If you’ve ever thought to yourself that your family’s Christmas traditions were
a bit, well… weird, then you’re not alone!
There are some incredibly strange legends and customs surrounding Christmas time, and
what you do on Christmas day can be vastly different, depending on where you live.
Here are seven of the strangest Christmas traditions from around the world.
Iceland has its fair share of strange Christmas legends, from child-eating cats to Grýla
the troll, but one in particular, the Yule Lads, holds a place in every Icelandic child’s
heart.
In the past, they were seen as the mischievous sons of mountain trolls, harassing farmers
and the general population.
But over time, the Yule Lads became much more benevolent, in the same way Santa Claus is
portrayed today, as a magical, stocking-filling, bringer of joy.
On the night before December 12th children all over Iceland would put one of their shoes
out on the windowsill, then head to bed with a smile on their faces…or a worried frown
if they’d misbehaved.
The thirteen Yule Lads would then come down one by one on the nights leading up to Christmas
Eve.
Depending on whether the children had been good or bad, the Yule Lads would leave sweets
and presents, or rotten potatoes in their shoes.
While potato-ey shoes were definitely a real concern for some kids, the Icelandic Folk
Customs branch had to step in and discourage parents, from giving out such extravagant
gifts, as the Yule Lads were seen to be favouring some kids far more than others.
The awareness campaign advised parents, through media and kindergartens, hoping to reduce
the festive gap between rich and poor families.
The festive spirit of the Yule Lads remains well and strong today, perhaps because, today,
they more closely resemble Santa Clause, than the more sullen image of morose mountain trolls
that their ancestors from the 1700s possessed.
Every year in the Cuban town of Remedios, a transformation takes place.
In the run up to Christmas, the town splits in two, and the preparation for the Parrandas
festival begins.
There is a longstanding tradition of competition between two neighbourhoods in the town; San
Salvador, represented by a rooster, and El Carmen, represented by a Hawk.
These two sides of the town prepare all year to battle it out for the title of… best
Christmas festival.
This isn’t your usual friendly competition between you and your neighbour to see who
has the most Christmas lights, this is an all-out battle extravaganza that goes back
centuries.
Not only do the residents meticulously decorate their houses in the themes and colours of
their district, but each hosts their own fireworks show and float to be presented in the main
display.
Magnificent costumes and dancing in the streets to a wide orchestra of music, accompanies
the festivities.
You would think you’re at “Carnival,” except there are Christmas decorations everywhere
instead of Samba dancers.
The festival finds its roots in the 18th century when the priest in the Grand Cathedral of
Remedios sent out children to gather people for Christmas mass.
The children would have pots, pans and spoons, and would run around the town making noise
and singing songs to attract people and lead them to the mass.
Over time this developed into the fantastically extravagant street party that we see today.
While this isn’t necessarily a “strange” tradition, it’s one of unusual intensity,
even when compared to hotspots of Christmas festivities around Britain and the United
states.
The festivities are so extravagant and infectious that nearby Cuban towns host their own versions
with their own competing districts every year.
I’m sure you’ve had Christmas carollers knocking on your door and singing songs to
you before… but what about Mummers?
This bizarre tradition actually has a few forms across most of Europe, but in Latvia,
it is particularly well-established and accepted as a local custom.
Latvian “mumming,” done by “mummers” is a bit like the traditional Christmas carollers,
but there’s a twist.
Mummers dress up as all kinds of creatures from wolves, to goats, fortune tellers, and
bears, and other amazingly surreal costumes.
They are usually warmly welcomed into homes as they are believed to drive away evil spirits
with their costumes, dancing, and singing.
These days, it’s more of a festive tradition for good food and company than a superstitious
one.
If you happen to recognize the voices of any of the mummers, then they must immediately
take off their mask.
Mummers usually alter their voices and mannerisms to avoid being recognized when mumming, sometimes
adopting peculiar and eccentric personas.
In the end, there’s a lot of joyful singing, eating and dancing, which adds to the local
festive spirit, which is always nice around Christmas.
Latvia isn’t the only country where a Christmas tradition has developed that results in food
and drink for the performers.
Something similar, but with a wackier twist, takes place across villages in southern Wales.
Mari Lwyd is a local folk custom that takes place on Christmas.
The actual meaning behind “Mari Lwyd” is disputed to this day.
Some people think it means “Grey Mare,” referring to the horse head, as well as “lwyd”
being a common term for grey.
Others believe it translates to “Holy Mary,” a key figure in Welsh Catholicism.
Whatever it means, it’s definitely recognizable when it comes to your village.
Groups of men and women, often dressed in flamboyant costumes such as Punch and Judy,
would carry the Mari Lwyd, which is a horse’s skull on top of a stick, dressed in a frock,
through towns - whilst playing music.
They would travel from house to house and when they got to your door, they would break
out in song, asking to be invited inside.
It’s customary to sing back and if you choose to, deny entry with an excuse.
This would go back and forth until either the troop gives up, leaving and going to the
next house, or the homeowner runs out of excuses, and is obliged to let them in.
Once inside, the troop puts on a performance, with the Mari Lwyd chasing around adults and
children alike, snapping its jaws with the leader pretending helplessly to subdue it.
Mari Lwyd isn’t the only troublemaker in the troop either, as Punch will even use his
poker to rake out the fire if the homeowner didn’t forbid him, before they entered the
house.
Food and drinks would be served to the troop as thanks for their performance and in return
for their blessing.
The earliest records of this bizarre tradition come from the 19th century, but the actual
origins aren’t clear.
Many think the Mari Lwyd is an offshoot from pre-Christian, pagan rituals, involving other
hooded animals.
Either way, it’s definitely meant as a goodwill sentiment, but at the same time, it’s certainly
one of the stranger Christmas traditions out there.
Nothing says merry Christmas like a horse’s skull.
Christmas in Venezuela is a particularly important time of the year in the heavily catholic country.
But in the capital of Caracas, they take it to a whole new and…exciting level for the
pious morning journey to mass.
Something which has seemingly developed out of nowhere, is the tradition of roller-skating
to church during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
From the 16th to 24th December, most roads are closed until 8am to allow the skaters
to get to mass safely.
During this time, you will see streets full of people skating by with their families.
Because the children usually go to bed early for the morning mass, they have devised a
cunning way to get up on time.
Some children tie string around their big toe and dangle it from their bedroom window.
Roller-skaters passing by will tug on the string to wake the children up.
Personally, I prefer using an alarm clock to get up in the morning, but I guess getting
pulled out of bed by your big toe is also viable option, if you’re a particularly
heavy sleeper!
Remember that time you beat a log with a stick while singing a song, to make it poop out
a shiny new bicycle?
No?
Well that’s what children all over Catalonia will be doing this Christmas.
It sounds bizarre, but it’s actually an extremely common tradition that has a big
following in the Catalonian community.
It’s centred on decorating and looking after Tio de Nadal, “The Christmas Log.”
The log is actually pretty adorable when fully decorated, with a painted face, a hat and
a blanket, with some versions having little legs that prop it up.
Leading up to Christmas, it’s customary to give “Tio” a little bit of food to
eat and cover him with a blanket to keep him comfortable and warm.
The better looked-after Tio is, the better the presents he is supposed to provide, I
say “provide” but I actually mean crap out.
Each family has a slightly different version of the tradition, but generally, on Christmas
day they put Tio halfway into the fire and beat it with sticks to make it “defecate”
presents.
No, really.
There are actually very popular songs that are also sung during the log-beating, gift-defecation
ceremony.
Parents usually send the kids out and ask them to pray for good gifts while they beat
the log, as a nifty way to sneak presents under Tio’s blanket whilst they’re not
looking.
Even though the way Tio is supposed to produce the presents is a little…odd, it’s still
easy to see the charm of the little wooden fellow.
The lyrics to the songs are also pretty interesting to say the least.
You probably decorate your Christmas tree with lights, tinsel and baubles, but in Ukraine
you might find something pretty unexpected draped around the tree.
It’s common for people there to decorate their trees with fake webs and even ornamental
spiders.
It might seem like they are a few months late to Halloween, but there’s actually a reason
for the creepy-crawly shenanigans.
The story goes that a poor, but hardworking widow lived in a small hut with her children.
One fateful day, a pine cone fell to the earthen floor and took root, invigorating the children
with the chance of having a Christmas tree by winter.
The children took care of the tree, helping it grow, but by the time Christmas came around,
the poor family didn’t have the money to decorate it, so they went to bed on Christmas
Eve with heavy hearts.
When they woke up on Christmas day, they were surprised to find the tree was covered in
spider’s webs, and as they opened the windows to get a better look, the sunlight hit the
webs, turning them to silver and gold.
Needless to say, the family never lived in poverty again, or at least… that’s how
the folk-tale goes.
This legend is widely believed as the origin of putting tinsel on Christmas trees, representing
the gold and silver of the transformed spider’s webs.
It’s amazing to see just how many different ways people celebrate Christmas, all over
the world.
Some may be stranger than others, but all of them are based on the same, universal Christmas
spirit.
Thanks for the view and merry Christmas.