Christmas is about magic: The strangest Christmas traditions from around the world!

Christmas in Greece is traditionally celebrated with decorations in homes, streets, squares, and shops, with delicious Christmas sweets (aka. melomakarona), gifts for young and old alike, and large festive family gatherings around the table. Every country, however, has its own small or large customs and traditions that make Christmas and New Year celebrations unique. Some traditions are moving, others seem quite “strange” or “funny”, but they all share one common goal: to bring people together and add a little magic to the season.

The magic of Christmas traditions

Just before the great celebration of Christmas, let’s travel together to some of the most impressive Christmas traditions from every corner of the world!

Norway: In Norway, people believe that Christmas is the time when spirits, witches, and goblins roam freely. For this reason, on December 24th, families hide all brooms and mops, so they will not be used by mischievous spirits as… means of transportation. A tradition full of mysticism and imagination!

Germany: According to Germany’s pickle tradition, people hide a small pickle-shaped ornament on the Christmas tree. The child who finds it first on Christmas morning receives an extra gift or is considered as the lucky one for the entire year. There is no clear information about how this custom began, but it remains one of Europe’s most playful traditions!

Venezuela: In Caracas, the country’s capital, streets are closed on the morning of December 25th for a very special reason: residents go to Christmas mass on roller skates! A joyful custom that has become a symbol of the holidays in the city.

Iceland: In this island nation of Northern Europe, children do not wait for just one Santa Claus… but thirteen! The so-called Yule Lads—mischievous figures with distinct personalities—visit homes one by one, each on a different day. Children leave their stockings by the window: if they have behaved well throughout the year, they receive gifts; if they have been naughty, they get… potatoes! A wonderful blend of tradition and humor.

Philippines: The Philippines are traditionally known for having the longest Christmas celebration in the world. Christmas festivities (Pasko) officially begin on September 1st and last until the first week of January, making it the longest Christmas season globally. Shopping centers are filled with Christmas decorations from September already. The most impressive tradition, starting in mid-December, is the Giant Lantern Festival—a competition among neighborhoods (barangays) to create the most spectacular parol (traditional Christmas lantern).

Mexico: From December 16th to 24th, Mexicans take part in Las Posadas, a magic procession reenacting Mary and Joseph’s journey to find a shelter before the birth of Christ. Neighborhoods are filled with music, candles, colors, and plenty of homemade food.

Italy: In this neighboring country, gifts do not arrive only at Christmas or New Year’s Eve. On January 6th, Befana appears—a kind, witch-like old woman who fills children’s stockings with gifts and sweets for well-behaved children, or with (chocolate!) coal for the naughty ones. A tradition that is loved by both young and old.

Finland: For Finns, Christmas preparation includes a very special tradition: a family sauna before the festive meal. This custom symbolizes purity, renewal, and spiritual calm before the great celebration. The perfect tradition for a country where the sauna is a way of life.

Ukraine: The people of this beautiful country hang ornaments shaped like spiders and spider webs on their Christmas trees. According to the legend, a poor mother who could not afford decorations woke up to find her tree covered in golden webs. Since then, the spider web has symbolized luck, blessing, and prosperity. Strange? Perhaps. But it is also moving!

Despite the vast cultural differences between countries around the world, all Christmas traditions share a common core: joy, warmth, and the human need to come closer to one another. Whether we eat melomakarona, hide brooms, or wait to find gifts in stockings or under Christmas trees, the essence of Christmas remains the same: sharing, warmth, and magic.

Happy Holidays!