7 weird ways Christmas is celebrated globally

Different countries have their own customs and traditions and people celebrate it differently.

Also read: Christmas traditions around Africa

Here are a few ways people all over the world celebrate Christmas. Some of these facts may shock you.

• In Slovakia, people who don’t want to celebrate another Christmas being single they try this: Stand with their back to the door and throw a shoe over their shoulders on Christmas day. If the shoe lands with the toe pointing to the door they believe they will get married soon.

• Just like eating tongue and roasted meat is a tradition in South Africa, in Japan their traditional meat to eat on this day is Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). An online article states more than 240 000 barrels of chicken is sold during Christmas.

• Families in Finland visit the graves of their ancestors and relatives on Christmas Eve to light candles in memory of the deceased. Even those who have not lost loved one in nearby cemeteries visit cemeteries to place candles in honour of their family members buried elsewhere.

• People in Hungary, Bavaria, Slovenia and Austria believe in Krampus Night who’s Santa’s evil twin. Krampus’ job is to beat and punish all the children who have misbehaved. On 5 December men dress up in scary devil-like costumes and run around towns hitting people with sticks and switches.

• Instead of glittering ornaments, Ukrainian Christmas trees are covered with artificial spiders and cobwebs. People in Ukraine believe seeing a spider on a Christmas tree brings good luck.

• In Britain traditional Christmas pudding is stirred clockwise while making a wish which brings good luck. Earlier traditions include putting a coin in the mix which brings wealth to whoever finds it in their serving.

• Most Finnish families have their own sauna because it’s believed that a sauna ‘elf’ lives in there to protect it and to make sure people behave themselves. After sunset the sauna is for the spirits of dead ancestors.

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