ID | EN

10 Unique Christmas Country Traditions In The World

It turns out that every place in the world has unique traditions for celebrating Christmas. Want to know which countries celebrate Christmas in unique ways?
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
 
For Christians, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Not only that, Christmas is also a day when people gather. enjoy typical Christmas dishes, and exchange gifts with family and closest relatives. So it can be said that Christmas has special meaning and moments in the hearts of everyone who celebrates it. Of course, when celebrating Christmas, each place has its unique traditions. Come on, let's take a look at places in the world that celebrate Christmas in unique ways!
 

Photo by Thandy Yung on Unsplash
 
1. Venezuela
Don't be surprised if you visit Caracas or Venice, you will see people using roller skates to attend Mass in church. Some of them even wore Santa Claus costumes while using roller skates.

2. Spain
The Catalonia region, which is part of Spain, has unique and unusual traditions. Residents have a tradition of making Tio de Nadal in the form of dirt that is beaten to get prizes. Hmmm, that's all there is to it...

3. Denmark
Different in Greenland, and Denmark. Here the people have a Christmas tradition of eating a dish called mattak. This food is made from whale skin with a little fat and has a chewy texture. How does it feel, huh?
 

Photo by Christian Bowen on Unsplash  
 
4. Guatemala
A week before Christmas celebrations, Guatemalans usually clean their houses and collect piles of rubbish. When Christmas arrived, they placed a statue of the devil on the pile of rubbish and then burned it.

5. Ukraine
Well, in Ukraine, it's not strange for people to make fake webs and spiders. How come you make webs and spiders? This is motivated by a legend about a poor woman who couldn't decorate her Christmas tree, so she decorated the Christmas tree by covering it with spider webs. Wow, creative too!

6. Czech
For Christmas in the Czech Republic, there is a tradition where single women throw their shoes in front of their house. If the front of the shoe faces the door, it is a sign that they will get married within a year.
 
 
7. Netherlands
Switching to Windmill Country. This country has a unique tradition, where most children will put their shoes in front of the fireplace. The next day, the shoes will be filled with special gifts from Santa Claus.

8. Sweden
Swedish society has interesting Christmas customs. The reason is, unlike most people who wear Santa Claus costumes to give gifts at Christmas. Instead, they wear Yule Goat costumes when giving out Christmas gifts.

9. New Zealand
In general, various places around the world celebrate Christmas with Christmas trees made from pine trees decorated with various kinds of lights and beautiful typical ornaments. However, in New Zealand, it is common to use Pohutukawa trees instead of fir trees, which are decorated with crimson flowers to celebrate Christmas.
 

Photo by S&B Vonlanthen on Unsplash
 
10. Indonesia
Last but not least, in our beloved country. In the Papua region, there is a tradition called Barapen. This tradition is a typical Papuan Christmas tradition which involves burning stones to cook vegetables and pork. After that, it was served and eaten by residents.

These are various unique Christmas traditions held in several countries around the world. If you had to choose between the countries above, where would you like to experience a unique Christmas celebration?
Scroll To Top