Strange Christmas Traditions from around the globe
Today we went around the world to have a look at some very strange and interesting Christmas traditions:
Norway - Hide the brooms
In the old days, people believed witches came out on Christmas Eve to look for brooms to ride on, so they hid them all ways possible. Today Norwegian women still hide all brooms in their house before going to bed on Christmas Eve
Iraq: Bonfire gives good fortune
The few Christians left in Iraq have an unusual ceremony in which they light a fire made of dried thorns outside their house. The future of the family's house for the coming year depends upon the way the fire burns. If the thorns burn to ashes, the family will have good fortune. When the fire is reduced to ashes, everyone jumps over the ashes three times and makes a wish.
Sweden: Find the almond in the rice pudding
In Sweden, you eat rice pudding at Christmas (before or after the Smorgasbord) and the big question is: Who will get the almond? There is one peeled almond hiding somewhere in the rice pudding and the lucky one who gets it will get married within a year
Japan - KFC for Christmas dinner
In many Japanese homes a KFC bucket with fried chicken is the main dish at Christmas. Thanks to a lack of turkeys and smart marketing by KFC the fried chicken is so popular you have to order weeks in advance for the holidays.
Greenland - Eat "Kiviak" - fermented birds
Feel like something else this Christmas? How about Greenland's top dish Kiviak? To make Kiviak you put up to 500 whole auks (local birds) including feathers, beaks and all in a seal skin, which is then sewn up and sealed with grease. You put a large rock on top to keep the air content low and then you let the whole package sit for months. When you open it up the auks are fermented and smell like Stilton cheese and are quite tasty apparently.
It is also tradition on Greenland that on Christmas night the men look after the women, serving their food and coffee and stirring the meal for them. (That part sounds better than the auks.)
Caracas: Venezuela. Roller skate to mass
As in many Catholic countries, people go to mass during the holidays in Caracas, Venezuela. The only difference is that here, they roller skate. The streets are closed off in the early mornings between December 16 and December 24, no cars or buses, just skaters on their way to church.
Iceland: The Yule Cat (Jolakotturinn)
The Icelandics are big fans of myths and of hard work. (They have the most overtime in Europe.) One famous Christmas character is the scary Yule Cat who eats children who haven't worked hard enough. Basically, if you have finished all your work before Christmas you get new clothes and you are safe. The scary Icelandic Yule cat only looks for the lazy ones in old clothes. A good reason to go clothes shopping
Britain: Stirring the Christmas Pudding
In Britain, the Christmas Pudding, also called plum pudding, is a big deal. Many families have their own recipes that go back generations. The puddings are almost black, thanks to the long cooking time and the dark sugar, and are moistened with juice or brandy. Usually, you make the pudding at least four or five weeks before Christmas, and it can last up to a year. Traditionally, every member of the household stirs the pudding while making a wish. When it's time to serve the pudding, tradition calls for bathing it in brandy and setting it on fire.
Sweden: Christmas Straw Goats
Christmas goats have a big role in Swedish Christmas celebrations from small ornaments to gigantic goats like this one in the city of Gavle that is set up every year in December. The big Gavle goat is famous for being vandalized or burnt down frequently. Since 1966, the Straw Goat has survived until Christmas Day only 13 times. The arsonists succeded this year again, the goat got burnt down to the ground just before midnight Wednesday December 12, 2012.
