10 Interesting Christmas Traditions from around the World

Everyone loves the holidays. For many of us, it’s the time to be grateful, to gather and celebrate, while for some, it’s all about the food. And who can blame them? Just type in “Christmas Feast” on Google, and you’ll find yourself salivating at the images that show up.

While we all have our own perceptions of how Christmas is celebrated, you’ll be surprised to know that some Christmas traditions are so unique (and unusual to a certain extent) that you might want to witness and experience them yourself.

Whether or not you choose to travel to any of these countries anytime soon, here’s a quick look at how they celebrate what many of us refer to as the most wonderful time of the year.

RUSSIA - Stories, fortune-telling, and celebrating on January 7th

In terms of religious affiliation, most Russians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Christianity). Long before that, however, the country developed its own practices of celebrating Christmas - one of which was fortune-telling.

The church follows the Julian calendar, and they are known to celebrate Christmas on January 7th. The fortune-telling usually takes place on Christmas Eve (January 6) up until January 19, as it is said to be more accurate to predict the future during this time.

Traditionally, only young unmarried women were allowed to take part in such a ritual. But nowadays, everyone in the family can join in on the fun.

Speaking of families, Russians also love to share stories that have been passed down to them from generation to generation. One famous story is that of Babushka, a woman who was said to have been visited by the Three Wise Men on their way to find the birthplace of the Lord Jesus.

UNITED STATES - Eggnog, Christmas light displays, and ice skating

In the US, families are grand on their Christmas light displays and decorations (both indoors and outdoors), with the most famous attraction being the Rockefeller Center, New York City. From picking out a tree, decorating it, and putting the star on top, to setting up statues of Santa Claus and his reindeers on rooftops, families across the country take delight in this special holiday tradition.

Ice skating at Rockefeller Center is also an iconic tradition, a remarkable scene that gets everyone in the mood for the holiday spirit.

While preparing a large feast is never out of the question, one popular Christmas drink that Americans enjoy is eggnog - a dairy-based beverage mixed with beaten egg yolks, cream, and alcohol (whiskey or rum), which is best served chilled. They also like to leave some for Santa when he visits to deliver the children’s presents.

PHILIPPINES - Christmas caroling and the “Ber months” countdown

It’s more fun in the Philippines, mainly because of the friendly locals. Known for their love for singing, many Filipino households (and even malls and establishments) start playing Christmas songs on the radio once September comes around.

Christmas decorations are even up on display during this time in preparation for the festive season. Some schools and organizations also go as far as practicing for their Christmas party presentations.

Children are known to go caroling from house to house, singing famous Tagalog Christmas songs and classic ones, collecting money given to them as a gift for their efforts in belting out a merry tune.

CHINA - Peace apples and Valentine’s Day

The word peace in Mandarin sounds the same as their translation for the word apple. That is why apple giving is associated with promoting peace. Some say that the concept was inspired by the Christmas song “Silent Night.” These apples can come in beautifully wrapped paper or boxes, given as gifts to friends and loved ones.

And while Christmas is celebrated among families in many countries, in China, it is mostly celebrated among couples and friends, which somehow gave the idea that the holiday was more like a Valentine’s Day celebration.

MEXICO - A whole month of festivities (and a lot of piñatas!)

The celebration begins during the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which takes place on December 12. Religious pilgrims from all over the country travel to Mexico City to visit the Virgin Mary, located in the Basilica of Guadalupe.

In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, the atmosphere is filled with various activities, processions, gift-giving, and caroling. Much like in most Latin countries, they also celebrate the famous Nochebuena, in which attending midnight mass is followed by a large feast or dinner.

Piñatas are also a huge part of their tradition due to their symbolic significance. These come in the form of a 7-pointed star, which represents the seven deadly sins, with the candy inside representing the pleasures of the devil. The blindfold signifies one’s faith. The stick used to hit the piñata is meant to overcome sin, while the showering of the candy represents a new beginning.

Later on, however, the tradition became a custom for birthday parties.

COLOMBIA - Candles, novenas, and Baby Jesus playing Santa

Christmas festivities in Colombia begin on the Day of the Little Candles, which takes place on December 7. The streets are lit with hundreds of tealight candles, meant to “light the way” for the Virgin Mary as she comes to bless the people’s homes.

Being one of the many predominantly Catholic Latin countries, a huge part of their Christmas tradition is praying novenas, which begins on December 16 and ends on December 24. While they remain devout to this tradition, many Colombians see this as an opportunity to gather with friends and loved ones as they celebrate the Christmas season.

On Christmas Eve, children look forward to receiving gifts, not from Santa Claus, but from Baby Jesus!

Just when you thought the fun ends on Christmas Day, Colombians celebrate on the 28th in what is known as the Day of the Innocents, where everyone fools around and plays tricks on each other (much like what happens on April Fool’s Day).

THAILAND - You don’t have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas

December 25 is not recognized as a public holiday in Thailand due to the fact that the country is predominantly Buddhist. But since part of their culture is the concept of sanuk (which means fun), Thai people join in with other countries that celebrate Christmas.

Tourism is also a major factor as to why the country’s main religion is tolerant of the Christmas celebration. Staff from hotels and establishments wear Santa hats while buildings and trees are covered in lights and Christmas decorations. Despite not believing in the holiday, locals still put in the effort so that tourists won’t miss out on the Christmas festivities while they enjoy their stay in Thailand.

JAPAN - KFC and strawberry shortcake

Similar to Thailand, most people in Japan aren’t Christians either, so Christmas isn’t recognized as a national holiday. But the country still celebrates the occasion in its own way.

One major tradition is the world-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken. This is due to a successful marketing campaign launched in 1974, where a “party bucket” was necessary for Christmas dinner. Since then, ordering at KFC has become a popular tradition in the country. Many people even pre-order their meals weeks before Christmas Day, as it is considered the busiest time of the year for the fast-food franchise.

Other than that, the strawberry shortcake is regarded as their Christmas Cake, which is sold all around the country during the holiday season. It’s basically a sponge cake with a light cream filling and sweet strawberries on top.

UKRAINE - One of five countries that celebrate two Christmases

Although the main religion in Ukraine is Eastern Orthodox, in 2017, the country officially started celebrating Christmas on December 25 (also known as Catholic Christmas), and again on January 7 (Orthodox Christmas). Similar to Russia, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine follows the Julian calendar instead of the Gregorian, which is why Christmas is generally celebrated on January 7.

The four other countries that celebrate Christmas twice are Belarus, Eritrea, Lebanon, and Moldova.

ITALY - The good witch, bagpipes, presepi, no meat, midnight mass, and skiing

Much of the Christmas traditions in Italy are religious in nature. People visit the Vatican to attend Christmas Eve mass, especially since the Pope will be there. It is indeed an extraordinary experience to be part of such a huge event when in Rome. On the other hand, people also go skiing on the same night (with torches!) to welcome Christmas.

To prepare themselves for Christmas Day, Italians have a “no meat” tradition on Christmas Eve.

Christmas decorations are set up in commercial buildings, family homes, and public spaces. But one particular display that is present almost everywhere in the country is the nativity scenes (also known as presepi).

You can also expect to hear bagpipes played on the piazzas by men dressed up as shepherds, also known as zampogna.

Lastly, Italians share the story of “the good witch,” especially among children. The witch goes by the name Befana, and her story is typically the same as the Russian Babushka mentioned earlier. On the 12th day of Christmas (January 6), it is said that Befana will bring candies and presents the way Santa does on Christmas Eve.

It’s not just a holiday, it’s a celebration!

Regardless of race, country, or religion, Christmas has become a widely known celebration where people gather to eat, sing, and spread joy. There isn’t quite a holiday like it. People look forward to so many exciting events, attractions, and activities.

Even though it was originally celebrated to commemorate the day the Lord Jesus was born, many have come to embrace the holiday as an opportunity to give and receive love. It’s even more interesting to know that each country has its own special way of celebrating the holiday, coming up with a set of unique Christmas traditions that are fun, impressive, and most of all, heartwarming.