There is one thing that many people around the world have in common – every year they enjoy Christmas. The way it is celebrated in different societies differs significantly. Here are top 10 facts of the most bizarre Christmas tradition from around the world—
10. Christmas Pickle
Rumours have it that in Germany the last decoration in the shape of a pickle is hidden on a Christmas tree, and that the first kid to find it on Christmas gets extra gifts. As popular as this story is around the entire world, the fact is that most Germans people would have no idea what you are referring to. It’s a rumour, at the same time a rumour that someone is someone is making a killing selling glass pickles off of.
9. Christmas Webs
In the Ukraine, the Christmas plants are decorated with spider web –they are designs that look like the spider web, which is said to take best of fortune. The story has it that a parent was so inadequate she couldn’t afford decorations for her tree. When she awoke on Christmas morning she found that spiders had decorated for her. Because of this, every Christmas Ukrainians add the spider web to their Tenenbaums.
8. Christmas Pudding
Pudding – in all tastes and consistencies is a popular Christmas delight. In Slovakia and areas of the Ukraine, pudding does not only warm the heart, it can also predict the future- the oldest person in the family needs a spoonful or of loksa pudding and gives it at the roof. The more pudding stays, the more fortune you’ll have. Simple as that.
Tradition has it that whoever is making the Christmas pudding in England should make a wish as they mix clockwise thus guaranteeing that their wish will become true.
7. Guiding Stars
In some areas of the world, like the Ukraine and Poland, the right a time to open the present written in the stars, the youngest child has to look at the night sky and wait around for wait for the first star to appear, that’s the indication that the opening of the present can begin.
6. Papai Noel
Children in Brazil often get presents from the Magi on Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, as well as from Papai Noel on Christmas Eve. With no use for the chimney in tropical weather, they believe Papai Noel goes into via the main entrance and moves via helicopter rather than a reindeer-drawn sleigh.
5. Christmas Log
In many areas of The Spain, the Christmas gifts are brought by Tió de Rafael Nadal or Christmas log – timber that is often decorated with a face and little legs. On Christmas Eve, the log is put in the fireplace where the family members defeat poor little log with sticks until it. Now would probably be a good time a mention that Tió de Rafael Nadal has a nickname- Caga Tió, aka sh*t log.
4. Hanging Presents
Hanging Presents on plants may come from the Druids who believed the tree was the giver of all good things.
3. Christmas Stockings
The tradition of hanging Christmas stockings supposedly started with three poor sisters who couldn’t afford a wedding dowry. The rich Bishop St. Nicholas of Smyrna protect them from a life of prostitution by coming down their chimney and stuffing their stocking with the gold coin.
2. The First Person To Decorate A Christmas Tree
According to legend, the first person to decorate a Christmas tree was Protestant reformer, Martin Luther. He was so shifted by the beauty of stars shining between branches of a fir tree, he brought one home and decorated it with candle lights for his children.
1. Speedy Santa
US researchers calculated that Santa Claus would have to visit 822 houses a second to deliver all the world’s present on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 kilometres a second. Santa Claus is also known as St. Nicholas, Father Christmas and Grandfather Frost & Kris Kringle.
image source — available on internet
