Christmas done differently

We all are aware of South African Christmas traditions. But in different parts of the world people tend to celebrate Christmas a bit differently. Here are some of the most bizarre Christmas traditions* from all over the world.

• Norway

Norwegians do not believe in doing any cleaning on Christmas Eve. Brooms are hidden away, in case they are stolen by witches and evil spirits.

• Japan

Advertising can be incredibly powerful. In 1974 KFC advertising campaign’s became very popular and since then many Japanese families eat at KFC on Christmas Eve.

• Greenland

In Greenland people eat very strange Christmas dinners. Mattak is raw whale skin, served with blubber. Kiviak is 500 dead auk birds, stuffed into a seal skin and left to ferment for 7 months.

• Germany

Germans hide a pickle in the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, the first child to find the pickle in the morning receives a small gift.

• Ukraine

People in Ukraine do not decorate their trees with the traditional ornaments and tinsel, but with an artificial spider and web.

• Sweden

A traditional rice pudding is made in Sweden on Christmas Eve. A peeled almond is hidden away in the pudding, the first person to find the almond is said to get married within the next year.

• Great Britain

It is an old-age tradition for each member of the family to stir the Christmas pudding once in a clockwise direction, making a wish as they do so.

• Ethiopia

Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on 7 January. People wear white clothes and the men play a fast paced game with sticks and wooden balls, called Ganna.

• Slovakia

In Slovakia the most senior man in the family takes a spoon full of loksa pudding and throws it at the ceiling, the more it sticks, the better.

• Canada

If Canadian children want to write a letter to Santa Claus they need to address it to Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, HOHOHO. The Canadian post recognises this address and will open and reply to these letters.

* Courtesy of Fox News.