Christmas around the World
My father is from a family of 12, my mother 8, and myself 7. Throughout the years, children in our family have proven to be untrustworthy and too antsy to sleep the night before Christmas morning. Therefore, we open 90% of the gifts (from each other) on Christmas Eve evening. We don’t have a typical sit down dinner either. After church, we create our plate of crackers and cheeses, along with my mom’s traditional dip. My dad makes his famous meat pie, as we open gifts one by one in order of the youngest to the oldest members.
I thought this was completely normal until Years later when I visited boyfriends’ families and learned of their traditions and ways of going about things. I was very confused that I had to WAIT until Christmas morning, and that we were expected to go to church on Christmas instead of Christmas Eve. It got me thinking….If American families differ in Christmas traditions, how different are they around the world? Let’s explore, because I’m curious!
Giant Lantern Festival, Philippines
The Saturday before Christmas Eve in the city of San Fernando, they provide a festival of lights with lanterns. The festival can be seen for MILES and attracts people from not just around the country, but around the globe. From humble beginnings of small individual lanterns about half a meter in diameter, to the large spectacles of today, it’s become a friendly competition amongst the villages. Nowadays, the lanterns are ginormous, reaching up to 6 or more meters in size! Instead of dangerous candles that were traditionally used, they are now displayed in colorful bulbs to be placed on display. What a beautiful sight I’d like to see someday.
Gavle Goat, Sweden
Since 1966, a giant lit up goat has graced the center of the town of Gavle’s Castle Square to commemorate the Advent. This tradition has sparked (pun intended) a tradition of trying to burn it down. Since 1966, its successfully been burned down 29 times. That’s pretty impressive, since the security surrounding it becomes increasingly more difficult to be successful each year. The most recent burn down of the coveted goat came about in 2016….is 2019 its next demolition?
KFC Dinner, Toyko
Japan has never really been big on Christmas. If anything, it’s become sort of a novelty in the country with just participating in hanging lights and gift giving. This is due to only about 4% of the population being Christian. Over the recent years though, a new tradition has appeared. Eating KFC on Christmas night. Nobody knows exactly why this came to be but some speculate that it was because of it being open and American. KFC has caught onto this and has reaped the benefits of promoting it in Japan this time of year. The more, the merrier, I guess!
The Yule Lads, Iceland
On the days leading up to Christmas, there are 13 troll-like characters that roam the streets to play in Iceland. Each night, during the yule tide, the children will put out their best shoes by the window. A different Yuletide will visit each night for 13 days, leaving gifts for the good little boys and girls. The bad ones get potatoes in their shoes! They are each named for the trouble they like to cause, such as names that translate into “spoon-licker”, “door-slammer”, and “sausage-swiper”, to name a few. They’re like the 7 dwarves, but for Iceland!
Broom Hiding, Norway
Perhaps one of the most unorthodox traditions are that of broom hiding in Norway. Each Christmas Eve, they hide the brooms because of the fear of them being stolen. By whom, you ask? Witches and evil spirits. Although Norway is considered to be one of the least religious countries of Europe, tradition and folklore still run deep. And afterall – it IS tradition!
Do you have any strange traditions in your country, or even in your family? Share them in the comments below!
