into intricate sculptures. This vegetable carving competition showcases everything from nativity scenes to fantastical creatures, attracting thousands of visitors each year.Â
Although the radishes are chemically grown to achieve their large size, the artistry and creativity of the participants make it a beloved and unique Christmas tradition. I suppose we carve pumpkins for Halloween… so this isn’t that much of a stretch.Â
Czech Republic: Shoe TossÂ
There’s no better way to welcome the festive season than by throwing your shoes out the door to see which way they land. This is how Christmas goes down for unmarried women in the Czech Republic. Unmarried women toss a shoe over their shoulder toward the front door. If the shoe lands with the heel pointing inward, it’s a sign they will marry within the next year. If the heel points outward, they’re destined to remain single.Â
Sweden: Gävle’s Giant GoatÂ
The Gävle Goat is an annual Swedish spectacle that has captured national attention due to the organisers’ ongoing battle against vandals. Erected in the town of Gävle each December, this giant straw Yule Goat stands as a festive monument.
The Goat is meant to bring merry cheer to the town but almost every year for the past 58 years, it’s been lit on fire. The vandalism of the Goat seems to be part of the tradition now.
Australia: Our Most Loved Christmas TraditionsÂ
Now… let’s chat Aussie Christmas traditions, shall we? We’ve got some awesome festive ideas to consider this year that go above and beyond that weirdo Elf on the Shelf. We do have heaps of Elf ideas though, if you’ve been roped into bringing him out of hiding for another year.
Check out some of these other cool Christmas traditions:
