Christmas traditions around the world

It’s sleeping on the floor. If you’re in Finland, you will probably spend Christmas Eve sleeping on the floor so that the dead can use your bed for the night.

Sorry, it’s a pooping figurine. A caganer — or “pooper” — is a small figurine of a person squatting down with lowered pants (or raised skirt) to answer nature’s call. They have been around for centuries and can often be found hiding in a corner of a Nativity scene. He was thought to bring good luck and happiness to the family and his fecal droppings were a symbol of wealth and the promise of a productive new year.

Sorry! It’s New Zealand. It’s Summer in New Zealand when it is Christmas. The pohutukawa tree is in bloom at this time and grows on the North Island and has vibrant red blossoms. Therefore New Zealanders elected the pohutukawa as their Christmas tree.

Sorry! It’s brooms. Legend has it that witches and other spirits come out to play on Christmas Eve and are looking for brooms to fly away on. All the brooms and mops in the house must therefore be hidden before going to bed.

Sorry! It’s the Netherlands! Dutch settlers brought the tradition of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) to New Amsterdam (New York) along with giving gifts to children in the 18th century. The name Santa Claus evolved from the Dutch name Sinterklaas.

Sorry! It’s Austria. Children who have been naughty should watch out on December 5, the eve of Saint Nicholas day. Krampus, a hairy, demonic, horned creature is Santa’s dark counterpart. While Santa gives gifts to the children who have been good, the Krampus chases after naughty kids with whips. Today Krampus-runs are organised in several cities all over Austria, where during the night people dressed as demons run through the streets wearing terrifying masks and frighten everyone.

Sorry! It’s food. On Christmas Eve before the family starts eating their dinner, the head of the family takes a small amount of Loksa (a mixture of water, bread, and poppy seed) and throws it up at the ceiling. Apparently, the more mixture that sticks to the ceiling, the better the crops will grow the following year.

Sorry! It’s on rollerskates! In Caracas, roads are closed off so that the locals can rollerskate to morning mass; the origins of this tradition are unknown.

Sorry! It’s Guatemala. Each neighbourhood will create a pile of swept up dirt. They will then place an effigy of the devil on top of it and set it alight.

Sorry! It’s KFC. While Christmas isn’t a national holiday in Japan, KFC is the place to go on Christmas day. Every year, KFC restaurants start putting up order sheets in early December to deal with the huge demand. Having KFC for Christmas became popular thanks to the successful “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” (Kentucky for Christmas!) marketing campaign in 1974.