Christmas is mostly about celebrations, such as giving gifts, decorating the house, or going to church. However, not everyone celebrates Christmas the same way.
Let’s take a look at some strange and bizarre Christmas traditions around the world you probably didn’t know about.
1. Decoration of banana and mango trees in India
In India, Christmas is celebrated by a small part of the population, which is actually 25 million people! Christians go to church, exchange gifts, and give sweets to children.
However, when it comes to decorating the Christmas tree, real pine trees are hard to find. That’s why people use banana and mango trees instead. They also use the leaves of these trees for decorations.
2. Stirring the Christmas pudding the British way
The Christmas pudding is an important part of celebrating Christmas in Britain. However, what’s more important, is the preparation of this dessert. It is a tradition for every member of the family to stir the mixture of the pudding clockwise and make a wish at the same time.
According to earlier Christmas traditions, people would put a coin, a ring, or a thimble in the pudding, to bring them wealth, marriage, or good luck.
3. Spider webs for Christmas decorations in Ukraine
Christmas trees in Ukraine are different from the rest of the world. This is because in this country people use artificial spiders and cobwebs to decorate them.
This old tradition is connected to “The Legend of the Christmas Spider”, an Eastern Europe folk tale. It is most popular in Ukraine, where people decorate the Christmas tree using small ornaments in the shape of a pavuchky, which means “little spider”.
4. Christmas Skating in Venezuela
In the capital city of Venezuela, Caracas, people attend the Mass on Christmas. What’s really unusual is the fact that they go to church on roller skates.
There are no cars on the streets until 8 a.m. so that the residents of Caracas can enjoy roller-skating to the “Early Morning Mass”. What a fun and fast way to go to church!
5. Remembrance of the deceased in Finland
On Christmas Eve, it is a common tradition for families in Finland to visit the graves of their ancestors and light candles in their memory.
It is an absolutely impressive sight, as cemeteries are full of candles lit by people in order to honor their late loved ones. Also, people leave food on the tables as well as empty beds, so that when the dead visit them they will be able to have a meal and a place to rest.
Do you know any other weird Christmas traditions around the world? How is Christmas celebrated in your country? Feel free to leave a comment below!
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