Fascinating Christmas Traditions From Around the World

I recently found out that I am part Dutch. When I mentioned it my mom, she told me her dad used to put treats in wooden shoes before Christmas, a traditional celebration of Saint Nicholas Day and the origin of our American Christmas stockings. Since then I have been reading up on more Dutch traditions, hoping to find some to incorporate into our holiday celebrations. We need something to do while we are tracking Santa!

In the process I have come upon a lot of interesting, creepy and controversial traditions from around the world. Here are some that stood out to me:

Netherlands

Speculaas are Dutch spice cookies traditionally baked for St Nicholas’ Eve in the Netherlands (December 5). The cookies are usually made with intricate molds dipicting everything from St Nicholas to windmills. They are sometimes called "Windmill Cookies." We have adopted this tradition and have started collection the beautiful molds. This year's speculaas mold: Sinterklaas.

Another St. Nicholas' Eve  tradition, the arrival of Sinterklaas & Zwarte Piet (Black Peter), is kind of creepy & controversial. Sinterklaas is a nice old guy who comes from Spain with his "helpers",  called Zwarte Piets. Sinterklaas brings gifts for the good children, Zwarte Piets are not so nice. They help give out the gifts, but if you have been naughty they will kick you, stuff you in a sack and kidnap you to Spain. Some folks say that Zwarte Piets were once Sinterklaas' slaves, but have been made a little nicer in recent years.  David Sedaris explains it better than I do in "Six To Eight Black Men"   (Skip to paragraph 5 if you are in a hurry or don't like funny). I try not to judge, but this is one tradition we won’t be adopting.

Austria
Austria has a less controversial, but even scarier St Nicholas’ Eve tradition.  Instead of Black Peter, they have Krampus. It's Krampus' job is to beat naughty children. He takes the especially bad ones to hell... in a basket.  To celebrate, on Dec. 6 Austrian men dress up as really scary devil-like Krampuses, get drunk and run around hitting people with sticks.



Spain
Spain has a lot of very "interesting" traditions, some of which they share with neighboring countries. My favorite is the the Christmas day group swim, when “hundreds of Barcelonans launch themselves into the chilly Mediterranean.”


In addition, the Spanish seem to have invented the Christmas Poo (sorry Mr. Hanky). They have Caga Tio (also found in Portugal) and a Caganer (also found in Italy and Portugal).

The Caganer (the shitting guy) is a small statue of a person squatting, pants around knees, pooping. The Caganer is traditionally placed somewhere in all Nativity Displays. He is said to bring fertility and prosperity.



Caga Tió (the pooping log) is a hollowed out log with a  face and four wooden legs. In the days leading up to Christmas, the log is fed with candies and nuts. On Christmas Caga Tió is beaten with a stick and ordered to “poop.” Out come the treats! Think yule log piniata.


Read more here: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/travel/a-catalan-christmas.html

Italy
Instead of Santa, Italian children wait for La Befana, a witch, to bring them gifts. Apparently parents, and the Vatican, weren't happy about Santa’s pagan roots and decided a witch made more sense.

According to legend, the Wise Men stopped at Befana's to ask directions. She didn't know the way, but let them stay the night. When asked if she wanted to go with them see the baby Jesus, she replied that she was too busy with her housework. She later changed her mind, but couldn't find them. She is still searching and leaves candy and treats (or coal for bad kids) along the way. And, since she is so obsessed with housework, she sweeps up before she leaves.

Latvia
Latvians celebrate Ziemassvētki or Winter Festival by “mumming”, going house to house singing  and dancing to drive away evil spirits. It’s kind of like caroling, with masks. Traditional masks include of bears, horses, goats, gypsies, corpses and...  haystacks

Czech Republic
On Christmas Eve, an unmarried Czech woman can determine her future by standing with her back to the door and throwing a shoe over a shoulder. If the shoe lands with the toe facing the door, the woman will marry within the year. If not, she will stay single.

Norway
Norwegians hide their brooms on Christmas Eve, so witches and evil spirits don't steal them and fly away.

Japan
Traditional Christmas dinner in Japan is Kentucky Fried Chicken, because of a "highly successful marketing campaign that began nearly 40 years ago." Wow!

Caracas, Venezuela
In Venezuela morning mass services are held from December 16 - December 24. Nothing odd about that. But, In Caracas they close many streets to cars so the churchgoers can safely get to  to mass... on roller skates.

Oaxaca, Mexico

December 23 in Oaxaca is The Night of the Radishes. Artists carve radishes into beautiful sculptures for three days leading up to the celebration.



Castleton, England

Castleton is a picturesque village in Derbyshire. It's pretty and would be a great place to visit for Christmas, even without the cave caroling in the ‘Devil‘s Arse’!

At Peak Cavern carolers sit inside the ‘Devil‘s Arse’, the natural amphitheatre of the entrance, and sing Chrsitmas classics with a brass band to back them up. You can also head over to Treak Cliff Cavern , for candlelit caroling and a glimpse of the semiprecious Blue John stone.


Australia

In Australia, December 25 falls during summer vacation, so many of the country's Christmas festivities take place outdoors. The most popular event of the Christmas season is called Carols by Candlelight. Nothing too weird or interesting about this, except it's in Australia... and it's summer