Wacky Wednesday - Traditions!
Around the world people celebrate Christmas in their own way. The following is a list of global Christmas traditions:
1. The Yule Goat: Sweden
Every year in Sweden, a giant goat made of straw is put up at the start of the Christmas season. People make bets on whether or not the goat will survive through Christmas. People have tried to burn the goat, steal the goat with a helicopter, and destroy it with a car. In the last 50 years the goat has been destroyed before Christmas 35 times.
2. Fried Caterpillars: South America
In South America the traditional Christmastime food is fried caterpillars. On Christmas Day children do not chow down on chocolate, instead they eat fried caterpillars from the emperor moth.
3. Shoes By the Fire: The Netherlands
Instead of putting stockings by the fireplace, children in the Netherlands put their shoes by the fire hoping for them to be filled with presents and candy.
4. Roller Skating Mass: Caracas
In Caracas, Venezuela, roads are closed in the mornings of December 16 through the 24. Children tie long strings to their big toes and hang them out of their window for their friends to pull on and wake them up. Children and their parents roller skate to Christmas Mass.
5. Krampus: Austria
On Christmas Day in Austria young men dress up as Krampus, a scary looking creature that is known to beat bad children with sticks.
6. Pickle in the Tree: Germany
In 1880, Woolworths stores got in shipments of fruit and Vegetable shaped ornaments. The vegetable shaped ornaments were a hit, but the pickle was the one that stuck. Today people in Germany hang pickles in their tree at the beginning of December.
7. Colonel Santa: Japan
In Japan Kentucky Fried Chicken started a marketing campaign in 1974. KFC starts the festive menu on December 23 and runs it through Christmas.
8. Broom Hiding: Norway
On Christmas Eve in Norway, people believe that witches and evil spirits come out looking for brooms in houses to ride . Most people hide all of their brooms in the safest place in the house.
9. Banana and Mango Trees: India
In America we usually use spruce, pine, or fir trees for our Christmas trees. In India people decorate banana and mango trees.
10. Black Friday:United States
On Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, people around the country go shopping all day, starting 1:00 a.m. Most stores have huge sales and everyone wants to get in on the deals. Some people even fight other customers for items.
#naturalhomebrands #christmastraditions #wackywednesday #unusualtraditions
- Carole Zellers