Christmas Traditions around the World!
Learn about how Christmas and other holidays are celebrated in different places around the world!
Australia
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| Imagine walking onto a sunny beach on Christmas Day. That is exactly how many people in Australia celebrate – by getting together and having a barbecue on the beach. Along with the barbecue and summer sun, many Australians celebrate Christmas by surfing with a santa hat on. In 2015, a group of Australian locals broke the world record for the largest Santa surf lesson. |
Iceland
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| Imagine a holiday-themed version of Snow White’s seven dwarves, except with 13 of them. This is the basic idea of Iceland’s Yule Lads. Legend has it that in a span of 13 days, one by one, they descend the mountains and bring gifts to put in children’s shoes. If the children have been naughty however, they fill the shoes with raw potatoes! |
Italy
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| In Italy there is a Christmas witch called La Befana, who delivers presents on the night before Epiphany. The story goes that on their way to Bethlehem, the Three Wise Men approached an old woman who was sweeping her house and asked her directions to where the Christ child might be. The woman did not know but provided shelter for the magi that night. The next day they invited her to join them in their search for the night. The woman turned down their offer…but after they left, she changed her mind and grabbed gifts for the newborn. She was unable to catch up to them, and she continues the search to this day, popping down chimneys on Epiphany and leaving gifts in stockings for the good children she finds in her path. |
Japan
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| Way back in December 1974, KFC Japan created its ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ ad campaign, promoting fried chicken as the perfect Christmas meal. Now eating KFC is a Christmastime tradition in Japan. In fact, it is so busy that many people order KFC for Christmas two months in advance! |
Liberia
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| In Liberia, instead of Santa, you’ll see the Old Man Bayka. Bayka doesn’t give presents but instead walks the streets begging for your presents. It is also common in Liberia for children to knock on your door to sing Christmas songs for money. |
Mexico
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| In the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, carvers primarily practice their craft on wood. But when it comes time for La Noche de Rabanos, they turn to a different medium: radishes! The carvers compete to create the most elaborate sculptures, including famous people, nativity scenes, and even monsters. There is a special garden for the carvers to plant their radishes, leaving them in ground much longer than normal to allow them to grow to a larger size. |
Philippines
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| While walking down the street in the Philippines it is not unusual to see star shaped lanterns in windows. Before electricity, these lanterns served as a method of public lighting. Referencing the star of the Bethlehem, it became a powerful symbol for the triumph of light over darkness and literally as the tool that lit the way to church for many. With modern streetlights and electricity, making these lanterns has become a tradition in many homes, schools and communities during the holidays. The city of San Fernando, dubbed the ‘Christmas Capitol of the Philippines’, is where many of the country’s Christmas lanterns are produced. The city also plays host each year to the Giant Lantern Festival. The festival includes competitions for the best lanterns and includes lanterns over 20 feet wide. |
Sweden
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| The Yule Goat is a Swedish tradition. Legend has it that instead of reindeer, Santa would ride the Yule Goat to deliver presents. Some even regard the Yule goat as an invisible spirit who appears right before Christmas to make sure all the festive preparation is done right. Nowadays, the Yule Goat is represented by little straw ornaments with a red ribbon on them. Some even prank their neighbors by putting a life-sized Yule Goat in their yards. But in the city of Gävle they build a giant straw goat that is at least 40 ft tall. It is an incredible sight, but many people have tried to pull the ultimate prank and burn down the giant goat in past years. Some attempts have even been successful, and in 2016 during an elaborate festival, it was burned down. |
Switzerland
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| A traditional Swiss Christmas involves not one, but TWO unusual characters in place of Santa Claus! The first is ‘Samichlaus’, who pops up around the 6th of December and shares treats like mandarins, cookies, and of course delicious Swiss Christmas chocolate. So far, so normal…but the second character is essentially an ANTI-Santa by the name of ‘Schmutzli’. He wears a black robe, has a dark beard, and is equipped with an empty present sack in order to prevent kids from being naughty during the year. So remember kids, be nice – the Anti-Santa could be watching! |
Ukraine
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| Can you imagine waking up in the morning and seeing your Christmas tree full of spiders and webs? In Ukraine, trees are decorated with gold and silver spiderwebs, and they even have spider ornaments that are put in the tree! Folklore goes that a poor widow and her children watched a pine tree grow outside their home and turn into a Christmas tree – but they couldn’t afford to decorate it. The children went to bed sad, and the widow hung fruit and nuts on the tree that night in the hope it’d make them smile on Christmas Day. Spiders in the hut next door observed all this and set to work overnight, weaving reams of silky silvery and gold webs around the tree for the family to find the next morning. |
Many other holidays are celebrated in America around this time of year! Here are two of them:
Hanukkah
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| Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday, an eight day celebration that commemorates the story of an ancient miracle – when the Jews had only enough oil to keep the Holy Temple’s menorah lit for one day, but instead it lasted for eight. Each night of Hanukkah, Jewish people light one more branch of the menorah. One of the most famous Hanukkah traditions is the game of dreidel, which involves spinning a top with Hebrew letters on each of its four sides. The letter on which the dreidel stops determines the player’s score! |
Kwanzaa
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| Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American culture and is celebrated over seven days. Seven candles are placed in a kinara, and one is lit each day. They represent the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa, which are celebrated throughout – Umoja, unity; Kujichagulia, self-determination; Ujima, collective work and responsibility; Ujamaa, cooperative economics; Nia, purpose; Kuumba, creativity; and Imani, faith. |
Sources:
The atlas of Christmas : the merriest, tastiest, quirkiest holiday traditions from around the world / Alex Palmer.
20 Christmas Traditions Around the World That May Surprise You
15 weird and wonderful Christmas traditions around the world
Thank you to Bryce Coy for putting this information together!