When you think of Christmas, you think of gifts, Santa Claus and snow. That is what we have grown up with and that’s what we associate with Christmas. But in other parts of the world, they have some pretty astonishing Christmas symbols and traditions. Here are the top 4 of the world’s weirdest Christmas traditions.
1. Krampus. Monsters, devils and demons eating young children is the stock of Halloween, but in some contries in Europe such as Hungary, Croatia and Austria, they have Krampus. Krampus is said to be Santa Claus’ constant companion during Christmas, and is primarily his anti-thesis. If Jolly Old Saint Nick rewards good children with gifts and toys, Krampus punishes the bad children. In Austria, people dress up as Krampus every December 5 and beat other people up with a stick.
2. Those living in Portugal share a Christmas morning feast with a twist. Like anywhere else in the world, Portugese families come together on Christmas morning to celebrate the occasion with food, only that they take it one step further by inviting dead loved ones to the feast! In fact, there are extra places and food on the table for the dead!
3. The Caga Tio. This is actually a dirtier version of the Yule Log. The “caga tio” or literally the “pooping log” is observed in Spain, where a log is hollowed out and then a face and legs are added. The log is fed every single day starting on December 8. When December 25 comes around, the log is placed into the fire and beaten with a stick so that it could “poop” candies, nuts and fruits.
4. No red holiday cards in Japan. If you have a friend over in Japan, then it might be a good thing to avoid sending him red Christmas cards. While red is traditionally a Chistmas color, it is not appreciated by the Japanese because it means death for them. So giving them a red Christmas card is wishing them death on Christmas. A good custom to keep in mind when ordering those personalized holiday cards!
