Christmas Celebrations Across The World

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Christmas traditions vary worldwide (Credit: Stockvault.net/ Public Domain)

In the United States, Christmas often means baking cookies, decorating the tree, and waiting for Santa. Around the world, though, Christmas traditions can look very different. Here are some fun and unique ways people celebrate the season.

Iceland

Iceland's 13 Yule Lads (Credit: InspiredbyIceland.com/ CC-BY-SA-2.0)

In Iceland, kids wait for 13 gnome-like creatures called Yule Lads. Starting 13 days before Christmas, one Lad visits each night. Good kids get a small toy or candy, while naughty ones get a raw potato. Each mischievous Lad has a funny name that matches their trick. Spoon-Licker licks spoons clean, while Pot-Scraper steals food from pots. The most popular Lad is Candle Stealer, who arrives on Christmas Eve. He "steals" candles but leaves generous gifts in their place.

Ukraine

In Ukraine, finding a spiderweb ornament on your Christmas tree is considered good luck! The legend behind this tradition tells the story of a very poor family who had a Christmas tree but could not afford any decorations. On Christmas morning, they woke up to find that a kind spider had covered the tree with its webs. When the sunlight hit them, the webs magically turned to silver and gold. Today, families hang beautiful spiderweb-shaped ornaments on their trees to bring good fortune and prosperity for the year ahead.

Japan

People in Japan enjoy KFC on Christmas (Credit: KFC.co.jp)

Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan. But that does not stop families from celebrating — often with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)! This tradition began in the 1970s when KFC ran a clever advertisement suggesting fried chicken was the perfect holiday meal. Many pre-order the holiday meal – which can include cake and champagne – weeks in advance to avoid long lines.

Philippines

In the Philippines, the holiday season comes alive with the Giant Lantern Festival in the city of San Fernando. Every December, huge, colorful lanterns — some as tall as 20 feet (6 m) — fill the streets with dazzling lights and patterns. Families and visitors gather to watch the lanterns glow, listen to music, and celebrate together. The festival turns the city into a sparkling Christmas wonderland!

Resources: History.com, Wikipedia.org, cbc.ca, smithsonian.org, momondo.com

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