Eccentric Christmas Celebrations Around The World

Yule Lads-Iceland 

This Icelandic tradition is a kind of trolling towards the original tradition. Every year 13 young boys become the Yule lads, who are said to descend from the mountains one by one for all the 12 days leading up to Christmas. What earlier used to be a mischievous tradition with pranks and joke gifts has now taken a kinder turn.

Kentucky Fried Christmas-Japan 

Every Christmas, you will find households with big KFC party buckets. The tradition of having chicken on Christmas is followed by the less than 1% population that identifies as Christians but also others. With Japan’s booming fast food market after World War II, KFC was one of the many American brands that opened its first outlet in Nagoya in 1970. And now everyone follows this eccentric tradition of celebrating Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken.

La Befana-Italy 

La Befana is the Italian equivalent of the legend of the good witch. According to tradition, La Befana brings the good children gifts on the morning of January 6th, known as the day of Epiphany. Families prepare panettone cakes and muffins in celebration. In Urbania, this is a huge celebration attracting thousands of people, who sing, dance, and wear costumes resembling the grandmotherly witch.  

Christmas Goat- Sweden

Every December, in the town of Gävle in Sweden, locals burn a giant goat as watchers cheer on. This strange Christmas tradition involves the burning of a big goat that is made up of straw and husk and is only celebrated in Gävle town, which is north of Stockholm.

El Caganer, Spain

If ever you are in Barcelona during December and visiting the Christmas market, you are likely to spot stalls lined with ceramic figurines squatting to take a dump. El caganer, literally translates to “the crapper” are small models made of ceramic of pooping peasants who are symbolic of bringing prosperity and fertility for the coming year. In recent years, you can get these models resembling famous celebrities as well.