New Year's traditions of different peoples of the world are sometimes very strange and even slightly frightening. In this list we have collected the 10 most unusual Christmas and New Year customs from around the world.
10. Chickens for Christmas, Japan
Christmas is not the most significant holiday in Japan (and not religious at all), however, the Japanese would not be Japanese if they had not come up with their strange alternative to the classic Christmas traditions. And it consists in having lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
According to KFC, in 1974, one of the visitors to their restaurant in Japan tasted a delicious chicken and admiredly said: “This is the best thing to eat in a country where turkey is not served for Christmas dinner!” After that, KFC marketers decided to decorate Japanese cities with advertising their restaurants, accompanied by the slogan: “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” ("Kentucky for Christmas!").
What began as a marketing move in the 70s is now part of the annual Christmas celebrations in the Land of the Rising Sun.
9. Book as the best New Year gift, Iceland
Restrictions on imports and high inflation during the Great Depression led to a shortage of many products in the country.
However, printed matter could be easily imported into Iceland even in difficult times for the country. As a result, the book became the most popular gift for the New Year and Christmas. And remains to this day.
Most book sales take place between September and November. This is known as the Jólabókaflóð or "Christmas Book Flood".
8. Santa's apples and sisters, China
Books and chickens are not the most popular New Year goods in China. Another thing is apples wrapped in colored paper. Usually, Santa Claus is represented on a wrapper and good wishes are written. Probably, many will not refuse to receive, instead of the traditional apple, the best New Year's gift in the form of a smartphone from Apple.
In addition, in the Chinese shopping centers during the New Year period, you will not see the "Santa's elves", which are popular in the West. Instead, the Chinese Grandfather Frost has got sisters who help him with the distribution of gifts. They can be found not only in shopping malls, but also in parks and other public places.
7. Catalan pooping log, Spain
If you are not from Catalonia, you are unlikely to have heard of Caga Tió (kagatio, or, literally, “popping logs”). This log, dressed in a bright red Catalan beret, with a painted smiling face and two legs-props, appears in houses from December 8 - the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Children in every possible way take care of him, cover him with a blanket, feed him sweets and fruits, while “eating” Caga Tió at night when no one sees him. And who eats well, what good? That's right, poop.
So the New Year log does this, only once, during Christmas. Previously, they beat him with a stick from the heart (so as not to be greedy and give more gifts) and sing a traditional song about bowel movements. Then a blanket is removed from Caga Tió, under which there are gifts - small trinkets and sweets.
At the same time, Tio does not have the strength to “give out” large gifts; they are brought by Pope Noel - the Spanish analogue of Santa Claus, or the Christmas Magi.
6. Hide brooms from witches, Norway
Christmas holidays are very popular in Norway. And in some parts of the country, the old tradition of hiding brooms on Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve) is still alive.
It is believed that it was at this time that witches and other evil spirits came out of their shelters in search of a broom (or, at worst, a broom) in order to go to harm good people and ruin their holiday.
5. Christmas sauna, Finland
On New Year's Eve, Russians traditionally watch The Irony of Fate, in which the main character and his friends go to the bathhouse. But the Finns go to the bathhouse, or rather to the sauna, on Christmas Eve to enjoy well-deserved peace and silence before the start of a noisy and merry Christmas.
To create a festive atmosphere, the sauna is decorated with candles and lanterns. By the way, if you do not have your own sauna - it does not matter. In many Finnish public baths, special Christmas watches are reserved for those visitors who wish to cleanse their body and soul before a bright holiday.
4. Watching cartoons with Donald Duck, Sweden
Every year at Christmas, many Swedish families come together to watch in front of their television set to watch the special TV issue Donald Duck and His Friends Wish You Merry Christmas.
It includes cartoons from Disney Studios, released between the 30s and 60s of the last century. This issue is not shown on other days. It's funny that not all the cartoons in this thread are connected with Christmas.
This tradition is connected with the distant 1958, when in Sweden there were only two television channels and only one of them had access to Disney content.
3. Hassle with gray nags, Wales
The Welsh have a long tradition called the "Marie Luid Rite". Seeing off the old year, the inhabitants of Wales make a kind of zombie horse: they put a horse skull on a stick and decorated it with a white sheet and colored ribbons, insert pieces of glass or buttons into the eye sockets. A special person controls the skull, forcing to open his mouth and giving the appearance of life.
With such a frightening companion, the company of mummers travels from house to house, singing about how hard it is to live on the street, and asking for treats with drinks and cakes.
One of the mummers who plays the role of Marie Luid should persuade the owner of the house to let them in, and the latter tries to convince the honest company of his poverty. Moreover, persuasion on both sides should be with humor, and in verse. This is called "hassle with gray nags."
If the victory in this humorous poetic contest remains with the mummers, then the owner of the house gives water and feeds them at his own expense. Otherwise, they leave with nothing.
2. Christmas witch, Italy
One of the scary Christmas stories is associated with an Italian witch named La Befana. But only if you behaved badly all year.
If you were a good boy or girl (and live in sunny Italy), then La Befana will not carry you away, but will give you something good, like a local analogue of Santa Claus.
There is also a belief that for the sake of good, kind hosts, Befana will take off, and not only leave gifts, but also sweep the floor before leaving. For this, she was also awarded a reward: on the night of January 5-6, you need to leave a small glass of wine and some food on the fireplace.
1. In search of love and gifts, Czech Republic
We decided to complete the selection of interesting and unusual New Year-Christmas traditions on a touching note. And what could be nicer than giving gifts to children and the hope of finding a bridegroom?
Contrary to the traditions of other countries, in the Czech Republic, it is not Santa Claus who is engaged in delivering the gifts, but the infant Jesus himself - Jeziszek. Children write letters with wishes to him and hang them out the window. And when the bell rings on Christmas Eve, it means that Yezhishek read the letter and brought the long-awaited present.
Single ladies on Christmas Eve have other concerns. They need to throw the shoe over their shoulders, so that it falls toe to the door. This is a good sign, then the girl will certainly marry.
