Strange Winter Holiday Traditions Around the Globe

Decorate banana trees for Christmas

A nativity scene is not complete without a pooping man

Families care for and feed a Christmas log that later “poops” presents after being sung to and beat with a stick

At midnight on New Year's Eve, throw pails of water out of their windows to drive away evil spirits.

People try to eat 7 full meals on New Years Day to make sure they will have enough to eat in the new year

If you were born on Christmas Day, you’re much more likely to be a werewolf

Santas from around the world compete against one another in chimney climbing, snowball fighting, sledge racing, etc

Girls dress in white dresses and carry candle wreaths, representing light destroying darkness on the Winter Solstice

Scarecrows are burned to banish any ill fortune or bad things that happened that year

Every Christmas Eve, families gather around the TV at 3pm sharp, to watch Donald Duck

People go rollerblading to church for Christmas Mass

A straw and wicker Yule Goat is decorated and burned on Christmas Eve

A whole race of evil goblins emerges from underground and causes havoc for 12 days of Christmas

People dress as Knecht Ruprecht, giving the treats to nice children while giving the naughty ones switches and ash.

On New Year's Eve a  traditional ringed cake is eaten often made with at least 18 layers.

Decorate pohutukawa trees which have gnarled roots and bright crimson flowers.

At the stroke of 12 on New Year's Eve people try stuffing their face with 12 grapes for luck in the new year

A coin is inserted into a dumpling and represents wealth & luck

Do not take out the trash on the first day of January, since it means throwing out luck.

Celebrate the new year by dropping ice cream on the floor

Neighbours sculpt piles of dirt swept from houses into shapes of the devil and burn them

Throw buckets of water on each other and go around smearing each other with gray talc on New Years Day

People save up unused plates to break by throwing them at the doors of friends and family on New Year's Eve

In the Gã-Festival participants dress in traditional clothing and carry elaborate floats.

On New Years Eve people in a small village get into fist fights to settle difference and start with a clean slate

On New Year's Day it is tradition to hang an onion outside your door to symbolize fertility and growth

Decorate Christmas trees with spider webs

People run around near midnight with suitcases and luggage in hope the new year will bring travel

Belfana, the Christmas Witch, hands out presents

Bells are rang 108 times on New Year's Eve to banish all sins

On New Years Day people dress in as many round things as possible to represent wealth and prosperity

In which country are brooms hidden and locked-up Christmas Eve so witches can't get to them?

New Years Eve is marked by horseback riders galloping through the streets of the capital city with flags

At midnight on New Year's Eve, people race to doors of friends and relatives to be the 1st guest with a decorated fish

In which country does the onset of winter bring on a festival of preparing fermented cabbage food

Santa puts presents in shoes next to the fireplace

White flowers are tossed into the ocean every New Year's Eve

People gather together and eat pumpkin soup, soup joumou, because it was a delicacy not originally allowed to people

Lentil soup is eaten on New Year's Day to symbolize coins, so with every little piece, hopefully wealth will increase

Around the shortest night of the year people take hot baths with yuzu, a citrus fruit known for its healing properties.

Parade through town on New Year's Eve twirling 2-foot wide fireballs over their heads.

Gangs of people go out into the countryside banging sticks and singing to 'Hunt the Wren'.

When the clock strikes midnight on Dec 31 there is a custom to open a padlock or to turn on the faucet

Villagers parade around town with a horse's skull singing songs

Old furniture is thrown out the window to get rid of baggage going into the New Year

Belsnickel travels around and gives good children gifts, but makes naughty children sing to redeem themselves

13 mischievous trolls, called Yule Lads, leave gifts for good children, but kidnap bad children to feed to Grýla

Groups of people go around singing carols with a dancing goat known as the Capra.

Feast on kiviak, which are birds wrapped and left to ferment for 7 months.

Sculptures are made from radishes

Do not eat chicken or fish, since birds scratch away the possibility of success, fishes swim away with good fortune

Ugadi is marked by the symbolic eating of a dish with six tastes, representing different emotions and experiences.

People celebrate the new year, Nowruz by jumping over bonfires in:

A spoonful of pudding is thrown on the ceiling. How much sticks determines luck in the new year

Throw spare coins in a river on New Years Eve to get good luck

Parents tell kids the story of Danny, who tried to eat Santa’s cookies and was caught and killed by his grandmother

Families and neighbours gather and spend time together in the sauna.

Tie up parents for Christmas

The shortest day of the year is marked with the festival of Dongzhi by dining on pots of duck and mutton in parts of

Hide a pickle in the christmas tree and children have to look for it.

On New Years Eve someone goes from room to room in the house with a smoking juniper branch to drive away diseases

Families or groups of friends don masks and go out visiting various homes, singing songs, short plays and jokes.

Families make sure to serve 12 round fruits, like apples, grapes, and plums, which are believed to represent prosperity

The tompte asked for a bowl of porridge and butter, if you didn’t leave it out, they killed one of your cows in the barn

Eat Christmas pudding containing a hidden coin for luck

Hans Trapp goes out on Christmas dressed as a scarecrow, trying to kidnap and eat bad children

Bad kids are put in a bag and taken by Krampus

Set extra plates and food around the table on Christmas Day so that the spirits of the dead can join the feast

On New Year's Day the walls of the house are banged with bread as a way of chasing away bad luck and evil spirits

At New Year's people eat a salad, made with mayonnaise, pickles, potatoes, peas, eggs, and onions

Go to the cemetery and visit family graves, and those of strangers, placing lit candles.

Eat KFC for Christmas dinner

Three potatoes are placed under each family member’s bed

At dawn on Jan 1, gangs of small boys go house to house splashing water from pine boughs for small copper coins

Eat caterpillars for christmas

Traditional New Year's dessert is rolled banana cake with a meat filling

Families celebrate together with foods like nuts and pomegranates and some stay awake all night long to welcome the sun.

Put hay under the christmas table

Single women stand with their back to the door, throw their shoes in hopes of getting married

If you don't get new clothes by Christmas Eve, the Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn) comes and devours you