Christmas is a time of traditions, but not all traditions are the same around the world for Christmas .In most countries these special dates are conceived by singing Christmas carols, preparing the Nativity Scene, as many families will do these days of long weekend in December, opening gifts from Santa Claus, eating grapes on New Year’s Eve and Roscon de Reyes; but in other areas we find different customs that may be strange but hide curious stories that we now reveal to you. The 10 weirdest Christmas customs around the world.
The Burning of the Devil in Guatemala
In some places in Guatemala, on December 6, while here in Spain we celebrate Constitution Day, they have the tradition of carrying out ‘The burning of the devil’, which is nothing more than, as if it were a falla , light bonfires and burn figures of Satan to eliminate spirits and celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
Krampus, the ‘bad brother’ of Santa Claus
In central European countries such as Germany, Hungary or Austria, the alpine tradition introduces a new figure in the legend of Santa Claus. It is about his brother Krampus, who does not wait for December 25, and at the beginning of the month he visits the children who have misbehaved to punish the children who misbehavethroughout the year. The point is that the image of Krampus is that of a monster that scares, and a lot, the little ones.
Spider webs of luck in Ukraine
While here we are used to decorate our Christmas trees with luminous balls, stars, figurines or gifts, in Ukraine simulations of spider webs are used to attract good fortune . This tradition goes back to the history of a family that did not have resources to take care of their tree, cobwebs came out and they became shiny and silky, silver and gold at sunrise.
Christmas, with sun and beach
We associate Christmas with the cold and the possibility of making snowmen, but there are areas of the world where temperatures usually exceed 30 degrees on December 25. This is the case in Australia, where the usual place to spend these holidays is the beach. The way to celebrate it, have picnics from sunset, watching the surfers dressed as Santa Claus.
Hiding the brooms on Christmas Eve
In the Nordic countries the figure of the witch takes on a special role at Christmas. Good witches and bad witches who threaten to invade the different homes. That is why, given the possibility that these witches decide to fly away with their brooms, people have the custom of hiding all the brooms in the houses as a way to ward off evil spirits. Some even shoot in the air at midnight as a form of threat against anyone who dares to approach their house.
The Japanese spend Christmas Eve at KFC
While millions of Spaniards are already thinking about the products they should buy to present at their table at Christmas Eve dinner, in Japan some do not eat too much in the head and have a tradition of going out to dinner that night to a place that is at least curious. No shrimp, ham or lamb. They have been preferring to pay a visit to Kentucky Fried Chicken for almost forty years!And all for an advertising campaign that the company launched in 1974 and that said: Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii! (‘At Christmas, Kentucky!’).
Roller skating and sledding in Venezuela
One of the most characteristic Christmas traditions in Venezuela is going out on roller skates or riding a sleigh until reaching mass on December 25. The success of this celebration is so great that the streets are closed to traffic so that people can have fun without any inconvenience or risk of a traffic accident other than the typical stumble.
Shoe launch in the Czech Republic
Another country that has a rare custom at Christmas is the Czech Republic. Specifically on Christmas Evesingle women stand with their backs to their front door and throw a shoe over their shoulder . Why do they do it
The meaning of this ‘game’ is to know if in the next few months they will find love once and for all or not
How to know
If the shoe lands with the tip facing the door, it means that if they find love; If, on the other hand, the tapping falls in the direction of the house, it means that they will have to spend another earring in their single condition.
Giant Lantern Festival in the Philippines
In the Philippines on the Saturday before Christmas Eve a giant lantern festival is organized, as if they were Fair booths. A large number of towns are decorated to attract the attention of the jury. For this they use a wide variety of materials, reaching up to six meters that are illuminated with magical effects.
Beer dessert for Santa Claus and the Three Kings in Ireland
Finally, in Ireland they have a tradition that the Three Kings might like when passing through Spain. While in other countries children are used to leaving water for the camels and cookies for the Kings and Santa Claus when they enter their homes to leave gifts for them, in Ireland what they do is prepare a pudding made with Guinness beer or Irish whiskey.
