Across the world and right throughout sunny South Africa, people celebrate the December holidays in various ways. Here are some of the traditions and celebrations that you perhaps never thought existed.
Christmas
This might be the holiday that is celebrated the most during the festive season by Christians. However, not every culture believes in Christmas trees, Santa Claus or giving gifts. Austrians believe in a creature called Krampus. He supposedly roams the streets of Austria in search of children who have not behaved and right through December, people walk in the streets with ghastly masks depicting the creature. In Italy they believe in Belfana the Witch, while in Japan they believe in Colonel Santa.
Another strange Christmas tradition is practised in the Netherlands. Every year, in the days leading up to December 25, Dutch children eagerly place their shoes by the fire in the hopes that Sinterklaas will fill them with small gifts and treats in the night. Traditionally, carrots are left in the shoes for the companion of Sinterklaas, a white horse named Amerigo.
Yule
On December 22, Wiccans and other pagan groups celebrate Yule (or the winter solstice). Yule, a pre-Christian festival observed in Scandinavia, features fires that are lit to symbolise the heat, light and life-giving properties of the returning sun.
Zoroaster
On December 26, Zoroastrians observe the death of the prophet Zarathushtra. Tradition says he lived in what is now Iran in about 1200 BC. His teachings include the concept of one eternal God and that life is a struggle between good and evil.
Hannukkah
This festival of the Jewish religion is celebrated from December 2 to December 10. This commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. It is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah. One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight. This unique candle is called the shamash. Each night, one additional candle is lit by the shamash until all eight are lit together on the final night of the festival.
