Strange Christmas Traditions Around The World
Christmas means different things to different people, and different cultures celebrate the holiday differently. Here are just a few of the ways people celebrate in different countries.
24 Days of Gifts - Denmark
The Danish tradition of pakkekalender is not that strange, being not all that different from an advent calendar. From 1 December to 24 December, Danish parents give their children a gift every day, making the celebration a whole month affair. Almost.
Rollerskating to Mass - Venezuela
A relatively new tradition in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, sees churchgoers dashing through the city on roller skates to get to mass on Christmas morning. So popular is the event that the streets are now closed to traffic on Christmas morning to ensure the safety of the skaters.
Unusual Ornaments - Ukraine
In Ukraine, you might see spider webs adorning the Christmas tree. There is a folktale that tells of a poor widow who didn’t have the means to decorate a tree for her family. The spiders in the house were moved by her story and spun webs to decorate the tree. It’s worth noting that spider webs are also considered lucky in the Ukraine.
Santa’s Post Code - Canada
If you have a letter for Father Christmas, you’ll be happy to know that he has an official postal address, and his post code is HOHOHO. Not only does “Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, HOHOHO” exist as an address recognised by the Canadian postal service, but all letter sent to that address are both opened and replied to. It’s just like Arthur Christmas!
Pudding on the Ceiling - Slovakia
You may have heard the saying “throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks”, or some version of it. Well, in Slovakia, it’s not spaghetti thrown at the wall, but pudding thrown at the ceiling. There’s a Christmas tradition which involves the head of the household throwing a spoonful of loksa at the ceiling - the more of the pudding that sticks, the better the household’s luck will be in the new year. Loksa is a traditional Slovakian pudding of poppy seeds, bread, milk, and honey.
Associated products:
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Related posts: