Celebrated uniquely, Christmas is a season of delight, introspection, and cultural expression. Let’s investigate some of the most unique customs worldwide that will define Christmas 2024.
1. Japan: A Festive Feast at KFC
Though it’s not a national holiday in Japan, Christmas is welcomed with a distinctive gastronomic heritage. Many Japanese households celebrate Christmas with a special dinner from Kentucky Fried Chicken since a great marketing effort in 1974. Pre-orders for KFC Christmas meals are usually made weeks in advance since the “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakki” (Kentucky for Christmas) custom has grown rather popular.
2. Colombia: Noche de las Velitas
The festive season in Colombia starts on December 7th with “Noche de las Velitas,” (Night of the Little Candles). Families lighting lights and lanterns to highlight streets, parks, and houses to honor the Virgin Mary in this enchanted event. Beginning Christmas celebrations, the evening is full of music, fireworks, and a feeling of community.
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3. Iceland: The Yule Lads
Over the 13 nights before Christmas, Icelandic youngsters expect visits from the “Yule Lads”. Each with unique characteristics, these 13 mischievous figures leave presents in the hands of toddlers seated on windowsills. Children who behave well get treats; those who have misbehaved might find a raw potato. Iceland’s Christmas 2024 celebrations gain a quirky and light-hearted component from this custom.
4. Italy: La Befana’s Visit
The festive season in Italy runs through January 6th, with the celebration of “La Befana.” Folklore has La Befana as a benevolent witch who visits children on the eve of the Epiphany, giving sweets and gifts to the well-behaved and coal to the wicked. This custom gives Italian Christmas celebrations special appeal by combining joy with mythology.
5. Norway: Hiding the Brooms
On Christmas Eve, a unique Norwegian custom entails hiding every broom in the house. This custom originated years ago when people thought that on Christmas 2024 Eve witches and evil spirits would surface searching for brooms to ride on. Many Norwegians still hide their brooms to keep them away from the reach of cunning ghosts.
6. Mexico: Las Posadas and Piñatas
Christmas celebrations in Mexico are rich with customs starting on December 16th with “Las Posadas.” Processions, music, and lively events comprise this nine-day dramatization of Mary and Joseph’s search for cover. A star-shaped piñata loaded with sweets and fruits marks the triumph of virtue over evil at each night’s celebration.
7. Venezuela: Roller Skating to Church
Attaching early morning Christmas Mass on roller skates is custom in Caracas, Venezuela. Usually restricted to traffic until 8 a.m., streets let attendees skate safely to church. Along with ringing bells and fireworks, this energetic custom marks the beginning of Christmas Day in a community.
8. Germany: The Christmas Pickle
A peculiar custom among Germans is hiding a pickle-shaped ornament among the branches of the Christmas tree. The first youngster to find the pickle gets an extra present or is supposed to have good fortune for the next year on Christmas 2024 morning. This custom gives the holiday celebrations some entertaining value as well as a friendly rivalry.
9. Spain: The Caga Tió
Children engage in the “Caga Tió,” often known as “Tió de Nadal,” custom in Catalonia, Spain. Children “eat” a wooden log with a painted face and blanket using little sweets in the days preceding Christmas 2024. The youngsters beat the log with sticks while chanting traditional songs on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, so motivating them to “defecate” presents and sweets. The holiday season gains delight and expectation from this special custom.
10. Australia: Christmas on the Beach
Christmas falls in Australia during the summer, hence many people there celebrate via outdoor activities. Families sometimes have a Christmas Day BBQ or picnic on the beach to embrace the mild temperature with swimming, surfing, and sunbathing. This relaxed attitude stands in contrast to the wintery settings usual for Northern Hemisphere celebrations.
11. Philippines: The Giant Lantern Festival
On the Saturday before Christmas 2024 Eve, San Fernando in the Philippines conducts the yearly Giant Lantern Festival. Designed to represent the Star of Bethlehem, this event features complex lights called “parols.” The celebration draws guests all around, hence San Fernando is known as “Christmas Capital of the Philippines.”
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12. Austria: The Frightening Krampus
During the Christmas 2024 season, Krampus follows St. Nicholas in Austria. While St. Nicholas praises the well-behaved, Krampus is a horned, devil-like demon punishing disobedient children. Early December, particularly on the evening before