There’s no place like home for the holidays. Even if you don’t particularly like visiting with your family and friends, there’s something about this time of year that is comforting. Festive lights, warm drinks, and cuddly sweaters make most people relaxed and happy. But, there are countries around the world whose Christmas traditions greatly differ from your own. Instead of snuggling up by a fire and waiting for Saint Nick to come down a chimney, they worry about demon Santas or eat fried caterpillars.
For real.
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1. Switzerland – Klausjagan (or “Chasing the Klaus”) involves chasing Santa around town for two hours while wielding 8 foot whips.
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2. Austria – It doesn’t get more fun than being scared by Krampus, Santa’s evil nemesis who punishes bad children each year.
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3. Iceland – Those who don’t get any new clothes before Christmas Eve live in fear of being devoured by the Yule Cat. This holiday cat is said to feast on those who are less fortunate.
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4. South Africa – A common Christmas dish is deep-fried Emperor Moth caterpillars. It doesn’t exactly look like it would go down smoothly, but maybe it tastes delicious enough to make up for that.
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5. Sweden – The city of Gävle puts up a giant straw goat each year to celebrate what is obviously the most wonderful time of the year.
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6. Wales – The Mari Lwyd (or “grey mare”) ritual involves parading a horse’s skull throughout town while singing Christmas songs.
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7. Spain – A nativity scene is not complete without a defecating man, also known as “El Caganer.”
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8. Spain – On Christmas Day, children beat their pooping log until it bears candies and nuts. It seems like Spain has a certain theme going in their Christmas traditions.
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9. Germany – The first child to find the pickle in the Christmas tree receives a small gift…and a pickle!
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10. Canada – Kids write to Santa at Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada HOHOHO each year and actually receive a response.
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11. Norway – You’re not doing Christmas right if you’re not hiding your brooms on Christmas Eve. Sure, you could choose not to, but then you’ll have all of those pesky witches coming to your house to take them.
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12. Venezuela – Every Christmas morning, kids put on their roller skates and travel to mass in the funnest way possible.
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13. Finland – Christmas Eve is spent sleeping on the floor so the dead can use your bed. Nighty-night, kids!
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14. Japan – KFC sells over 240,000 buckets of their chicken at their Japanese locations on Christmas Day alone, as it became a tradition to include their food with your celebration.
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15. Ukraine – Spider webs are an extremely popular Christmas decoration in this country. It’s believed that if you see a spider web on Christmas Day, you’re in for some good luck.
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16. Czech Republic – Single women go out on their porch on Christmas Day and toss a shoe over their shoulder with their back to the door. If the shoe lands pointing at the door, they’ll know they will soon be married.
(via ALLDAY, Fox News)
And here I thought eating too much and watching my uncles get too drunk was a strange tradition. These certainly take the cake.
