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

Gifts for Travelers Part 2: Travel, Sustain, Plan

This is the second of two quick lists of travel inspired gifts. They are quick, because I thought of making them kind of late and most should be pretty easy to pick up at the last minute.

The second list (this list) is all about gift cards (purchased and homemade), donations and ideas for next year. The first list is books and is here.


Gift Cards:
To purchase or create

If you have the means to send someone to Italy for a week, by all means go for it! If an entire trip isn't exactly in this year's budget, you can at least help them along. Here are some options:

A lot of travel providers now offer gift cards. Some can be emailed or printed at home, making them perfect for last minute gift givers! Here are some examples: American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, Hilton, Hyatt, Amtrak, BedandBreakfast.com,  and Travelocity. You might also want to take a look at Gift Certificates.com

BE CAREFUL! Make sure read the fine print. Some of these cards come with a lot of rules, for example Hilton Cards cannot be used to make a reservation and Amtrak Cards cannot be redeemed online...

I recently wanted to help send my mom and step-dad on a trip. I love train travel and they aren't huge fans of flying, so I was very excited that Amtrak offered gift cards... until I found out that you can't use them online. Our local station is only open from 11:00 pm - 6:30 am. A little inconvenient. Not too mention, I was having a hard time trying to decide what denomination to buy, so they could purchase a ticket without spending too much of their own money or ending up with an awkward balance left on the card.

In the end, I decided to create my own Gift Certificates for them. The gift certificate included a certain dollar amount and free travel planning (by me!). I love this idea, because you can really personalize it. Plus, if they don't spend it all, I will give them the balance to spend on cab fare or a snack in the dining car.

You can Make Your Own using anything from, Illustrator to Microsoft Word to paper and markers! Best of all you can make them at the very last minute if you need to.

Another option is to buy a generic gift cards from a credit card company such as American Express or Visa Gift Cards. Visa even offers "Travel Money." You can tell them, or suggest, that it's for travel, but they will be able to do what they want with it. It's more flexible, but not as fun as the other options.

 

Vintage Mother's Day "coupons" -
not travel, but still...

Note: If you decide to make your own certificates, be sure that you follow through and make sure the recipient won't feel weird about cashing in. I usually only give these to my close friends and family. I know they will take me up on it! 

I've been making certificates (or coupons) for my Mom for years. She keeps them all and she usually waits a while to cash in. I think I'll call her now and make a plan for a Matinee!


 More Gift Card Ideas

Valentine's Certificate for Todd

Gas Card for road trippers
Cooking Class at a destination for foodies
Restaurant at a destination for everyone
Spa Treatment at a destination for pamperers
Place Specific Experiences like hot air ballon rides, zip-line tour, sunset cruise, a picnic, a gondola ride etc.


Donations
Most travelers that I know travel because they appreciate and want to experience other cultures. Helping sustain these cultures is important to these folks.

I like giving to Heifer International. Their mission begins "Heifer envisions… a world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet." (complete Mission here)  and they make is really easy! You can buy and print gift cards online. Great for last minute.


Here are some additional global ideas: Doctors Without Borders, Riders for Heath,  Red Cross, unicef, Nothing But Nets, The Girl Effect and Global Giving 

If the person you are buying for has a connection or love for a specific place, consider looking into ways to donate to that area, especially if it has recently suffered an natural or man-made disaster. Examples include: Cinque Terre,  Haiti, Japan, Joplin and New Orleans. 

This is just a small sampling. Please comment if you have suggestions!

Next Year

Campari Soda bottles.
Image from this cool website:ninainv

If you are traveling in 2012, consider picking up unique small items for gifts. I am not talking souvenirs so much as something about the place. Traditional cookware, handmade jewelry, and unique food items are fun examples. as long as they will travel and keep. I would love it of someone decided to that I needed an assortment of Campari Soda bottles!

Gifts for Travelers Part 1: Read, Cook, Dream

This is the first of two quick lists of travel inspired gifts. They are quick, because I thought of making them kind of late and most should be pretty easy to pick up at the last minute.

The first list (this list) is all books. I like books. I like to read about a place before, during and after I have been there. These suggestions include fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks and a few general guide book ideas. I am only including titles that Todd or I have read... and thought of quickly. I know for sure that we have read tons more Road Trip, NYC & San Francisco books, so I might update. If you have additional suggestions please comment!

Please head over to you local bookshop to see if they are in stock first. It's not only good for your community, it will be a lot quicker!

Books About Places:
Mostly fiction w/some non-fiction thrown in
 
Afghanistan: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
American Road Trips: On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig, Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
Australia: In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
Bangkok: Bangkok 8 series by John Burdett
Caribbean: Embarrassment of Mangoes by Ann Vanderhoof
Chicago: Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Eastern Europe: The Historian by Elizabet Kostova
France: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Florida: Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, Miami Blues by Charles Willeford, Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
Ireland: How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill, Dublin Noir edited by Pat Mullan, Around Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks
Italy: Talented Mr. Ripely by Patricia Highsmith, Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, Brunelleschi's Dome by Ross King
Japan: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Las Vegas: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
L.A.: anything by Raymond Carver, Raymond Chandler or James Ellroy
Memphis: Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick
NYC: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney, The Chelsea Girl Murder series by Sparkle Hayter,  pretty much any Beat writer
New Orleans: Interview With a Vampire by Ann Rice, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Ozarks: anything by Daniel Woodrell
Puerto Rico: Rum Diaries by Hunter S. Thompson
San Francisco: Maltese Falcom by Dashiell Hammett, Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner, pretty much any Beat writer
Savannah: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
South America: The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara
Sweden: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson
Texas: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty
Utah: Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

General: The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain, A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain

Note: We obviously like noir and will eventually read all of the "Noir" series (including Chicago Noir, San Francisco Noir, Havana Noir...) so you might as well take a look at those too!


Cookbooks
Cajun Country: Louisiana Real and Rustic by Emeril Lagasse, Real Cajun by Donald Link
France: Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Bistros Brasseries & Wine Bars of Paris by Daniel Young
Ireland: The Country Cooking of Ireland by Coleman Andrews
Italy: The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Culineria Italy by Claudia Piras, The Country Cooking of Italy by Coleman Andrews
Mexico: Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless
Middle East: The Arab Table by May S. Bsisu
SE Asia: Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Texas: Legends of Texas Barbeque by Robb Walsh


Guides
1,000 Places to Visit Before You Die by Patricia Schultz
Roadfood by Jane and Michael Stern
Bird Guides such as Peterson Guides

Note: Regular Old-fashioned Travel Guides are always good, but I think people usually buy these themselves, unless they are in addition to an amazing trip some where... say a trip to Paris along with the Rough Guide!

Homemade!
Make custom PDF guides that can be printed or used on an iPad or smart phone. 

I make these for myself. I basically take my itinerary, maps and all of the information I find useful from guide books, friends, the web, etc.. and put them all into PDF form. I upload them to my iPad and leave the heavy print books at home. That way I get to take an extra fiction or non-fiction book about the place!
If you know someone is traveling to a destination that you know well, or just have your favorite spot, put all of your insider info together, add some photos and put a bird... I mean a bow on it.

Note: This would be an ideal gift for me!

Here's an example of one I made for myself. It was for personal use, so there are no bells & whistles, just the facts. It's not pretty, but it will give you the general idea: Venice Pub Crawl

Oh, and there are always magazine subscriptions, great for planning and dreaming! Travel & Leisure & Conde Nast Traveler are my personal favorites.

Now what?

I decided to start blogging about travel, obviously. I am kind of obsessed with planning trips, so I figured I would share my finds, experiences and plans.

I usually travel with my husband and we usually plan around at least one of three things: food, motorbike racing and national parks.

My last trip was to Italy. I love Italy. I want to go back to Italy. I am going to post all of my Italy notes first. There are a lot & I am still trying to figure this whole blogging thing out, so I will do that later.

But, here's a sneak peak....

My First Dinner in Italy: I Due G

View of Vale from Tribuna Poggio Secco at Mugello

Looking for Trattoria Di Billy
Manarola, Cinque Terre