From the unusual and quirky to the vibrant and traditional, we take a look at how Christmas is celebrated around the world in some quite different ways!
Austria: Bad Santa
Nothing like the 2003 Christmas movie starring Billy Bob Thornton, this is about a ghoulish creature called Krampus, the evil accomplice to Saint Nick, and the story is he wanders the streets seeking out badly behaved children. You could easily mistake this for thinking you have arrived during a delayed Halloween celebration with people dressed in scary masks and costumes pranking and scaring on the streets throughout December. There is even a Krampus parade in Vienna for perhaps one of the creepiest versions of a Christmas parade.
Phillipines: Giant Lantern Festival
Each year on the Saturday before Christmas Eve the city of San Fernando celebrates with spectacular lanterns, some up to 6 metres tall, which are illuminated by bulbs that create a beautiful and colourful kaleidoscope effect. Local villages compete against each other every year trying to create the most elaborate lantern, making for a truly stunning display that attracts visitors from all over the world. Interestingly too, Christmas season in the Phillipines lasts for nearly 5 months with decorations commencing as early as September.
Iceland: The Yule Cat & Yule Lads
Off to Iceland where perhaps one of the strangest festivities exists. Here it is believed a giant cat roams the snow-covered countryside at Christmas. A tradition then formed many years ago whereby farmers would offer new clothes for Christmas to incentify their workers to work harder and those that didn’t risked being devoured by the gigantic cat-like beast. To this day, the believers still give clothing gifts at Christmas to avoid their demise by giant cat. In addition, in the 13 days leading up to Christmas, 13 tricky troll-like characters come out to play in Iceland. The Yule Lads visit children across the country as children place their best shoes by the window and a different Yule Lad visits leaving gifts for nice girls and boys and rotting potatoes for the naughty ones.
Japan: Kentucky Fried Festivities
Off course Japan make this list with something truly unique, despite Christmas not even being a national holiday here. Some years ago, Kentucky Fried Chicken (or KFC) launched a Christmas campaign to the Japanese people advertising a special Christmas Eve feast which has fast gained traction and become somewhat of a tradition. Don’t believe me? Head to the KFC japan website (approaching Christmas time) and you will straight away see for your own eyes several fried chicken festive feasts to choose from with sides, dessert and a special Christmas memento of the occasion.
Norway: Hide your brooms
From a tradition that dates back centuries, some Norwegians still hide their brooms on Christmas Eve. It was believed that witches and evil spirits came out the night before Christmas looking for broomsticks to ride on!
Venezuela: Roller Christmas
My favourite tradition so far, residents of the city of Caracas roller skate to an early morning church service on Christmas Eve. This has become such a popular tradition that roads across the city are closed to enable people to safely skate to church and is then often followed by a traditional meal of ‘tomales’ for the perfect combination of fun, exercise and eating!
Canada: Cavalcade of Lights
Cavalcade of Lights kicks off the holiday season in Toronto with the first lighting of Toronto’s Official Christmas Tree and Nathan Phillips Square. The Square and Christmas tree are illuminated by more than 300,000 energy-efficient LED lights that shine from dusk until 11 pm until the New Year. The event also features live musical performances, a DJ skating party, and a spectacular fireworks display.
