Do you ever think your family has strange traditions when it comes to the holidays? Whether you and your family wear matching Christmas pajamas or have a cookie-eating contest on Christmas Eve, it's nothing compared to what some people around the world do to celebrate the birth of the one and only, JC:
1. Poland
Everyone wants a chance to get an extra present on Christmas, right? Well, in Poland, a pickle ornament is hidden on every tree. The first lucky person to find this pickle ornament on Christmas morning gets to open an extra present. It might sound easy, but just imagine trying to find a small green ornament on a green Christmas tree filled with lights, tinsel, and tons of other ornaments... Good luck!
2. Czech Republic
All the single ladies, all the single ladies... Now put your hands up! If you're a single lady in the Czech Republic, get ready to find out if this is your lucky year to find a man. On Christmas Eve, single women stand in front of their house and throw a shoe over their shoulder. If the shoe lands pointing toward the front door, it is said that you'll be married within the next year.
3. Australia
If you hate sledding, getting frostbite, and drinking hot chocolate during the holidays, head to Australia for Christmas! Since this country is located in the Southern Hemisphere, their seasons are the opposite of ours in the United States. During Christmas time, it's normal for them to put on a swimsuit, slather on some sunscreen and head to the beach... Just don't forget your Santa hat!
4. Ukraine
Attention everyone with arachnophobia: stay away from Ukraine this holiday season. There's an old tale about a poor family who grew a Christmas tree from planting a pine cone. Sadly, once the tree grew, they had no money to put decorations on the tree. On Christmas Eve, spiders came and covered the tree with spiderwebs. Now, people there decorate their trees with an artificial spider and web.
5. Japan
While most families around the world slave all day preparing a turkey or ham for Christmas (well, at least that's what we do in the U.S.), people in Japan choose an easier option for dinner. Since less than 1 percent of the Japanese population is Christian, it's highly uncommon to see a family even celebrating the holidays; however, for those that do, they feast on Kentucky Fried Chicken.
6. Norway
Hide yo' kids, hide yo' wife, hide yo'...brooms? Yes, that's right. On Christmas Eve in Norway, families must hide their brooms in order to keep "witches" from stealing them and flying around town.
7. Sweden
Starting back in the 1960s, people in Sweden have continued the tradition of building a straw yule goat to celebrate Christmas. For some reason, it has become a target for vandals who have destroyed it almost every year by burning it to the ground. Since the tradition started, only four people have been caught in the act.
8. Iceland
Naughty children get coal, and nice children get presents for Christmas, right? Well, this isn't the case in Iceland. On Christmas Eve, children put their shoes in their windowsills and 13 Yule Lads come down from the mountains to drop off presents in their shoes. Unfortunately, for the naughty kids, they get a big ol' potato in their shoe. I guess that's better than coal!
9. United States
If you look great in red, enjoy dressing up, and celebrating Christmas with millions of other Santa's, head to New York City for SantaCon! This gathering takes place once a year in the Big Apple, so make sure to plan ahead. Millions of people dress up as the big fat man in a red suit to get ready for Christmas and walk the streets of NYC.
10. Mexico
During Christmas Eve and Christmas radish figures are places all around the plaza of Oaxaca. Sculptors and carvers partake in The Festival of Radishes (El Festival del Rabanos) by making Nativity Scenes, famous figures, and mythological events out of radishes to celebrate this time of year.
11. Venezuela
In Venezuela, it's customary to participate in Misa de Aguinaldo, or "Early Morning Mass" from Dec. 16 to December 24. Since the streets get very crowded and it's difficult for people to get to church on time, all roads in Caracas, Venezuela close to traffic by 8 a.m. The only way they're allowed to travel is by rollerblading!
12. Spain
The strangest holiday tradition on this list had to be saved for last. In Spain, it's common for homes to have a Nativity scene, just like in the U.S.; however, they're a bit different in Spain. Farmers used to be told that if they didn't include a figure called El Caganer, or "The Pooper" into their Nativity scenes, they would be punished with bad crops for the year. Now, Caganer figures shaped like Obama, famous soccer players and more are making their way into Spanish Nativity scenes.
Now that you know more about wacky holiday traditions from around the world, you might want to do them yourself! It's never too late to add a pickle ornament to your tree or "El Caganer" to your Nativity scene.
