Christmas Traditions Around the World: 20 Fascinating Customs You’ve Never Heard Of

You will meet a giant cat that eats people who don’t get new clothes, a horned demon who chases naughty children, a log that “poops” presents, and an entire nation that celebrates Christmas with fried chicken. Some of these Christmas traditions around the world are centuries old, while others started surprisingly recently. All of them show how a single holiday can be celebrated in hundreds of different ways.

1. Japan: A Bucket of KFC for Christmas Dinner

Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, and only a small percentage of the population is Christian. Yet the country has developed one of the most famous Christmas traditions around the world: eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas Eve.

It all started in 1974, when KFC launched a marketing campaign called “Kentucky for Christmas” (Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii). It was a huge success, perhaps because there was no existing Christmas meal tradition in Japan and turkey was hard to find. Today, millions of Japanese families celebrate with a special “party barrel” of fried chicken, and many people order theirs weeks in advance to avoid long queues.

Japan has another sweet Christmas favourite too: the Christmas cake. Unlike the heavy fruit cake eaten in Britain, the Japanese version is a light sponge cake topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Christmas Eve itself is seen as a romantic evening for couples, a bit like Valentine’s Day in the West.

2. Iceland: The Yule Lads, the Yule Cat and the Christmas Book Flood

Iceland has some of the most charming and some of the most terrifying Christmas traditions around the world. Instead of one Santa Claus, Icelandic children are visited by the 13 Yule Lads (Jólasveinar), mischievous troll brothers who come down from the mountains one by one in the 13 nights before Christmas. Each has a name that describes his favourite trick, such as Spoon-Licker, Door-Slammer, Sausage-Swiper and Window-Peeper. Children leave a shoe on the windowsill, and the Yule Lads leave a small gift if they have been good, or a rotten potato if they have been naughty.

The Yule Lads’ mother, Grýla, is an ogre who is said to eat naughty children, and the family pet is even scarier. The Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn) is a giant cat who prowls the snowy countryside on Christmas Eve and eats anyone who has not received a new item of clothing before Christmas. The legend was once used to encourage farm workers to finish processing the autumn wool in time for the holidays.

On a much cosier note, Iceland is also home to Jólabókaflóð, the “Christmas Book Flood”. Icelanders traditionally give each other books on Christmas Eve, then spend the rest of the night reading under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. Many new books in Iceland are published in the months before Christmas because of this tradition.

3. Austria: Krampus, the Christmas Demon

In Austria, southern Germany and other Alpine regions, St Nicholas does not travel alone. He is accompanied by Krampus, a terrifying half-goat, half-demon figure with horns, a long tongue, shaggy fur and a bundle of birch sticks. According to folklore, St Nicholas rewards good children with sweets, while Krampus punishes the naughty ones.

On the evening of 5 December, known as Krampusnacht (Krampus Night), young men dress up in elaborate hand-carved wooden masks and fur costumes and run through the streets ringing heavy cowbells. These Krampusläufe (Krampus runs) are loud, smoky and thrilling to watch, and they have become popular events for visitors too. Today, Krampus parades are even held in cities in the United States and Canada, making it one of the fastest-spreading Christmas traditions around the world.

The next morning, 6 December, is St Nicholas Day, when children wake up to find their shoes or boots filled with chocolate, nuts and fruit.

4. Catalonia, Spain: The Log That “Poops” Presents

If you are looking for the funniest Christmas traditions around the world, Catalonia in north-east Spain is hard to beat. Families here keep a Caga Tió, which roughly translates as “pooping log”. It is a small wooden log with stick legs, a painted smiling face and a red Catalan hat (barretina).

From 8 December, children “feed” the log every night and cover it with a blanket to keep it warm. Then, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, they hit it with sticks while singing a traditional song asking it to “poop” out presents. When the blanket is lifted, sweets, nougat (turrón) and small gifts have magically appeared.

Catalonia also has the caganer, a small figurine of a person squatting with his trousers down, hidden in traditional nativity scenes. Finding the caganer is a game for children, and today you can buy caganer figures of celebrities, footballers and politicians.

5. Venezuela: Roller-Skating to Christmas Mass

In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, a much-loved tradition has people heading to church in a very unusual way. In the days leading up to Christmas, many residents attend early morning masses called Misas de Aguinaldo, and it has become a custom to get there on roller skates.

The tradition is so popular that some streets are traditionally closed to cars in the early morning so that skaters can travel safely. It is one of those Christmas traditions around the world that shows how joyful and community-centred the holiday can be. After mass, families enjoy hot chocolate and hallacas, cornmeal parcels filled with meat, olives and raisins and wrapped in banana leaves.

6. Philippines: The World’s Longest Christmas Season

The Philippines is famous for having the longest Christmas season in the world. As soon as September begins, the start of the so-called “ber months”, Christmas songs start playing in shopping malls, and decorations appear in homes and streets. The celebrations continue all the way to early January.

The most iconic symbol of a Filipino Christmas is the parol, a colourful star-shaped lantern that represents the Star of Bethlehem. Parols hang from windows and line the streets across the country. The city of San Fernando in Pampanga, known as the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines”, holds a Giant Lantern Festival with enormous, brilliantly lit parols that dance to music.

Many Filipinos also attend Simbang Gabi, a series of nine dawn or evening masses from 16 to 24 December. After mass, people enjoy traditional treats such as bibingka (rice cake) and puto bumbong (purple sticky rice). The season peaks with Noche Buena, a big family feast on Christmas Eve. It is easily one of the most joyful Christmas traditions around the world.

7. Mexico: Las Posadas and the Night of the Radishes

In Mexico, Christmas celebrations begin on 16 December with Las Posadas, nine nights of processions that re-enact Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Each night, a group of neighbours walks from house to house, singing and carrying candles, until they are finally welcomed into a home for a party. The celebrations include music, hot fruit punch called ponche, tamales and, of course, a star-shaped piñata filled with sweets.

In the city of Oaxaca, one of the quirkiest Christmas traditions around the world takes place on 23 December: the Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes). Local artists carve giant radishes into detailed scenes, including nativity scenes, dancers, animals and famous buildings, and display them in the main square. The tradition began as a way for farmers to attract customers to their stalls at the Christmas market.

8. Italy: La Befana, the Christmas Witch

Italy has one of the most magical Christmas traditions around the world. Children do get presents from Babbo Natale (Father Christmas), but they also wait for a second visitor. On the night of 5 January, the eve of the Epiphany, a kind old witch called La Befana flies around on her broomstick, delivering sweets to good children and lumps of coal to naughty ones. These days, the “coal” is usually a black sugar sweet.

According to legend, the Three Wise Men stopped at Befana’s house on their way to Bethlehem and invited her to join them. She was too busy with her housework to go. She later regretted her decision and set off to find the baby Jesus, and she has been searching ever since, leaving gifts for every child she passes. Because she is a good housekeeper, she is also said to sweep the floor before she leaves.

Italy is also famous for its beautiful nativity scenes (presepi). The city of Naples has an entire street, Via San Gregorio Armeno, dedicated to handmade nativity figures.

9. Netherlands: Sinterklaas Arrives by Steamboat

In the Netherlands and Belgium, the most important gift-giver is not Santa Claus but Sinterklaas, a white-bearded bishop in red robes based on St Nicholas. Every year in mid-November, Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat, supposedly from Spain, and is welcomed in a televised parade watched by children across the country.

In the weeks before his big night, children leave their shoes by the fireplace with a carrot or hay for his white horse, and wake up to find small treats. The main celebration, called Pakjesavond (present evening), takes place on 5 December. Families exchange gifts accompanied by funny personal poems, and enjoy treats such as pepernoten (small spiced biscuits) and chocolate letters with the first letter of each person’s name. The American Santa Claus is believed to have been inspired partly by Sinterklaas, brought to New York by Dutch settlers, a reminder of how Christmas traditions around the world travel and change over time.

10. Sweden: Donald Duck and the Giant Straw Goat

Sweden has two of the most unexpected Christmas traditions around the world. Every Christmas Eve at 3pm, millions of Swedes sit down to watch Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul (“Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas”), a Disney cartoon special that has been shown on Swedish television every year since 1959. For many families, Christmas simply would not be the same without it.

The second tradition involves the Gävle Goat, a giant straw Yule goat built in the town square of Gävle every year since 1966. The goat is a symbol of Scandinavian Christmas, but it is famous for something else: it has been burned down or destroyed by vandals many times, despite fences, guards and fire-resistant coatings. Whether the goat will survive until the New Year has become a national talking point, and some people even place bets on it.

Sweden also celebrates St Lucia Day on 13 December, when girls dressed in white gowns with red sashes and crowns of candles lead processions, singing songs and serving saffron buns called lussekatter.

11. Norway: Hiding the Brooms on Christmas Eve

Among the more mysterious Christmas traditions around the world is Norway’s old custom of hiding all the brooms in the house on Christmas Eve. According to folklore, witches and evil spirits come out on this night looking for brooms to ride on. Many families still hide them today, partly for fun and partly to keep an old custom alive.

Norway also has its own Christmas gnome, the Nisse, who guards the farm and its animals. To keep the Nisse happy, families leave out a bowl of rice porridge (risgrøt) with a knob of butter on Christmas Eve. If you forget, he may play tricks on you all year.

12. Finland: The Declaration of Christmas Peace and a Christmas Sauna

At noon on Christmas Eve, the city of Turku, Finland’s former capital, officially declares Christmas peace. The Declaration of Christmas Peace is read from the balcony of the Brinkkala Mansion, and the tradition dates back centuries. Today, the ceremony is broadcast on television and radio across the country, and for many Finns it marks the true start of Christmas. It is one of the oldest official Christmas traditions around the world.

Another important part of a Finnish Christmas is the Christmas sauna. Many families take a relaxing sauna together on Christmas Eve before the evening meal. Some also visit cemeteries to light candles for loved ones, creating a beautiful sea of glowing lights in the snow.

13. Poland: An Empty Seat for a Stranger

In Poland, the most important celebration is Wigilia, the Christmas Eve supper. Traditionally, the meal cannot begin until someone spots the first star in the evening sky. The table is often covered with a white tablecloth with a little hay underneath, a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem.

Before eating, family members share a thin Christmas wafer called opłatek and exchange wishes for the year ahead. The meal traditionally includes 12 meat-free dishes, such as beetroot soup (barszcz), dumplings (pierogi) and carp. One of the most touching Christmas traditions around the world is that many Polish families set an extra place at the table for an unexpected guest or a traveller in need, so that no one is alone on Christmas Eve.

14. Ukraine: Spider Web Decorations

In Ukraine, you may find spider webs among the Christmas tree decorations, and they are there on purpose. According to a Ukrainian folk tale, a poor widow could not afford to decorate her family’s tree. During the night, spiders spun beautiful webs over its branches, and in the morning sunlight, the webs turned to silver and gold.

Ever since, spider web ornaments called pavutinky have been a symbol of good luck. Some people believe this legend is one of the origins of tinsel. Ukrainian families also enjoy a Holy Supper of 12 dishes on Christmas Eve, including kutia, a sweet dish made from wheat, honey and poppy seeds.

15. Ethiopia: Christmas on 7 January

In Ethiopia, Christmas is called Ganna or Genna, and it is celebrated on 7 January. Like several other Orthodox churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church follows the older Julian calendar for religious festivals, so its Christmas falls 13 days after 25 December.

Many people fast in the weeks before Christmas and then attend church services that can last through the night. Worshippers often dress in white, wearing a traditional cotton shawl called a netela. After the service, families share a festive meal that usually includes doro wat, a spicy chicken stew, served on injera flatbread. The holiday is also linked to a traditional game, similar to hockey, which is also called genna. It is a good reminder that not all Christmas traditions around the world happen on 25 December.

16. Guatemala: Burning the Devil

In Guatemala, the Christmas season begins with a dramatic event called La Quema del Diablo (the Burning of the Devil) on 7 December. People sweep their homes and gather rubbish, unwanted items and sometimes a piñata or effigy of the devil, and burn them in bonfires outside their homes. The ritual symbolises getting rid of evil and bad luck before Christmas.

In recent years, many towns have encouraged people to burn only small, eco-friendly devil figures to reduce air pollution, but, like many Christmas traditions around the world, the spirit remains the same: a fresh, clean start for the festive season.

17. Australia: Christmas on the Beach

In Australia, Christmas falls in the middle of summer, so the holiday looks very different from the snowy scenes on Christmas cards. Many families spend Christmas Day at the beach or around a barbecue, and seafood platters with fresh prawns and oysters are often more popular than a hot roast dinner. Santa sometimes swaps his sleigh for a surfboard in Australian decorations, and the classic dessert is a pavlova topped with cream and summer fruit.

One of the country’s best-loved traditions is Carols by Candlelight, an outdoor carol concert held in Melbourne every Christmas Eve since 1938. Thousands of people gather in the park with candles, and millions more watch on TV. Similar candlelit concerts now take place in towns and cities across Australia.

18. United Kingdom: Crackers, Puddings and Pantomimes

Some British customs are now among the best-known Christmas traditions around the world, while others still puzzle visitors. The Christmas cracker, invented by London sweet maker Tom Smith in the 1840s, is a paper tube that two people pull apart with a loud bang. Inside, you will find a paper crown, a small toy and a terrible joke. Most people wear the paper crown throughout Christmas dinner.

Other favourites include Christmas pudding, a rich steamed fruit pudding that is often set on fire with brandy before serving, and mince pies, small pastries filled with dried fruit and spices. On “Stir-up Sunday”, the last Sunday before Advent, families traditionally take turns stirring the pudding mixture and making a wish.

Then there is the pantomime, a uniquely British form of family theatre staged across the country during the Christmas season. Based loosely on fairy tales, pantomimes include men dressed as women (the “Dame”), lots of slapstick comedy, and plenty of audience participation, with shouts of “He’s behind you!” and “Oh no it isn’t!” Finally, at 3pm on Christmas Day, many families watch the monarch’s annual Christmas message on television.

19. United States: Lights, Cookies and the Pickle Ornament

The United States has shaped many modern Christmas traditions around the world, from the image of a jolly Santa in a red suit to Christmas movies and songs. Americans are famous for decorating their homes with spectacular light displays, and some neighbourhoods become local tourist attractions each December. In New York, the lighting of the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center has been an official tradition since 1933.

Children leave out milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, and many families wear ugly Christmas sweaters to parties. One curious American custom is the Christmas pickle: a glass pickle ornament is hidden in the tree, and the first child to find it gets an extra present or good luck for the year. It is often called an old German tradition, but most Germans have never heard of it, and it is thought to have actually started in the United States.

20. Canada: Mummering and Santa’s Own Postal Code

In Newfoundland and Labrador, an old tradition called mummering is still alive. During the 12 days of Christmas, people disguise themselves in strange costumes, with pillowcases over their heads, lace curtains, oversized boots and padded clothes, and visit their neighbours’ homes. The hosts must guess who the “mummers” are before offering them a drink and something to eat.

Canada also has one of the most heart-warming Christmas traditions around the world. Santa Claus has his own Canadian postal code: H0H 0H0. Every year, Canada Post’s volunteers help Santa reply to letters from children, in many different languages, as long as the letters include a return address. Find out more on the Canada Post website.

Christmas Traditions Around the World at a Glance

Here is a quick summary of all 20 Christmas traditions around the world from this guide, which is handy for school projects, quizzes or holiday conversation starters.

Why Are Christmas Traditions So Different Around the World?

It might seem strange that one holiday can look so different from country to country, but there are a few simple reasons behind the variety of Christmas traditions around the world.

• Older winter festivals: Long before Christmas, many cultures held festivals around the winter solstice, the darkest time of the year. Customs like Yule logs, evergreen decorations and feasting were absorbed into Christmas celebrations, especially in Northern Europe.
• Local folklore: Characters like Krampus, the Yule Lads and La Befana come from local legends that existed long before modern Santa Claus. Each region kept its own stories alive.
• Different calendars: Some Orthodox churches still use the Julian calendar for religious holidays, which is why Christmas falls on 7 January in countries such as Ethiopia, Egypt, Serbia and Russia.
• Climate and seasons: In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas is a summer holiday, so beaches and barbecues replace snow and fireplaces.
• Migration and modern media: Immigrants carried their customs to new countries, and films, TV and advertising helped spread traditions such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees and even fried chicken dinners.

Christmas Traditions You Can Try at Home This Year

Want to add a little international flavour to your own celebrations? These are some of the easiest Christmas traditions around the world to bring into your home:

• Start a Book Flood: Give everyone in your family a new book on Christmas Eve, then spend the evening reading together with hot chocolate, just like in Iceland.
• Leave out your shoes: Borrow the Dutch, German and Austrian tradition of putting out shoes on 5 December for St Nicholas to fill with small treats.
• Set an extra place: Follow the Polish custom of leaving an empty seat at the table, and invite a neighbour or friend who might otherwise be alone.
• Hide a pickle: Hang a pickle ornament deep in your tree and give a small prize to whoever finds it first.
• Host a Posada: Invite friends over for a Mexican-style party with a piñata, tamales and warm fruit punch.
• Write to Santa in Canada: Help your kids send a letter to Santa at H0H 0H0 and wait for his reply.
• Make a parol: Craft a simple star lantern from paper and string lights to hang in your window, Filipino-style.

If you want to experience the festive season in person, read our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe, where you can see many of these traditions, from St Nicholas to Krampus, up close. Or, if you prefer to spend Christmas in the sunshine like the Australians, take a look at our list of the best countries to travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some unusual Christmas traditions around the world?

Some of the most unusual Christmas traditions around the world include eating KFC for Christmas dinner in Japan, the giant Yule Cat of Icelandic folklore, Krampus the horned Christmas demon in Austria, roller-skating to early morning church services in Caracas, Venezuela, and the Caga Tió, a smiling log that “poops” presents in Catalonia.

Which country has the longest Christmas season?

The Philippines is famous for having the longest Christmas season in the world. Decorations and Christmas music often appear in September, at the start of the so-called “ber months”, and celebrations continue until early January.

Why do some countries celebrate Christmas on 7 January?

Some Orthodox churches, including those in Ethiopia, Egypt, Serbia and Russia, still follow the older Julian calendar for religious holidays. On that calendar, 25 December falls on 7 January of the modern Gregorian calendar.

Why do people eat KFC on Christmas in Japan?

Christmas is not a traditional holiday in Japan. In 1974, KFC launched a hugely successful “Kentucky for Christmas” campaign, and fried chicken became a popular Christmas meal. Today, many families order their Christmas chicken weeks in advance.

What is Krampus?

Krampus is a horned, half-goat figure from Alpine folklore who accompanies St Nicholas in early December. While St Nicholas rewards good children, Krampus is said to punish naughty ones. Today, people dress as Krampus for lively parades known as Krampus runs.

What is the Christmas Book Flood in Iceland?

Jólabókaflóð, or the Christmas Book Flood, is an Icelandic tradition of giving books as gifts on Christmas Eve. Many people then spend the evening reading their new books, often with a cup of hot chocolate.

Final Thoughts

From fried chicken in Tokyo and roller skates in Caracas to candlelit carols on Australian summer nights, Christmas traditions around the world prove that there is no single “right” way to celebrate. Some customs are spooky, some are silly and some are deeply moving, but almost all of them share the same heart: bringing people together, sharing food and spreading a little light during the darkest or busiest time of the year.

Which of these traditions surprised you the most, and does your family have a unique Christmas custom of its own? Share it in the comments below, and explore more festival and culture guides on Daily Leaflet.