Christmas means decorating a Christmas tree, gifting each other, and watching other old Christmas movies while eating holiday cookies. But apart from this thing, some traditions might surprise you. So to try out some other country's traditions, continue reading.

Top Christmas traditions around the world

1. Austria

Just like Alpine countries, Austria also has a legend that is a devil-like creature called Krampus. People follow this tradition by asking children about their good and bad deeds. For example, if a child has done good deeds, they will get rewards like nuts, apples, and sweets. And if the child has done bad deeds, they start worrying about what Krampus will do with them on Christmas morning.  

2. Iceland

Iceland has a unique festive tradition where you can find a giant cat that roams the snowy countryside at Christmas time. It was traditional for Icelandic farmers to use Yule cats to motivate their workers. A new set of clothes would be given to those who worked hard, but the giant cat-like beast would not eat those who did not work hard. To avoid an unsavory fate, Icelanders get new clothing for Christmas.  

3. Japan

In Japan, Christmas is never a big deal. They only believe that Christmas means gifting each other and light display. But in recent years, a new quirky ‘tradition’ has emerged – their very own Kentucky Fried Chicken. In this tradition, families enjoy a feast of Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas Day.  

4. Norway

In Norway, they hide their brooms and mops because they are superstitious and want to prevent them and their families from evil spirits. They think the spirits come to earth that night and enjoy the broom ride in the Christmas sky.  

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5. Philippines

Looking for some festive sparkles? Then, follow the traditions of the Philippines. Every year, the city of San Fernando celebrates Christmas with a Giant Lantern Festival on the Saturday before Christmas Eve. This festival attracts people from across countries. In the olden days, these lanterns were around half a metre in diameter and made from ‘papel de hapon,’ which means origami paper. But now, these lanterns are made from various materials, have grown around six meters in size, and are illuminated with electric bulbs rather than candles.  

6. South Africa

South African tradition means cooking out together. It is a customary dessert to serve malva pudding with custard as a side dish after braaing, marinated steaks, and boerewors sausages. One more thing in their tradition is for Christmas trees. They decorated their trees with various baubles, including hand-beaded African ornaments.    

7. Sweden

Sweden also has its own tradition of Yule Goat, built in the center of Gävle’s Castle Square for the advent. In an unwitting tradition, people have tried to burn down this goat, which is 13 meters tall. There have been 29 successful burns of the goat since 1966. The last burn was in December 2021.  

8. Ukraine

Do you guys love Spiderman? You will love this tradition because, in Ukraine, trees are decorated with spider webs. No, they are not the original spiderwebs. These are just the decorations, just like those small, cute balls and snowflakes. They believe that these spider webs bring good luck. It is said that this tradition has a tale that goes a long back when a poor woman couldn’t afford ornaments to decorate her tree. When she woke, she found her tree covered with spiderwebs and spiders. It was looking so sparkly and beautiful in the daytime because of the sunlight. Some countries like Germany and Portland consider spider webs or spiders on Christmas trees good luck. 

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Conclusion

Whether you’re practicing your Christmas tradition or want to try something new during this holiday season, it’s always a fun time to share special moments with your friends and family.  

Hope you have a happy holiday!

Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Traditions Around the World

1. Which country has the most amazing Christmas traditions?

There is nothing like the most amazing Christmas tradition because every country has its own tradition with the most appealing celebrations.

Traditional Christmas food varies greatly by region. For example, roast turkey is famous in the United States. At the same time, Italy has its own feast centered around a dish like “Feast of the Seven Fishes.”

A biblical story about three wise men who began the tradition of exchanging gifts. Those men brought gifts for baby Jesus as a symbol of love and goodwill.

Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, introduced the Christmas tree to England.