Christmas is a season full of customs that, on reflection, can seem quite peculiar—from bringing evergreens indoors and adorning them with baubles, to the divisive presence of Brussels sprouts on the festive plate. While Britain largely sticks to its established rituals, other nations embrace far more unconventional practices.
In Austro-Bavarian folklore, the Krampus is Father Christmas's scary friend—a devilish creature with hair, hooves, and large horns who punishes naughty children. Every year on 5 December, many cities in Germany and Austria celebrate Krampusnacht with parades where hundreds dress as Krampus and chase each other through the streets.
Catalonia has two faecal-themed traditions. The 'caga tio' or 'defecating log' is a grinning log placed on the dining table, fed daily with fruit, nuts, and sweets, then beaten on Christmas Eve to excrete goodies. The 'caganer' is a small defecating figurine that traditionally appears in nativity scenes, now sold in forms of celebrities from Donald Trump to footballers.
In Caracas, Venezuela, revellers travel to early-morning church services on roller skates from 16 December to Christmas Eve, with roads closed off for safety. In Japan, Christmas is not a national holiday but many celebrate; Santa Kurohsu is said to have eyes in the back of his head, and families often eat KFC on Christmas Day, making it the chain's most profitable week of the year.
In Portugal, families set extra places at the table on Christmas Eve for deceased relatives in a practice called 'consoda', believed to bring good luck. Czech women toss shoes over their shoulders to predict love lives: if the toe points toward the door, a wedding may be planned within the year. In Norway, families hide brooms and mops on Christmas Eve to protect against evil spirits and witches. Ukrainian Christmas trees are traditionally decorated with a fake spider and web for good luck, stemming from a tale of a poor woman whose tree was covered in a glittering web by a spider.
