Here is a roundup of some of the Christmas traditions from around the, from the quirky to the religious:
Midnight mass in Rome
Many theologians believe the tradition known as midnight mass originated with pilgrims to what is now Israel. In the late 4th century, a pilgrim from Rome joined a group of Christians in a vigil in Bethlehem on the night of January 5 – Christmas Eve in the Eastern tradition.
The vigil was followed by a torchlight procession to Jerusalem, culminating with a dawn gathering. When the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was built in the 5th century, Pope Sixtus III introduced midnight mass on Christmas Eve in the chapel, a tradition that has since spread to many Christian countries worldwide.
The Maltese Presepju
The presepju is a crib depicting the nativity scene and carries a strong significance in Maltese culture. Maltese Christmas would not be the same without the traditional presepju (crib) and pasturi (nativity figures).
The idea of crib building originated in Italy in 1223. From here it spread all over Europe and eventually the world. The earliest Maltese crib known was built at the Dominican Friars Church in Rabat Malta in 1617.
The art of crib building in Malta was mainly influenced by the Neapolitan & Sicilian style. The Neapolitan style was quite popular in Europe until the end of the last century. The Sicilian style of crib was introduced in Malta by a Franciscan friar from Sicily, Benedetto Papale, who is known to have lived in Malta for some time during the second half of the nineteenth century.
Various ‘presepji’ displays are open for the public during the Christmas period. Some of those are very artistic and elaborate, with mechanically moving figures, running water among others. The degree of detail that comes from hours of meticulous work by dedicated craftsmen.
In Malta two types of cribs were made – in the shape of a grotto and the traditional large crib. The popular family crib (‘presepju tal- familja’) is made with simple materials such as, thin wood base, chicken wire to hold the structure and covered with ‘paper mache’, made with flour glue.
Kentucky For Christmas
Christmas is all about food, and in Japan, this food is associated with three letters: KFC. People flock to the American fast-food chain KFC to eat – get your drumsticks out – “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” aka “Kentucky For Christmas!”
The tradition of eating “(Fried) Christmas chicken” goes back to a marketing campaign in 1974 – and to this day, KFC records the highest sales volume each year on Christmas Eve.
Spiders on Christmas trees in Ukraine
In Ukraine, some of those who celebrate Christmas hang pavuki, or “spiders” made from materials such as straw, beads and wire, a tradition rooted in the belief that they will bring prosperity to those who participate.
There are quite a few theories on how the custom came to be.
One stems from a folktale about a poor family who could not afford Christmas gifts for their children. The dad brings home a fir tree that spiders have woven webs onto.
The family is scared at first, but in the morning, the webs have turned to silver, bringing them good fortune.
In the second story, Ukrainians weave wheat straws together “to ensure a good crop of wheat in the following year,” Kononenko said.
The straw spiders were first hung on roofbeams in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine.
Christmas trees are a fairly new tradition in Ukraine, and with time and the immigration of Ukrainians to other parts of the world, people likely began hanging the spiders on trees as well as around the house.
The Caganer of Spain
The word ‘caganer’ means ‘the shitter’ in Catalan, which is one of the most original elements of Christmas traditions.
In the Catalan region of Spain, nativity scenes frequently have an unusual addition. The Caganer can be found tucked away into a small corner and is traditionally a man with his pants rolled down and caught in the act of defecation. There are several explanations for the origin of Christmas traditions here.
Though its origins have been lost in time, he started to appear in the 18th century and can often be found wearing traditional clothing and hats. Now, you can even find Caganer versions of popular celebrities. People believed that the deposition is the fertilization of the earth with which it became fertile and yields food, hence joy and happiness came in with Christmas.
Christmas Cracker-Pulling
Beautiful Christmas crackers were invented in 1846 by Tom Smith, a London sweetmaker. Initially, these tasty Christmas sweets were to be wrapped in a twist of fancy-colored paper. But the idea became one of the best-known Victorian Christmas traditions in England. Small festive notes and paper crowns were added to it. These crackers are pulled during Christmas dinner or parties. Whoever gets the larger end of the cracker earns the right to keep the contents of the cardboard tube.
The Gävle Goat
The Yule Goat has been a Swedish Christmas symbol dating back to ancient pagan festivals.
However, in 1966, the tradition got a whole new life after someone came up with the idea to make a giant straw goat, now referred to as the Gävle Goat.
According to the official website, the goat is more than 42 feet high, 23 feet wide, and weighs 3.6 tons.
Each year, the massive goat is constructed in the same spot. Fans can even watch a livestream from the first Sunday of Advent until after the New Year when it’s taken down.
La Befana
Italy is home to one of the quirkiest Christmas traditions of all to bring everyone in the festive season. While Italian children are visited by Santa Claus (or Babbo Natale) each Christmas Eve, they get another visit on January 5, the eve of the Epiphany.
According to legend, Befana was a witch who didn’t give a gift to baby Jesus in the manger. To repent, she now gives gifts to all children, who leave out some wine and food for her. There is a similar figure in Russian folklore, where Babouschka, meaning old woman brings gifts to children.
In Rome, you’ll find shepherds dressed in traditional sheepskins and wool cloaks playing the bagpipes usually in pairs in honor of the traditional shepherds. It’s quite the spectacle to see them break out the tunes in squares and piazzas across the regions.
The 13 days of Christmas
Each night before Christmas, Icelandic children are visited by the 13 Yule Lads.
After placing their shoes by the window, the little ones will head upstairs to bed. In the morning, they’ll either have received candy (if they’re good) or be greeted with shoes full of rotten potatoes if they’re bad.
Giving poinsettias in Mexico
Poinsettias, which bloom in winter, are indigenous to central America, specifically to southern Mexico around Taxco del Alarcon and the state of Oaxaca.
A Mexican legend tells of a girl who had nothing but a bunch of weeds to offer the baby Jesus at a Christmas Eve service. When she knelt to place the weeds by the nativity, the bouquet burst into bright red flowers.
Ever since then the flowers, whose leaves are said to be shaped like the star of Bethlehem, have been known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, and become synonymous with Christmas.
The Mummers of Latvia
Mummers (or street actors, can also be friends and family) who disguise themselves as animals or macabre characters in Latvia. They then go from house to house within their community during the twelve days of Christmas to drive away the evil spirits with music and traditional songs. They even give a variety of informal performances that may include dance, jokes, or recitations.
In return, families offer Christmas traditions food and drinks. The mummers are expected to stay disguised, and in addition to the masks, they hide their voices to avoid being recognized.
Once the mummers are identified, they remove their disguises and spend some social time with the hosts eating the food offered to them. Then they travel as a group to the next home to continue the process.
The Krampus
In Austria, there is a ghoulish creature called ‘Krampus’, the evil accomplice of St Nicholas, is said to wander the streets in search of badly behaved children.
During the month of December, you can expect to see terrifying masked figures out and about scaring kids and adults alike with ghastly pranks. If this holiday tradition sounds like your kind of thing, be sure to check out the annual Krampus parade in Vienna.
The Pickle in the Tree
The Christmas tree tradition embraced around the world today is believed to have started in Germany back in the 16th century, so it comes as no surprise that our continental cousins still have some unique customs relating to the festive conifers. One of these is to hide a pickle somewhere within the branches of the tree, and give a gift to whichever child in the household finds it.
Some claim that the tradition may not be German after all. One legend says that the Christmas pickle originated in Spain, when two young boys were held as prisoners inside a pickle barrel. The heroic Saint Nicholas rescued the boys and brought them back to life.
Noche de las Velitas in Colombia
On December 7 Colombia honors Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with Noche de las Velitas (Night of the Little Candles), an enchanting celebration that marks the start of the holiday season. Colombians light up their homes and streets with millions of white and colored velas (candles) in patterned paper lanterns. The Night of the Little Candles was once a small-scale, family-centric affair, but over the years the decorations have become more creative and sophisticated, and electric lights are often used. Celebrations have become increasingly public too, with music and fireworks as well as food markets.
A similar tradition is held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the Christmas Eve Farolito Walk up Canyon Road. Here the tradition calls for simple paper bags filled with a bit of sand and a tealight.
