Hi guys! Better start putting up that tree, because Christmas is only two weeks away! Today I will be talking about 5 unusual traditions from countries all over the world. So let’s get started!
Japan: Christmas Dinner is KFC
A popular tradition in Japan is to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas dinner. Since it’s so popular, you have to make reservations if you want to eat at KFC. A website has been made so that you can order your food and have it delivered.
Guatemala: Burning of the Devil
In Guatemala, untidiness is considered a sin. Therefore, the week before Christmas, everyone cleans their house out and puts it in a big pile. When everyone is done cleaning, a statue of the devil is placed on top. They then set the pile on fire. This is where it gets its name from. The idea behind this, is that you are initially burning all the bad from the past year and starting anew from the ashes.
Czech Republic: Matchmaking
In the Czech Republic, on Christmas Eve, unmarried women stand with their backs to the door, and throw their shoe behind them. If the shoe lands on the floor with the heel facing the door, they are going to be alone for another year. But, if it lands with the toe facing the door, it means that they will be married within the next year.
Greenland: A Feast of Whale Skin
A Christmas tradition in Greenland is to feast upon raw whale skin. They also eat it with kiviak, which is essentially an auk(a type of arctic bird) wrapped in seal skin that has been buried for several months.
Austria: The Krampus
The Krampus is an evil version of Santa. He is a demon that punishes naughty children by whipping them with a rute(a bunch of sticks tied together). Men dress up like evil demons that resemble Krampus and walk around on the streets with chains and baskets for kidnapping naughty children and bringing them back to Hell. It’s no wonder that there are no kids out on the streets after dark.
And so we have come to the last of the traditions. I hope you all were as fascinated by these traditions as I was. And maybe you are brave enough to try one of them. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!