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Weird Christmas traditions from around the globe
If you feel that all around the globe Christmas is about Santa Claus, Christmas tree, mistletoes, lavish feasts, which include luscious bites of puddings, rich cakes, gingerbreads etc., then you are definitely mistaken.
If you feel that all around the globe Christmas is about Santa Claus, Christmas tree, mistletoes, lavish feasts, which include luscious bites of puddings, rich cakes, gingerbreads etc., then you are definitely mistaken.
Over the years, certain traditions have evolved that have become central to the Christmas celebration for a specific region. Here’s a list of some of the weirdest Christmas traditions, we bet you didn’t know.
1. CZECH REPUBLIC
In Czech Republic, unmarried women stand with their back towards the door and throw the shoe over their shoulder. It the shoes toe points towards the door when it lands, it means marriage is soon on the card.
2. Norway
People in Norway don’t clean their houses on Christmas Eve. Instead, the brooms are safely hidden as they believe that the witches and evil spirits will steal it!
3. Austria
In Austria, naughty children live in the fear of a Christmas devil named Krampus who beat naughty kids!
4. South Africa
In South Africa, people eat deep-fried caterpillar of Emperor Moth. It’s one of their main delicacies!
5. Ukraine
Usually Christmas trees are decorated with baubles, stars and lights in almost all countries of the country expect Ukraine where the trees are decorated with artificial spiders and web. According to the folklore, a poor woman did not have any decorative material to decorate the tree.
When her kids woke up the next day the tree was covered with spider web. Once the kid touched it, they glittered like silver and gold. The woman turned rich and all her problems were over. Ukrainians believe that seeing a spider on Christmas tree brings luck.
6. Canada
It’s a craze among the kids to write letters to Santa in which the kids write what all they want from him. But in Canada the Santa has a postal address. Yes, you heard it right! The Santa’s post address is Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, HOHOHO. Every letter received at this address is replied to.
7. Slovakia
In Slovakia, the eldest male of the house, takes spoons of Loksa pudding and throws it towards the ceiling! It believed that the more its sticks, the better.
8. England
In England, kids hang stockings on the window panes behind their bed. It’s believed that the Santa fill those stockings with gifts, But there’s a twist. Naughty kids get coal in those stockings instead of gifts!
9. Sweden
This one is also interesting. A peeled almond is hidden in rice pudding. The unmarried person who finds it gets married within a year.
10. Venezuela
In Venezuela, when kids sleep at night, they tie one end of a string to their toe and drop the other end outside their bedroom window. The next morning, roads are closed and people skate to the church for morning mass! On their way they can tug on any of the hanging strings!
