These 10 Bizarre Holidays May Sound Made Up, But They’re Totally Real

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and togetherness. However, not all holidays were created equal. Some of them are just downright bizarre. Take for example these 10 holidays from around the world. They actually sound like a lot more fun than the traditional New Year’s or Christmas.

To celebrate the new year in Bali, Indonesia, the entire city shuts down from 6 am until 6 pm. That means no work, no play, no talking, and no eating for 12 full hours. Nyepi Day happens around mid March every year, and is a Hindu holiday of self-reflection.

Spain is a country that loves a good party, and La Tomatina is a perfect example of this. Every year around the end of August, thousands of people pack the streets of Buñol to throw 120,000 pounds of raw tomatoes at each other. That’s seriously all there is to it.

In Lopburi, Thailand, the locals have an appreciation for their native monkey population. During the last week of November, they prepare a feast at the Pa Prang Sam Yot temple for the monkeys. It’s actually a holiday cooked up by a local businessman as a way to increase tourism.

Every year, the World Toilet Organization holds World Toilet Day. It’s a serious celebration of everyone’s favorite porcelain creation. The holiday is meant to raise awareness about improving sanitation facilities around the world.

Sounds like the recipe for the perfect holiday, right? This Bolivian festival predates colonial times. In the village of Tinku, locals get together and beat each other up. The reason is because the earth Goddess Pachamama demands a blood tribute in order to provide a good harvest.

During the Revolutionary War, British troops were run out of town by the Continental Amy at the Battle of Princeton. Legend has it that as the British fled Princeton, the locals turned out to pee on them in the streets. Nassau Street is closed off to celebrate this odd event every year around the middle of March.

In Japanese, Hadaka Matsuri literally translates to “naked man festival.” This holiday happens every year around early February. Men strip down to loin clothes or less in the frigid winter to test their manhood and bravery. Traditions vary from town to town, but the idea for the men to test themselves as a way of securing good fortune in the new year.

This festival is held in the English town of Whittlesea to mark the start of the agricultural year on January 7th. A man or a boy is completely covered in straw and led from house to house to dance in exchange for food, beer, or money. Then the straw costume is burned in the town square.

Every February 5th, the world collectively expresses their appreciation for meteorologists everywhere. There aren’t many firm traditions around this holiday, except possibly for frustration.

Beer lovers flock to Iceland on March 1st every year for Beer Day. It’s essentially an all day beer drinking party. The origin of the holiday is the day when Iceland repealed their 75-year-long ban on beer. A reason for rejoicing indeed.

There you have it. People around the world celebrate silence, straw, beer, and more! Now, get out there and be happy!