Christmas is the most magical time of the year; it’s a time for coming together with friends and family, exchanging gifts, and sharing delicious foods. But one of the things that makes the holidays so special is the traditions we observe year after year.
Your Christmas traditions may involve decorating the Christmas tree, writing out Christmas cards, baking cookies, and hanging your stocking on the fireplace ready to be filled with gifts. But in other parts of the world, Christmas traditions are very different.
Keep reading as we share some of the most unique Christmas traditions from around the world, ranging from skating to spider webs to piñatas and poo logs. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to introduce some of these traditions into your own festive celebrations!
Roller-Skating to Christmas Mass in Venezuela
Residents of the Venezuelan capital city, Caracas, have an interesting Christmas tradition that sounds like lots of fun. Each Christmas morning, thousands of city dwellers make their way to mass on roller skates!
This tradition is so well-established that many streets in the city are closed to traffic to allow the skaters to safely skate their way to church! Can you see your family getting your skates on ready for church on Christmas morning?
Hidden Pickles in Germany
Hiding a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree is a tradition that is believed by some to have originated in Germany, but its true provenance is actually a bit of a mystery. Wherever the idea of placing a pickle on a Christmas tree comes from, it’s certainly caught on in some parts of the United States, with folks in the Midwest embracing the tradition. Berrien Springs, Michigan, is known as the pickle capital of the world and even hosts an annual Christmas pickle parade!
If you haven’t introduced a pickle ornament into your Christmas decoration collection, you may want to do so, as this tradition is a lot of fun! You simply need to hide the pickle ornament on your Christmas tree and let the kids look for it. Whoever finds it gets a treat!
Spider Webs on Christmas Trees in Ukraine
Cobwebs aren’t something you usually expect to find on your Christmas tree, but in Ukraine, this is a unique Christmas tradition rooted in folklore.
Adorning the Christmas tree with cobwebs comes from a Ukrainian folktale about a widow who couldn’t afford to decorate her bare Christmas tree. The story goes that spiders took pity on the family and spun beautiful webs all over the tree, to the delight of the children when they awoke on Christmas morning.
If you want to embrace this heartwarming tale in your household, why not get the kids to make their own spider webs out of string ready to hang on the tree?
Piñatas in Mexico
Las Posadas is a Christmas tradition that has been practised in Mexico for over 400 years. It runs from the 16th of December until Christmas Eve and features nine processions. As part of the celebration, the Christmas story is re-enacted, often by children, and the annual event ends with a church service followed by the singing of Christmas carols, fun games, and a feast. A star-shaped pinata is the highlight of the games, with children taking turns to smash it open and claim their goodies.
Traditionally, the pinatas used are made from clay, but you could create your own Christmas pinata at home as a festive craft activity using paper mâché. All you then need to do is let it dry, decorate it, and fill it with sweets ready for some fun on Christmas Eve.
Poo Logs in Catalan Regions
Yep, you read that right, a festive poop is a tradition in Catalan regions! Caga Tio is a hollowed-out log decorated with a smiley face on one end and topped with a little red hat. This jolly-looking poo log is then filled with sweets and nuts.
On Christmas Eve, families gather to beat the log softly with sticks until he ‘poops out’ all of his goodies. Traditionally, a garlic bulb is the last thing to be pooped out of the log.
While beating the log, families usually sing a song encouraging the log to ‘poop well.’
This could be an easy tradition to introduce into your family’s festive fun, and the kids will love decorating their own Caga Tio smiley face.
Which of these unique Christmas traditions from around the world will you introduce to your holiday celebrations?
