ORLANDO, Fla. — All across the world, different cultures have unique ways in which they celebrate the holiday season. From special dishes to region-specific folklore, here are seven ways that other nations mark this festive time of year.
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Austria: Krampus Night
In Austria (and other Alpine countries like the Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, and parts of Germany and Italy), the Krampus, a “half-goat, half-demon monster,” is said to visit children during the Krampusnacht, or “Krampus Night.”
This event takes place on December 5, one day before the Feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6. In Alpine folklore, Saint Nicholas rewards good children with gifts, while Krampus punishes naughty children with birch rods, similar to the “gift” of coal in other cultures.
Krampusnacht festivities include the Krampuslauf, or the “Krampus run,” where people dressed as the demon chase others through the streets. The figure has become popularized around the world, thanks to numerous appearances in horror, including the 2015 film Krampus.
Greece: The “Little Ship”
Christmas trees weren’t always a part of Greek holiday traditions. Before families set up large green firs in the corners of their rooms, Greeks marked the holiday with festively decorated boats called karavakia (καραβάκια) which, in Greek, means “little ship” or “small boat.”
This tradition, according to the Mariners Museum and Park, “dates back to Greece’s ancient seafaring days,” and refers to the country’s extensive history with fishing, sailing, and trading. The men of the houses, who were often employed as sailors, would be away for long periods of time. When they returned, their families would celebrate by decorating small wooden boats, a tradition that would eventually become part of the holiday season.
Although Christmas trees have become more common in Greece, the karavaika are making a strong comeback, with cities like Athens and Thessaloniki displaying large and ornate karavaika in the main squares.
Guatemala: Quema del Diablo
At exactly 6 P.M. on December 7, Guatemalans kick off each holiday season by burning an effigy of the devil. Along the streets, people build bonfires outside their homes, which they will set alight as a likeness of the devil (usually a piñata), burns as well.
According to National Geographic, the origins of la quema del diablo (or “the burning of the devil”) “can be traced back to colonial times when it was commonplace or people to light lanterns or, for those with lesser means, bonfires outside their homes to celebrate special occasions.”
This, alongside an annual tradition at the Santo Domingo monastery in Antigua, wherein firecrackers were set off, and a devil effigy was burned to honor the Day of the Rosary, became what is known as la quema del diablo.
The original Day of the Rosary celebration was held in October, but as priests began to focus more on the “Virgin’s vanquishing of evil,” the tradition was moved to December, thus coinciding more with winter holidays.
Ireland: The Cold Sea Plunge
If you ask the Irish Government, December 8 holds “a special place in Irish hearts as the unofficial start of Christmas celebrations.”
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception was traditionally a school holiday but became the day when Irish families would take advantage of the day off and flood the local markets and shops for some early Christmas shopping.
Other festivities fill the month of December, but it’s the Christmas Day tradition that will really give you goosebumps: a cold plunge into the Irish sea (which, in some spots, is as cold as 50 degrees).
The tradition allegedly dates back to the Victorian era, “when sea bathing became popular for its purported health benefits.” The most well-known spot for the Christmas plunge is the Forty Foot, a historic swimming hole that used to be an exclusively male bathing spot.
Now, it’s a place frequented by all and the plunge, characterized by camaraderie and holiday spirit, “is usually followed by hot tea, coffee, soup, and mince pies.”
Japan: KFC for Christmas
Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii! That’s the tagline that defined KFC’s famous Japanese marketing campaign from 1974: “Kentucky for Christmas!” Now, just like turkey is a staple of Western Christmas feasts, Kentucky Fried Chicken is often the centerpiece for a Japanese family’s holiday meal.
In the post-World War II period, several Western chains began popping up all across Japan, including Kentucky Fried Chicken, which opened its first Japan location in Nagoya in 1970.
In a country where less than 1% of the population identifies as Christian (most Japanese people consider themselves Buddhist or Shintō), Christmas traditions weren’t exactly established. Enter KFC who, in 1974, “launched the first KFC Christmas campaign, selling a bucket of KFC’s famous fried chicken along with a bottle of wine, suggesting it be used for a Christmas party that wasn’t just for kids, but grownups, too.” That’s how the company tells it.
December 24 is now the busiest day of the year for KFC locations in Japan, with some even taking orders in advance. According to CNN, in 2018, KFC Japan “pulled in 6.9 billion yen (roughly US$63 million) from December 20 to 25.” That’s a lot of fried chicken!
Norway: Hiding of the Brooms
Make sure if you’re spending Christmas in Norway that you hide your brooms—otherwise a mischievous witch might just steal it from your cupboard and take it for a midnight ride.
According to Norwegian folklore and superstition, Christmas Eve (julaften in Norwegian) is the night during which witches “and other evil spirits come out to fly and cause mischief.” And since broomsticks are often depicted as a witch’s primary form of travel, Norwegians hide their cleaning tools in basements or closets to keep them safe from the spirits.
“In earlier times,” so says J&M Duna Press, “some families would also perform small protective rituals on Christmas Eve, such as prayers or the use of religious symbols to ward off any evil presence.”
The tradition isn’t taken as seriously today, but it is still an important part of a Norwegian Christmas. Many still take part in the habit as a way of preserving old Norwegian customs.
Sweden: The Straw Goat
In the Swedish city of Gävle, Christmas is celebrated by the arrival of a large, 42-foot-tall straw goat that lights up Rådhusesplanaden, the city’s main square. It is, according to the city, “a natural gathering spot along the bustling holiday walkways,” a symbol of holiday cheer and tradition.
So, naturally, there is always someone that tries to burn it down.
The tradition began in 1966, “when the idea of a giant straw goat was born to draw people to Söder,” the popular shopping district in Gävle. The first goat was erected on December 1, 1966 and survived until New Year’s Eve before it burned to the ground. Over the next 56 years, it would burn 34 more times.
Why do people try to burn it? Who knows. But it’s become quite the yearly tradition, with some burning-of-the-goat missions being more elaborate than others. The goat went on a five-year streak from 2015 to 2020, where it survived the entire holiday season! (That, of course, ended in 2021 when it was burnt to ash).
The Gävle city website has a livestream where you can keep up with the goat’s daily activities, and see if it will survive to the end of the holiday season.
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