Christmas is most warmly celebrations of gift-giving, merry-making, and even church-attending. There are various elements that contribute to the great celebration of Christmas such as: tucking into the Christmas feast with yummy pudding and turkey, hanging up the socks and leaving out the cookies and milk for the Santa, opening of presents under the sparkling Christmas trees, and having a great fun at that time with family and friends. At least, that’s the common notion used for Christmas in most parts of the world. Whereas, in some parts of the world, strange and bizarre traditions are customized that would raise an eyebrow or two. Here we are listing some of the strange things people usually do around the world for Christmas in the name of celebration.
- In India, Go Bananas With Christmas
Banana Tree Decorated for Christmas
The Indian population has only 2.3% share of Christians. Christians of India celebrate Christmas with a midnight mass and gift-giving similar as the rest of the world, but with the absence of fir trees or pine trees to decorate. They usually do this tradition with banana trees and mango trees. That means in India you will not find Christmas pine trees lining up with celebrating households. But, there will be well-decorated Christmas banana or mango trees on the streets.
- Toss Your Shoes and Get Hitched in Czech Republic, Slovakia
Toss Shoe Custom
If you’ve finally grown tired of spending your Christmases all alone, this is one of those strange customs that you should definitely try! You simply need to stand with your back to the door. When that is done, on Christmas Day, just toss a shoe over your shoulders. The myth is that you are bound to get married soon if the shoe lands on the pointed toe.
- Christmas Cakes in Japan
Japan has never heard before about Christmas and they were not interested in celebrating it, but now the Christmas cake is a trademark of Japan. The spongy cakes are covered with whipped cream, chocolate, and strawberries as toppings. These cakes are ordered months in advance and eaten on Christmas Eve. Now, the people of Japan celebrate Christmas by exchanging gifts and eating spongy cakes.
- Finland’s Christmas of Remembrance
On the eve of Christmas, it’s a common tradition in Finland that families usually visit the graves of their ancestors and relatives and light up candles in memory of the deceased. Even the people are alone and don’t have their kin’s visit the nearby graves at cemeteries to place candles in honor of their family members who were buried elsewhere. Therefore, Christmas Eve is the day when cemeteries would be lit up with candles and present a beautiful sight. Some people also leave food on tables and family members leave their beds to sleep on the floor. These things symbolize that they want to give the dead a nice meal and a cozy place to rest when they visit.
- Let the Goat Live Until Christmas
In the year of 1966, a 13-meter tall goat was figured out of straw and that was erected in the town square of Gavle. When the clock struck midnight on Christmas Eve, the goat put up in flames. The town people made it a tradition and never tried to stop the building of it year after year. The vandals have never stopped to burn the goat down. According to records, the straw goat has been made at 30 ft as highest and it’s being burnt 25 times till now.
- A Spidey Christmas in Ukraine
Ukrainian Christmas trees are never covered with glittering ornaments and tinsel, these are covered with artificial spiders and cobwebs. According to a folklore told by local people, there was a poor woman, who could not afford to decorate her Christmas tree. And the very next morning when her children woke up they saw the tree covered with webs and when the first light of Christmas morning touched the web threads, the web threads turned into gold and silver. The family was never left for wanting again. Therefore, it is believed that seeing a spider web on Christmas morning brings luck to your life.
- The Christmas Sauna
Most of the Finnish families have their own sauna. As they have a belief that a sauna ‘elf’ lives in there. It protects it and to also make sure that people behave properly. And on every Christmas Eve, people lead to their sauna, strip up to their toes. It’s the time to enjoy a nice and good soak. After sunset, the place is left up for the spirits of their dead ancestors.
- Don’t Stuff It in My Socks
Christmas is a huge celebration in the Philippines as 80% of the population of the country believes in Christianity. The celebrations of Christmas usually last all the way to January. Children leave their brightly polished shoes with freshly washed socks on the window sills as they believe the Three Kings leave gifts for them in these when they pass through their houses at night. A Feast named after “The Three Kings” mark the end of the Christmas celebrations.
- Britain’s Pudding & Wishes
The Christmas pudding is served on Christmas Day but the traditions are related to its baking. Every member of the family will stir the mixture clockwise while making a wish. Earlier this tradition includes putting a coin in the mix which brings wealth to whoever finds it in their serving. Other additions are also there which includes a ring for luck in marriage and a thimble for good luck in life.
- Santa’s personal Postal Code
Where do children send their letters to Santa? Is it to The North Pole or Santa’s workshop? In reality, Santa has his own postal code, which is H0H 0H0 these are zeros, not the letter ‘o’ and it’s situated in Canada where the postal codes are alphanumeric. The people send their letters and requests to this postal address. The people who are serving there define that enormous letters reach them nearby Christmas Eve and people, especially kids send their requests to Santa Claus.