Christmas traditions in the UK may seem conventional when compared to those in other parts of the world. Would you be willing to eat a KFC ‘Bargain Bucket’ for Christmas Day lunch? Well, they are ordering theirs months in advance in Japan. And how about replacing the stocking at the foot of your child’s bed with a shoe? After all, that’s what they do in Germany. See below for our list of worldwide Christmas traditions that may or may not make you re-consider your own.
1) Only 1% of Japanese people believe in Christ but there is one Christmas tradition that has become a mainstay in the country: a KFC Christmas Day meal has become quintessential ever since a ‘Kentucky for Christmas!’ marketing campaign was launched in Japan in 1974. Now, the Japanese order their bucket of fried chicken months in advance to ensure theirs is on the table on Christmas Day.
2) A tradition that conjures up thoughts of Halloween more than Christmas is observed in Norway. On Christmas Eve, people hide away their brooms in case witches and other evil spirits steal them and fly through the air.
3) Never mind the Gremlins, in Greece a race of devilish winter goblins, or Kallikantzaroi, are said to surface during the 12 days of Christmas, intent on wreaking havoc by urinating in flowerbeds, spoiling food, tipping things over and breaking furniture.
4) Another sinister tradition is kept by South Africans. The barbaric tale of a boy called Danny, who was murdered by his own grandmother after eating Santa’s cookies, is told to children to stop them from being too greedy at Christmas.
5) Germans forgo the Christmas stocking in favour of placing a shoe outside the house on December 5. If they have been good, the shoe will be filled with sweets, and if they are bad a branch will be placed in the shoe instead (which is meant to represent a hiding).
6) An original ‘tinsel’ decoration comes from Ukraine, where people will sometimes adorn their Christmas trees with spider webs. The tradition originates from a Ukrainian folk tale, about a widow whose family was so poor they did not have the money to decorate their tree. However, a spider spun a web around it on Christmas Eve, turning it into a magical web of gold and silver when the light hit it on Christmas morning.
7) This final tradition is perhaps the most bizarre of them all. In Catalonia, an extra figure features in the nativity scene in a rather compromising position. The Caganer, who has since been modelled on public figures and fictional characters, can be seen crouching with his underwear around his ankles while he defecates on the floor. His faeces is regarded as a lucky symbol as it fertilises the earth, helping to ensure a good harvest the next year.
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