Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated by many all around the world. It is a tradition first celebrated in Rome and England as a Christian festival, but it soon expanded and made its way to multiple different places. In the past, England celebrated Christmas as a 12-day festival involving all kinds of entertainment such as plays, pageants that celebrate Jesus’s birth, large feasts, and even more. Today, everyone celebrates Christmas in different ways whether if it is Christmas karaoke, gift-giving, home decorating, or even more! Ethan Huynh (10) says, “I typically spend my Christmas at my aunt’s house. She always prepares a large, decorated Christmas tree and a huge feast with so many different dishes. After eating, we exchange the gifts and just spend the rest of the time talking and catching up with each other.” Many may also celebrate this special holiday similar to Ethan, but here are some different Christmas traditions that are celebrated all around the world.
I typically spend my Christmas at my aunt’s house. She always prepares a large, decorated Christmas tree and a huge feast with so many different dishes. After eating, we exchange the gifts and just spend the rest of the time talking and catching up with each other.
— Ethan Huynh (10)
Bad Santa – Austria
Many children indeed believe in Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, a legendary creature that brings gifts to all the good kids around the world, but did you know that there is an evil counterpart to him? In Austria, children are told stories about an evil-horned entity called “Krampus.” It was said that Krampus gave coals to the bad children, tossed the small children into the sack, and dragged them through the snow. While you normally see an old man cosplaying Santa at the mall, typically you will see young men in Krampus costumes during parades. With their long sticks, animal-skinned clothing, and wooden masks, the Krampus can scare both adults and children alike.
Spiders – Ukraine
Christmas trees are typically decorated with bright-colored ornaments, shining lights, tinsels, and a bright star or angel on the top. Ukraine holds a special Christmas tradition with tree decorating. They ornament their trees with spiders called “pavuchky” and fake spider webs, instead of any of the colorful additions listed above. This particular tradition came from an old legend. It was said that on Christmas Eve, there was once a poor widow and her children who found a tree in their garden, but they didn’t have enough money to buy special decorations. The mother decided to hang fruits and nuts so that her children wouldn’t be dejected. On the morning of Christmas Day, the tree was covered with spider webs that glistened silver and gold as the sunlight hit it. Ukrainians decide to honor this story by keeping the tradition, and it is presumed to give them good fortune for the new year.
KFC Feast – Japan
When most think of a Christmas feast, they will think of homemade food such as turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, or gravy. Christmas isn’t too big in Japan, but Japanese families do enjoy having a Kentucky Friend Chicken (KFC) feast on Christmas Day. This tradition started around the 1970s when the manager of the first KFC opened in Japan began advertising fried chicken meals as a way of experiencing a typical Western holiday. The advertising tactic worked because this fast food restaurant sometimes gets so crowded during Christmas times that reservations are required to get a delicious bucket of delicious fried chicken and sides. Additionally, people get to see Colonel Sanders in Santa costume.
Pickle in the Tree – Germany
Decorating Christmas trees is a tradition that is done all over the world, but in Germany, families have special ornament designs. Although their Christmas tree decoration still includes circular ornaments, bright lights, and tassels, a pickle would be hidden somewhere inside of it. It is a tradition that when Germans decorate their Christmas tree, the very last ornament they hang on it is a pickle. On Christmas Eve, the children will try to find the pickle hidden in the branches of the tree. The finder of the hidden pickle would either get an extra gift, good luck for the year, or both!
Brooms and Mops – Norway
Last but not least, Norwegians follow an old special superstition on Christmas Eve that dates back centuries. Families in Norway hide all the brooms in their homes in their closets. This isn’t simply because families don’t want to clean over the holiday. Norwegian families believe that evil spirits, such as witches, will return to Earth on the night of Christmas Eve to steal the brooms. After the brooms or mops are stolen, they are to be used by the evil spirits to ride across the country.
