New Delhi, India

The most joyous time of the year Christmas is here. People from around the world have gotten into the spirit of the festival and are celebrating it in their own way. For some, Christmas means cooking mouthwatering delicacies and eating them with their close ones, while for others, it's the time to travel and explore new places.

The festival of joy and togetherness is celebrated in a variety of ways. Traditions and customs vary from country to country, and if we dig a little, we will come across a variety of new customs that people are abiding by for generations.

Recently, we came across the countries and places where people celebrate this festival in the weirdest and most strange way you can even think of—from decorating Christmas trees with spiderwebs to hiding the brooms to keep them safe from the withes.

Advertisment

No Christmas! From Lady Gaga to Miley Cyrus: Stars who hate this festival of joy

Here we have compiled some weird Christmas traditions from around the world.

Norwegians hide their broomsbrooms

Advertisment

We have only seen witches with big noses while watching cartoons. But do witches exist in real life? I would say ask a Norwegian. During the Christmas period, Norwegians hide all their brooms in order to keep away the evil witches who ride on brooms from their homes.

Ukraine: Decorating Christmas trees with spiderwebs

It's Christmas, not Halloween. While the whole world decorates their Christmas trees with little Santas, lights, and colourful items, in Ukraine people decorate their Christmas trees with spider webs. Ukrainians believe that decorating the tree will bring them good luck in their home and life.

Advertisment

web

Ireland: Beer and pie for Santa

In most places in the world, people leave biscuits and milk for their dear Santa. But in Ireland, in order to make their Santa happy, children leave a bear and a mince pie for him.

Christmas 2022: Nail art ideas to inspire your holiday manicure

Venezuela: Skate on Christmas Day 

If you are in Caracas, Venezuela, during the Christmas period, make sure you have a pair of skates. From December 16 to 24, Venezuelans attend early morning church services, and people roller skate from their homes to the church.

Roads are closed in order to make sure that there is no traffic so that people don't face any problems while roller skating.

The reason behind the strange tradition is unknown.

damon

Ireland: Christmas with Krampus, the "half-goat, half-demon"

In Christmas, people step out to see the beautiful streets all decked up in lights, and beautiful props and people enjoy their street food in the cosy weather. But this is not the case in Ireland, where joyful celebrations are haunted by the "half-goat, half-demon" known as Krampus.

Man dressed as fearsome demon with two horns and a scary face comes out during Christmas time and punishes children who have done bad things.

Portugal: Dinning with dead relatives

In Portugal, not only family members who are present at the moment will get their plate on the table, but those who have passed will be treated to traditional Christmas food. During the annual feast known as consoda, organised on Christmas morning, people put extra food on the dining table for their family members who have passed away.

The thought behind this belief is that it will bring good fortune to their home.

beat

Catalonia: Beat the log until it poops!

One of the weird yet strange traditions of Catalonia, a Spanish region. A few weeks before Christmas, people start celebrating caga tió, which means defecating or pooping. Under this weird tradition, locals brought a small wooden log into their home and make a cute face over it. They keep it, feed it fruits and sweets, and take care of it until Christmas Eve when the family beats the log with sticks in order to get the treats from it, and while doing this strange custom, they sing, "If you don't poop anything, I will hit you with my stick."