Unique Holiday Traditions From Around the World

From roller-skating to Mass in Venezuela to enjoying KFC for Christmas in Japan, holidays are celebrated around the globe in unique and festive ways that add fun and unique traditions to this season of love and joy.

Icelanders traditionally leave out shoes for Santa (or Belfana) to fill with presents or potatoes depending on their behavior, while many Polish families don’t eat their Christmas Eve dinner until seeing the first star appear in the sky.

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos is an annual holiday tradition honoring deceased loved ones who have passed. The day coincides with All Saints Day and All Souls Day on the Catholic calendar and can be traced back to pre-Hispanic Aztec, Mayan, Toltec and Nahua cultures that believed their dead traveled to an underworld known as Chicunamictlan where they could visit their families after death.

Families create ofrendas at home or gravesite to remember and honor deceased family members by placing food items and gifts for them on these altars, along with decorative skulls (calaveras).

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into an annual celebration of Mexican culture with elements drawn from Halloween and other traditions. Today it is most frequently observed by regions with high populations of Mexican and Mexican-American people.

Krampusnacht

Krampusnacht, or December’s Night of Krampus, is an Austrian alpine tradition commemorated each year when Krampus, an animal that looks half human/half goat, comes to swat misbehaving children with bundles of twigs. Parents place reminder sticks around their houses year-round as a constant reminder that Krampus is watching.

Kids traditionally celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, by placing their shoes outside their doors in hope of finding treats or, depending on how good they were, rods from St Nicholas.

As opposed to our familiar Santa, Krampus is a terrifying devil who pursues misbehaving children through the streets and uses sticks or branches as punishment. Luckily, this tradition has made its way over to America where there are special Krampus parades and parties held around Halloween before Christmas.

Christmas Markets

One of the world’s most beloved holiday traditions is the Christmas Market. These lively open-air markets combine old-world charm with an exciting festive vibe to immerse visitors into the holiday spirit and spread holiday cheer.

These markets can be found throughout Europe in cities and small towns, offering bratwurst and gluhwein (mulled wine) amongst other foods; handmade ornaments; gingerbread cookies for decoration and rides for children to meet Santa!

Christmas markets first started popping up during Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation period of 16th-century Europe, when he proposed replacing Saints’ Day gifts with those celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth. Since then, these events have grown ever more popular, with cities hosting their own versions across the world.

Mummering

Mummering (or janneying) is an annual tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador that involves dressing in disguise and visiting neighboring homes during Christmas’ Twelve Days to add mystery and festivity to the holiday season. Hosts try to guess their visitors’ identities for extra merriment during this festive holiday period.

Mummers use masks, humps, costumes and false voices to disguise themselves and perform songs and dances that amuse and amuse guests at each home they visit before lifting their masks and moving on to another residence. Once their identity has been determined by guests at one residence, mummers move onto another one – only lifting their masks when leaving one property behind before departing again for another one!

Iceland’s Yule Lads offer an equally unsettling tradition, featuring thirteen mischievous characters who visit children on Christmas Eve night to leave gifts or potatoes depending on their behavior.

Yule Cat

The Jolakotturinn (Yule Cat) is an intimidating monster in Icelandic folklore. Reportedly as large as tallest houses, this black cat terrorizes rural Iceland on Christmas Eve when children open their windows hoping for new clothing, checking through children’s windows if none arrive and eating their dinner before moving onto its main course–the child themselves!

Parents encourage their children to wear new socks every Christmas in order to ward off a hungry feline and avoid its hunger. Perhaps farmers used this mythical creature as an incentive for getting autumn wool harvesting done early; otherwise they risked being attacked by its monstrous appetite.