Best Christmas traditions around the world

This time of the year is magical. Christmas trees are up and people are watching re-runs of Love Actually when they’re not busy shopping and baking Christmas cookies. It got us thinking about the best Christmas traditions around the world. Not surprising religion, family, and food are the centre of Christmas traditions and festivities. But it is strange that not only can Christmas be a summer or winter tradition, depending on where it is celebrated, it is also not celebrated the same day globally. Here is Australia we have a  summer Christmas on 25th December and as children we all left out milk and cookies for Santa or Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. In Italy the Christmas traditions take place on January 5th and instead of Santa Clause it’s an old woman named Belfana who fills the children’s stockings and in Russia they have Ded Moroz or Grandfather Frost who delivers presents on New Year’s Eve.

In Australia, all our family comes together for a meal with all the trimmings, ham, turkey, brussel sprouts, Christmas pudding and a big bowl of trifle. In South Africa, it’s creepy crawlies, or fried caterpillars that are said to bring luck for the following year to all who eat them. Around the world, Christmas traditions include Christmas Markets, Christmas Ballets and Christmas concerts. But as we’ve only celebrated Christmas in Australia and once in Vienna, we asked some fellow travel bloggers if they could share their local Christmas traditions and customs. Read on as with their help we’ve put together the best Christmas traditions around the world.

Disney tradition in Florida, US

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is one of the most magical Christmas traditions in the United States, Florida, and for Disney Lovers. It is an additional fee compared to a regular Disney ticket, but you do not have to buy a Disney ticket to attend! A Very Merry Christmas Party ticket can be purchased and the event attended even without having a ticket to the regular parks.

This has been a tradition for decades and I remember going to the Christmas Party as a small child! Each year there is a special themed parade, fireworks, and holiday cookies around the park. You also get to ride rides with shorter lines and see special shows! The best part? Getting to see ‘snow’ in Florida on Main Street in Magic Kingdom! Always a highlight and so unique for everyone to enjoy.

Contributed by Victoria from Disney Trippers

Christmas around the world – Queensland, Australia

Christmas time is summer time at Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia.

The Sunshine Coast consists of a string of beachside communities about an hour north of the State Capital of Brisbane. It has a sunny, relaxed, surfing vibe where bare-feet, bleached blonde hair and a surfboard under the arm is acceptable dress code.

After presents are distributed, Christmas Lunch is held on the shaded back verandah of our house. Lunch is a buffet of mostly cold meats like pork, ham or chicken and a bunch of mixed salads. There might also be hot roast pork and roasted potatoes, accompanied by fruit punch, beer or wine.

We wear Christmas party hats, pull Christmas crackers and laugh at the silly Dad Jokes within.

After lunch and a snooze everyone rallies for a trip to the beach. Eskies (coolers) are loaded with left-over food, drinks, Christmas sweets and snacks. After a short drive everyone tumbles out of the cars to erect the table and beach umbrella.

Contributed by Jan from Budget Travel Talk

Christmas traditions in Colombia

Eating Buñuelos and Natilla at Christmas Time in Colombia

Colombia has a variety of regional dishes and variations of common dishes.  People from different areas will insist theirs are the best.  But one thing the whole country can agree on is eating Buñuelos and Natilla at Christmas time.

Buñuelos are ball shaped fritters made with a mixture of cornstarch and the salty cheese known as queso costeño.  They have a golden brown outside and a fluffy inside.  They are enjoyed year round as a breakfast food, but eating them at family gatherings at Christmas time is a tradition.

So is eating Natilla, the traditional Colombian Christmas dessert.  Natilla is sort of like a custard, also made from corn starch along with milk and panela, similar to brown sugar.  The consistency will vary a bit from cook to cook but it is normally solid but light and fluffy.  Usually it is topped off with cinnamon, and some add caramel, raisons, or fruit.  Unlike Buñuelos, you aren’t likely to see Natilla much at other times of the year, so make sure you try some at Christmas.

If you’re traveling through Colombia around the holidays, you’ll be able to get buñuelos at street stalls, and many restaurants will have Christmas dinners where you’ll almost assuredly get some natilla.

Besides on Christmas night itself, on December 7, known as Noche de las Velitas (Night of the Candles), people light candles out on the street and you’ll surely see lots of them enjoying buñuelos and natilla.  Be sure to try some for yourself!

Contributed by Adam from Cartagena Explorer

Best tradition around the world – New Orleans, US

New Orleans is a city that knows how to party! But while NOLA is most famous for Mardi Gras, it can laissez les bons temps rouler just as hard at Christmas time. And there’s no more authentic way to celebrate Christmas in New Orleans than with a Reveillon dinner.

New Orleans used to be a French colony called la Nouvelle Orleans, and Reveillon is a French word that means “awakening”. Traditionally, Reveillon dinner was eaten in the home after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. (Back then, almost everyone in New Orleans was Catholic.) Reveillon feasts were lavish and could include anything from scrambled eggs to turtle soup.

Nowadays, people are more likely to go out to a restaurant for Reveillon dinner. Over fifty restaurants in New Orleans serve a special Reveillon feast during the month of December. One of the best can be found at Commander’s Palace. You might dine on anything from gumbo to caviar to foie gras to steak Stanley–a traditional New Orleans dish that pairs steak with bananas. The only guarantee is that it will be decadent!

Contributed by Estella from Around the World in 24 Hours

Best Christmas tradition in Malta

Malta offers a varied mix of traditions that appeal to all, well, except for those looking for a white Christmas. It is a festive time on the island with the main streets and squares all lit up and adorned with lights, trees, and garlands. As the air gets slightly colder outside, the locals start preparing for the season. Christmas still retains a strong religious element for those living here and participation in churches increases around this time. There is a special attendance on Christmas Day, with Midnight Mass being the main event.

One of the oldest but loved traditions would be The Sermon of the Child, believed to have started in 1883. A young boy or girl usually aged between 7 and 11 is chosen to replace the priest in delivering the sermon on this special event. This event is awaited with great anticipation. After Midnight Mass, it is also a custom for the local parish priest to hand out traditional mqaret and coffee to the members of the community. Taking part in these festive traditions is open to all and highly recommended to get a better understanding of the place.

Contributed by Rai from A Rai of Light

Nativity Scene Competition in Arequipa, Peru

Nestled under the shadow of a volcano and wreathed in palm trees, Arequipa, Peru is not your traditional Christmas destination. Each year, however, Arequipa celebrates its own special Christmas tradition combining friendly competition and the joy of the season. Districts of the city prepare their own life-size nativity scenes for a city-wide competition. The scenes are built from natural elements and often celebrate a specific part of Peru’s culture. The Basilica Cathedral, situated in the Plaza de Armas in Arequipa’s main square, is home to one of the more elaborate nativity scenes and represents the Historic Center.

The year we visited, it showcased many of the 4,000 different varieties of potatoes in Peru. Yanahuara is another popular district to visit as it’s scenic viewpoint allows you to enjoy its nativity scene with a view of all three volcanos surrounding Arequipa in the background. Straw was used to create all the figures and even included one of Peru’s native alpaca watching over the manger. Like other amazing things to do in Arequipa, exploring the nativity scenes  is sure to be a memorable Christmas tradition!

Contributed by Sarah from Moment Mom

Greek Christmas tradition

Greece has never been considered a traditional destination to plan a Christmas getaway. In fact, when we think about Greece we usually picture whitewashed landscapes, blue domes, and stunning beaches under the Mediterranean sun. However, being a country where both customs and religion play an important role in people’s every day life, there are some unique Greek Christmas traditions that are truly worth a trip for the merry season.

One of Greece’s most beautiful traditions has to do with the Christmas tree… well, with the lack of it! Being a country with hundreds of island, Greece has always had a deep connection with the sea. These roots translate into families decorating a Christmas fishing boat instead of a Christmas tree.

To Karavaki, or “the little boat” is a symbol of good luck and prosperity. It populates the houses and the squares all over Greece since the beginning of December until the Epiphany, on January 6th. It’s also true that globalization has brought the tradition of the Christmas tree, however, to karavaki is still pretty much alive. Especially in some forgotten little islands, where men are usually fishermen and spend long months at sea to earn a living. Their wives and kids place their Christmas boats by the front window, praying for their fishermen’s safe return home from sea.

Contributed by Gabi from The Tiny Book

Unique tradition in Singapore

Singapore is a multiracial society, and many religions are practiced here. Christmas is one the most celebrated holiday, and we do it in our own unique way.

To understand better about why we do it this way, we first look at a Singapore culture: Kiasuism.

In plain English, that’s the fear of losing out.

And retailers in Singapore understands that logic well, with some of the most aggressive sale happening during the Christmas period.

So yes, our tradition of celebrating Christmas involves a healthy dose of retail therapy. You will see throngs of people sauntering down the streets, searching for the best bargain.

When the shopping is done, we gather somewhere for Christmas exchanges and there are plenty to go around.

In the office, at home, with friends, and other groups of friends, and more groups of friends.

It is customary to exchange gifts during Christmas, and so we do.

Making use of a secret Santa method, we line up to receive our presents from the mysterious person, and in turn call out the lucky one who got our present, courtesy of a great big discount. Not forgetting the photo op too.

Contributed by Shang from Zip Up And Go

Christmas season in Catalonia

Christmas in Catalonia is generally celebrated very similar as in the rest of Spain. But there are also some fundamental differences between traditional Spanish Christmas traditions and the Catalan ones.

One of the typical Catalan customs is the so-called Caganer. These are small statues that are pooping with their pants down. While there is the typical Caganer with traditional Catalan outfit, there are now also various other statues such as celebrities or characters from movies or comics, such as. Darth Vader or different politicians.

Even more popular is the so-called Cagatió. It’s is a wooden statue with a traditional Catalan hat. The Cagatió is “fed” during the Christmas season by the Catalan children with fruits. On Christmas day (or Epiphany), the children are allowed to hit the Cagatió with sticks while singing the Cagatió song. The rump is covered with a blanket. As soon as the song is over, the blanket is pulled away to reveal the gifts that the Cagatió has “pooped out” for the children because of the beatings – What a lovely tradition, don’t you think?

The Christmas season in Catalonia is not over, as in most European cities on 26th December but continues until 6th January, Epiphany-Day.

Contributed by Vicki from Vicki Viaja

Best tradition around the world – Buenos Aires

The holidays take place during the sweltering summer in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Christmas traditions are all European and feel slightly out of place in the hot weather. Immigrants from countries like Italy brought their traditions with them, like panettone (Pan Dulce in Argentina).

Locals line up around the block for the country’s best pan dulce, that will be served alongside other Italian dishes that may be more appetizing in a colder climate.

Overall, Christmas in Buenos Aires focuses on Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena. Families get together for a long dinner late on the 24^th, making the time stretch until midnight, when the magic happens. As the clock strikes 12, church bells ring out and fireworks explode across the city. Locals rush to the rooftops to see the nearest displays.

If you’re visiting Buenos Aires as a tourist, the best firework displays can be seen from the downtown neighborhood, Puerto Madero. Make a Christmas Eve dinner reservation in one of the many upscale towers for the best view.

The holiday season doesn’t end here, as most locals celebrate El Dia de los Reyes Magos (3 Kings Day) in early January. Kids set their shoes out to be filled with gifts by the visiting 3 Kings, marking the end to the Christmas season.

Contributed by Erin from Sol Salute

Christmas time and traditions in Lanzarote, Canary Islands

This year, break the tradition, throw off warm clothes and celebrate Christmas and New Year on the sunny Canary Islands – a place that is (not without a reason) called the best climate in the world!

The Christmas time and traditions in the Canary Islands look completely different than in the continental Europe and even differ from some regions in Spain. The weather is warm, thermometers indicate about 20 degrees and the sun is shining – the climate of eternal spring.

Are there any Christmas traditions in Lanzarote if the weather is far from cold?

Yes, there are many! According to our hotel manager, there are two main traditions in the Canary Island:

1. Spanish people buy special figures and sand, which are then used to create a Traditional Nativity Scene Crib in every home.
2. Everybody, who is visiting Lanzarote, must go to the beach and swim on the Christmas day.

Even that the second tradition sounded like it was made up, we really liked it! And yes, we did go to the beach on the Christmas Day 😊.

Contributed by Darek from Darek & Gosia

Christmas traditions in Naples, Italy

If you’re wondering what are the main Christmas traditions in Italy, a country which also hosts the seat of the Catholic church, rest assured that you’re up for a few interesting finds that go beyond the religious practices. The 25th of December has been a holiday since the Pre-Roman times and was known as the Sol Invictus or “invincible sun”. It seems unlikely that the birth of Christ, whose story had to influence so profoundly the Italian Peninsula and its inhabitants, happened the same day of a pagan celebration. As per the other holidays in the Italian calendar, Christmas mingles the pagan tradition with the Christian one. I can confidently say that the majority of the Italians sees the holiday in a non-spiritual way. The houses and the streets light up on December 8th, which is the canonical day for decoration-building. The Christmas tree isn’t complete without a nativity scene. Churches and museums in big cities and small villages display nativities of any sizes and even living nativities, of course, Naples being the most popular cities in which to admire them. On the 24th and 25th of December, the gates of Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Rome are open to local and foreign worshippers on the occasion of the Pope’s Christmas Masses. The less religious Italians prefer to spend the holiday focusing on more terrestrial values. Friends and families get together to enjoy rich meals based on seafood on Christmas Eve and on meat on the 25th. In between meals kids and adults play the Tombola, which is a sort of Bingo but slower and with more prizes, and other card games with the Italian deck.

Contributed by Annalisa from Travel Connect Experience

Christmas season in Copenhagen, Denmark

I visited Copenhagen for the first time in November 2016. My partner was traveling there for a routine work trip and I tagged along to explore the city. By the end of his trip, he was asked to relocate to Denmark and we are now enjoying our third Christmas season as expats in Copenhagen.

While living in Copenhagen, we’ve picked up some local Christmas traditions that we love and get to experience as expatriates. One is the unique Danish workplace Christmas party called a julefrokost (Christmas lunch). It’s much more than an office potluck! A julefrokost is a huge alcohol-fueled dinner party that stretched into the early morning hours. It’s only for the employees of the company – no spouses or significant others. As you may imagine, it’s a crazy event and much different than holiday work parties we have been to in the past.

Candles are a big part of life in Denmark and white odorless candles are burnt throughout the dark winter. Inside our home in Denmark, we have a traditional advent wreath and an advent candle. The wreath is made of evergreens and laid flat on a table with 4 candles inserted. A new one is lit each week of advent. The advent candle is a separate candle with numbers 1 through 25 printed down the side. Each evening, the family burns the advent candle down to the next day from the 1st of December until Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve Danish families gather for a festive meal, gift exchange games and singing around the Christmas tree.

Contributed by Derek from Robe Trotting

Local traditions in Copenhagen

Denmark is a nation of traditions and Christmas is celebrated in a very similar way throughout the country. Visitors to Copenhagen can include many of these during their travels.

One way to jump into Christmas traditions in Copenhagen is to enjoy the Danish Christmas meal. It’s served at many restaurants across the city beginning in November. Visitors can enjoy the fish, pork, potatoes and root vegetables that make up this special seasonal feast. The best place to try out the Christmas meal is at Copenhagen’s historic Restaurant Puk.

Many European countries have traditional Christmas Markets, and Denmark has the best ones in Scandinavia. The best of the best is Copenhagen’s famous Tivoli Gardens. For Danish families, a visit to Tivoli at Christmas is a yearly event. The annual tree lighting takes place the opening weekend in mid-November. The tree is decorated with thousands of Swarovski crystals and it is stunning. That Saturday there is Christmas parade in town that ends at the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Another highlight is the Crazy Christmas Cabaret, a light-hearted holiday cabaret held at The Glass Theatre inside of Tivoli Gardens. It’s a tradition for many families to see the show each year. For children, Santa is also a part of Christmas and he can be found at his workshop in Tivoli until Christmas Eve. After Christmas, he returns to his home in Greenland.

Contributed by Derek from Everything Copenhagen

Christmas around the world – New York City, US

There are several Christmas traditions in New York City, where I live.  It is common in the United States decorate the outside of your house and front yard with Christmas lights, statues and blow up figures.  There is no place quite like Dyker Heights in Brooklyn for this.  Every house in a few blocks in this neighborhood go over the top, with elaborate displays of inflatable Santas and Snoopies, statues of drummers and angels and thousands of brightly colored lights.  This is the most famous area, but there are many other neighborhoods in NYC that do this too.

New York also has many enormous freshly cut trees in the parks and cultural institutions around the city, but the most famous is the enormous tree at Rockefeller Center.  The tree lighting ceremony is a tradition that is broadcast on national television each year!  My own Christmas traditions are to do a subway tour of the trees in Manhattan and a walking tour of all of the department store holiday windows.  Macy’s, Saks, Bergdorfs, Bloomingdales and Barneys all decorate their windows with elaborate, over-the-top holiday displays and every year I go after work to see them, take photos and get into the holiday spirit.  I always start at Macy’s – if you believe Miracle on 34^th Street, then the Santa at Macy’s is the real deal!

There are many different Christmas traditions in New York, but these are just some of my personal favorites.

Contributed by James from Travel Collecting

Holiday traditions in Abu Dhabi

Celebrating Christmas in Abu Dhabi might seem like an unfamiliar concept for a Muslim country. But make no mistake, with a large expatriate population of workers from all over the world, Christmas is a much loved and celebrated event in this multicultural city.  There are many events that have become part of the cities local calendar for all the family to enjoy from Christmas tree lighting ceremonies through to winter wonderland events, and yes the traditional Mall Santa can be found for those Christmas photos.

There are two favourite events held every year. Firstly, Carols in the Desert, held by St Andrews Church just outside of the city in the rolling desert dunes where families from all walks of life come together to sing under the moonlit desert dunes.   Then Christmas Day itself, put your oven mitts away as there are plentiful hotels that will help you out with Brunch – a traditional Christmas feast for you with all the trimmings – carollers and Santa included, of course!

Christmas Day itself is not a marked public holiday but it is widely observed and recognised as one of the important and valued community events in local calendars.

Contributed by Keri from Our Globetrotters

Christmas window displays in Paris

Paris at Christmas time is a very special place to be. The city’s illuminations and decorations are really beautiful plus there’s a Christmas Market to visit in most of the central districts of Paris.

My favorite tradition in Paris during Christmas time, however, is to visit the Christmas window displays at the big department stores. From the second half of November, the facades of the most iconic department stores such as Galeries Lafayette, Printemps Haussman – both in the Grands Boulevards or the BHV in Le Marais, are adorned with beautiful theater sets made of festive decorations, automates and music. Some of these Christmas window displays are sponsored by luxury brands so there are big investments to create the best window displays.

These Christmas window displays are so popular that in some places like Galeries Lafayette they have an inauguration ceremony with an important guest and see long lines, especially during the weekend. If you are visiting Paris during Christmas time, I definitely recommend visiting at least one of these famous department stores to see their Christmas window displays!

Contributed by Elisa from World in Paris

Unique Christmas traditions in Catalunya

Catalan Christmas traditions are quite, for lack of a better word, unique. They’re filled with both religious and pagan traditions that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. The most tame of the traditions is building a “Pessebre” or Nativity scene. Pessebre is the Catalan word for manger, where baby Jesus was born, and refers to the recreation of his birth. These scenes can be minimal or full out live scenes depicting the entire story of Christmas, or a Pessebre Vivent (Live Nativity), told over several days.

The next Christmas tradition in Catalunya is the procession of the Three Kings of the Orient. In this part of the world they’re not known as the Three Wise Men, and actually replace Santa Claus, providing gifts to children that have behaved well on the 6th of January.

And now we take a turn for the strange, where Catalunya kids collect pine tree logs, place a red barretina hat and paint a face on it and “feed” it from December 8 until Christmas eve. When the log (or Caga Tio) gets full it will hopefully “poop” presents. If it doesn’t, the children will beat it with a wet stick. And the kids better have been well behaved or else they’ll get herring, charcoal or an onion.

Keeping in line with bowel movements, the strangest Christmas tradition in Catalunya is El Caganer, the crapper. This is a small figurine wearing traditional Catalan attire and, well, pooping. He is placed on nativity scenes to add a little fun. But he’s actually a sign of prosperity and good luck as his droppings fertilise the soil.

Contributed by Cal from Once in a Lifetime Journey

Best Christmas traditions in Paris

Paris is a great place to visit in December – the streets are full of glorious, classy lights and the shop windows are beautifully arranged and presented. But one of the nicest Christmas traditions of this city are the ice rinks that pop up all over the place. Taking to the ice is on the list of must-do Christmas activities for Parisian families.

If you want a view while you’re gliding, two good choices are the pop up rink at the top of Galeries Lafayette (but note the rink is very small and not real ice) and a larger rink on the top of the Grande Arche at La Defense (where you’ll also have access to the sky bar, wine and hot chocolate, pancakes, champagne and music!).

Another very popular choice is the world’s largest ice rink inside Le Grand Palais. This is an incredible place to skate, under the huge glass ceiling. If you can, visit this year as it won’t be available next year, due to renovations taking place for the Olympics.

Contributed by Clare from Epic Road Rides

Christmas traditions in Sweden

Christmas is one of the most celebrated occasions in Sweden and it’s a time where families gather to eat lots of food and give gifts. One thing that’s quite unique about Christmas in Sweden is that we have this tradition of watching the same short movies of Donald Duck and other Disney characters. Every year at 3 o clock, a famous presenter will celebrate Christmas with all Swedes in national TV and light the last candle of the advent candelabra.

In Sweden, we celebrate Christmas on the 24th and it will always include a large dinner of meatballs, prince sausages, herring, eggs, beetroot salad, cabbage, potatoes and smoked salmon.

Furthermore, the day before Christmas, kids will often put a plate outside the door with cookies and milk to Santa Claus. The gift giving will either take place after Donald Duck, which last for 1 hour, or after dinner. Most families will eat dinner after Donald Duck, and then open the presents.

Contributed by Alex from Swedish Nomad

Christmas traditions in Poland

Like in many other countries in the world, Poles are caroling, decorating the Christmas tree, and spending time with their families during the holiday season. However, there is one unique tradition that is special only to Christmas in Poland (and to some parts of Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovakia).

It’s sharing oplatek (Christmas wafer). Oplatek is a small flatbread (similar to the Christian sacramental bread) that is present in every home. On Christmas Eve, when the first star appears in the sky, every family is starting the gala dinner with sharing oplatek. How does it look? Everyone takes a small piece of the flatbread. Then they need to share it with every single person that is in the room, wishing them all the best. The more personal the wishes, the better.

Oplatek is a symbol of consent, unity, forgiveness, and love. It somehow forces people at odds with each other to reconcile.

Contributed by Karolina from Lazy Travel Blog

Christmas traditions in UK

Christmas crackers are a fun part of the Christmas Day routine here in the UK. The cracker tradition goes back to the mid-19th century. Tom Smith, a London sweet-maker came up with the idea to increase sales of his bon-bon sweets.

A cracker adds to the Christmas table decorations with one at each person’s place setting. Once everyone is at the table, it’s a tradition to pull crackers together. For those not familiar with the tradition, each person grips an end and tugs the cracker till it breaks. The three-part tube snaps with a satisfying cracking noise. The middle section of the decorated tube of card contains a variety of objects. These are “won” by the person who is left holding the middle section.

There are lots of types of crackers around from basic to luxury. Usually, they will contain a paper party hat, a Christmas themed joke or riddle and a small toy. You can also make homemade crackers and fill them with anything you like.

For my family, the important parts are that everyone “wins” at least one cracker. Everyone gets a party hat to place on their head during Christmas dinner. And everyone gets to read out the joke found in the cracker. The jokes are often a bit corny and result in groans rather than laughter. But that’s all part of the fun!

Contributed by Angela from Reading Inspiration

Christmas traditions in Romania

Romanians love Christmas. We go caroling (and we have beautiful carols, special dances, and costumes – especially in the countryside!), we decorate Christmas trees, and, in some parts of the country (mostly in the rural areas) we have some traditions that may seem surprising. It is said that, if you have loaned anything, you get it back so that, on Christmas, all your belongings are home. You don’t loan anything on Christmas day, don’t wash or work.

One of the traditions says that, if you want to know if you’ll be healthy in the next year, you should cut an apple in half on Christmas Eve day. If the apple is healthy, so will you be. If there are some worms in the middle, you will fight some illnesses throughout the next year. If the apple is rotten, then, it is said, death is close.

Obviously, this is considered by many just a superstition, but, nonetheless, many people still keep this custom.

If you are visiting Romania for Christmas, you won’t regret it. In the countryside, you’ll witness numerous traditions, eat great food, and see wonderful dances and carols. In the bigger cities, you have numerous Christmas markets, beautiful Christmas lights, and shopping opportunities. Everything is decorated for this holiday! It’s a special atmosphere, no matter where you spend Christmas whilst in Romania!

Contributed by Loredana from Earth’s Attractions

Future foretelling in Czech republic

In the Czech Republic, we have this special tradition of predicting the future from several things. Usually, when it gets dark, the whole family sits in the living room. First, all of us will cut an apple sideways – not from stalk down, but in the middle of the apple. If you cut the apple like that and see a star, that means that you will have good health next year.

Another popular foretelling future on Christmas is to cut walnut on half and put a little candle in the empty nutshell. Each member of the family has to do that. After that, you would put these nutshells with a candle into a pot with water and observe how they are floating. If they are floating in the group together, it means that the whole family will stay together next year. If not, one member of the family will leave. There are more traditions like that, people are doing them since medieval times and some still believe in it!

Contributed by Albína from Ginger Around the Globe

Holiday traditions – Guatemala

The holiday season in Guatemala begins early and filled with festive traditions. One of the most unique celebrations in Guatemala kicks off the holiday season on December 7th. Known as La Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil), it features the ritual of burning of effigies of the devil in the form of pinatas and giant flammable statues set on fire in the streets of La Antigua and Guatemala City. The intent of this fiery festival is to usher in the holy season–through the ritual cleansing of fire–on the evening preceding the Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

Next up, are the evening Christmas processions called las posadas navideñas. They begin nine days before Christmas and feature processions from door to door in neighbourhoods throughout the villages and cities of Guatemala.  Accompanied by song, candles and music, the processions feature participants dressed as Mary and Joseph requesting lodging for the night. They’re greeted by hosts who offer traditional food and drink such as ponche de frutas, a hot fruit punch of apples, pears, pineapple and spices such as cinnamon. On the 24th, on Christmas Eve or Noche Buena, families gather together in their homes, attend midnight mass and enjoy traditional dishes such as tamales.

At midnight, there are Christmas fireworks and wish each other “Feliz Navidad ” and exchange gifts. Christmas Day is a time to recover from the holiday festivities and spend time with family.

Contributed by Michele from A Taste for Travel

Christmas traditions in Central Europe 

When most people outside of Central Europe think about their favorite Christmas traditions, a half-goat, half-demon creature with a hideous face, fangs, horns, and a long, pointed tongue is probably not the first thing that leaps to mind. But in countries such as Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia, Krampus is so popular he even gets his own holiday on December 5, which is known as Krampus Night (or Krampusnacht). The creepy character, who sometimes accompanies St. Nick but often appears on his own, is widely believed to date back to pre-Christian Alpine traditions. While the jolly old elf bestows gifts upon good little girls and boys, Krampus comes to punish the naughty children, sometimes swatting them with birch branches or carrying a sack for taking them to Hell. Regional variations of this otherworldly character have been popular for centuries, but Krampus is now world-renowned thanks to the cult classic 2015 horror-comedy film of the same name.

Contributed by Bret from Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide

Christmas traditions in Portugal

Christmas in Portugal is definitely a special time of year that centres around family, religion and food. Glorious food!

Wherever you walk in the city streets of Lisbon or Porto, you will find vendors selling roasted nuts. At home, families will celebrate on Christmas eve with a traditional meal known as Consoada. Whilst the actual Christmas meals may vary from region to region (cod-fish, turkey or pork, depending on the region), one thing that doesn’t change is the traditional Christmas cake, called the Bolo Rei (or King’s cake).

Surprisingly, this brioche-type ring cake, covered in crystalized fruits was actually imported to Portugal from France. But it has over the decades become an inherent Portuguese tradition.

I recall, when growing up, my grandmother used to bake her very own Bolo Rei and as children we were extremely excited as you would hope to find the small coin or trinket that used to be hidden inside the cake for good luck. Sadly, today this is no longer done due to stricter health regulations, meaning most pastry shops are no longer allowed to, due to the safety hazard it poses.

Nevertheless, the Bolo Rei remains a firm favourite come Christmas time. So much so that a variety of new versions of the cake have sprung up (like the Bolo Rainha, or Queen’s cake, that’s made without the addition of the crystalized fruits, a less sweet version).

So, next time you visit Portugal over the festive season, be sure to give the Bolo Rei a try and see what all the fuss is about!

Contributed by Marco from Travel-Boo

Christmas traditions in Rio de Janeiro

If you’re spending a tropical Christmas in Rio de Janeiro, there’s sure to be lots of sun, beach time, and …. raisins! Cariocas, the name locals go by, love to eat raisins during Christmas time in the Cidade Maravilhosa. They put raisins in bread, raisins in rice, and raisins can even be found in salads. They also add raisins to farofa, the classic Brazilian dish made of manioc flour. If you enter a supermarket or street fair in December, you’ll find raisins sold all over the place, and in a variety of ways. It’s a must have food during the holidays, along with a few other dried fruits (but nothing beats the raisin!).

Contributed by Boogie the Pug

Christmas traditions in London, UK

Christmas in London is a special time of year. The city goes all out with Christmas decorations. The ceremony to turn on the lights at Oxford Street brings a million people to the area and big name performers. If you are in London near Christmas, checking out the Christmas lights and Christmas decorations is a must.

The tradition began in 1954 as a way to show a post-war London that it could be beautiful at Christmas. Regent Street was the first to decorate with lights and continues to be one of the premiere Christmas light locations in London. Oxford Street started a few years later in 1959. The lights diminished for a while due to an economic crisis in the 1970s but returned by the end of the decade. Since then, the displays have continued to grow and spread throughout the city.

If you are in London from mid-November until early January, make sure to check out the Christmas lights and decorations covering the city!

Contributed by Christine from Live Love Run Travel

Christmas in Ukraine

Ukraine follows the Orthodox calendar, which means that Christmas is actually later than in other countries, falling on 7^th January. A positive effect of this is that Christmas preparations in Ukraine don’t really start until the beginning of December – not in October like happens in the UK! Christmas markets set up to open around 19^th December and continue into January, so you can still enjoy a mulled wine post-Christmas. Now ‘Catholic’ Christmas is also a recognized public holiday on 25^th December, meaning two Christmasses!

The main Christmas celebrations in Ukraine are on Christmas Eve – 6^th January, when families gather to eat 12 dishes, each representing one of Christ’s 12 apostles.  This is usually meat free because people are fasting until Christmas Day, and always includes ‘kutya’ a mix of grain, poppy seeds, honey and raisons. Other typical Ukrainian dishes for the Christmas Eve table are ‘varenyky’ – Ukrainian dumplings filled with potato, mushrooms or cabbage, borscht with no meat in it, cabbage rolls and pickles. Traditionally there is no alcohol at this meal either, so people drink ‘uzvar’ – a drink made from dried fruit.

Contributed by Kate from What Kate and Chris Did

Christmas traditions in Philippines

From December 16 to 24, we Filipinos attend the Dawn Masses in throngs. We usually go with families and friends. Before, Filipinos attend the 9-day Christmas masses in the evenings. But in 1669, that all changed through public demand, particularly by farmers and workmen. The Church back then changed the nightly mass to a dawn schedule to accommodate the people who would otherwise be too tired to hear mass. Thus, from “Simbang Gabi”, it became “Misa de Gallo”, or Mass of the Roosters coming from the fact that the mass is being celebrated at the same time that roosters crow at the start of a new day. The earliest masses are at 2AM and the latest are at 5:30AM.

After masses, people would enjoy snacking on rice-based delicacies such as biko, bibingka, puto bumbong and more. This particular hanit came from the Spanish-era tradition of farmers donating the fruits of their crops to Church and the Church giving the rest (after taking their share) to the church parishioners to use to make such delicacies.

Lastly, the Misa de Gallo is particularly special to the Filipino faith because we believe that if we attend all 9 masses, our deep-held wish and prayers will come true.

Contributed by Jenny from Zero Waste Lifestyle System 

Christmas traditions in Seoul, South Korea

Christmas is a rather new holiday in Korea as Christianity only started becoming popular towards the end of the last century. People who actively celebrate Christmas are mainly the Christians. Most churches do a special Christmas service and the best one is at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul. Outside the Cathedral on Christmas day you’ll find field of flower lights and a real live nativity scene.

For the other Koreans (non-Christians and Buddhist), it is not so much of a family celebration but more a day to enjoy shopping or spend as a couple. Christmas is definitely not celebrated as much as in Europe or America but Koreans really enjoy the whole Christmas atmosphere. The typical Christmas songs and Korean covers are playing on repeat in department stores and coffee shops and each city has a light festival.

When walking around one of the big cities, you’ll see many beautifully decorated buildings and giant Christmas trees. A couple of Christmas markets, ice skating rinks, performances and parades are happening all around the country but especially in the capital. The best parades and festivals to check out are in Everland and Lotte World. As it starts snowing in Korea early December, the cold and the snow really contribute to the whole white Christmas thing.

Contributed by Marie from Be Marie Korea

Christmas traditions in Finland

In Finland the big day for Christmas celebrations is traditionally 24^th December. There are variations to the traditions depending on the family but overall, it’s a special day to spend together. If it’s a white Christmas, the day might begin with enjoying fresh air outdoors for example cross-country skiing, sledding or skating. The refreshing time outdoors could be followed by going to sauna and possibly taking a dip in the icy lake or sea.

At noon on Christmas eve, as a tradition since the 14^th century, Christmas Peace is declared from the city of Turku to mark the start of Christmas. If not done earlier, it’s time to decorate the Christmas tree and listen to Christmas carols. Families also remember the ones who have departed and take candles to the cemetery – hundreds of candles flickering in the darkness make it a breathtaking sight.

Cooking Christmas specialties plays an important role in Christmas preparations. The day is usually started with rice porridge and in the evening, families gather together for the Christmas dinner to enjoy traditional dishes including fish, ham and casseroles. Sweet treats include gingerbread, Christmas pastries and mulled wine “glögi”.

Throughout the day the kids are eagerly waiting for Santa Claus to visit. In Finland Santa traditionally comes on Christmas Eve in person to visit families bringing presents. After spending a moment with the family it’s time for Santa to continue his busy evening while the families open their gifts, enjoy the time together and have some more delicious Christmas treats.

Contributed by Pia at Next Stop TBC

Christmas traditions in South Africa

If you visit South Africa during Christmas you may think that the country is on fire. Fear not, it isn’t being burned to the ground, what you’re seeing is the smoke billowing out from the backyard barbecues or as they are called in South Africa, braais. As the country is in the Southern hemisphere, Christmas comes during mid-summer, so Santa wears shorts in this part of the world.

Most people will spend their day relaxing on the beach, catching waves and taking in the long slow days. Yet most folks will end their Christmas day with a massive braai. A braai is part of every South African’s blood and is more than just a meal. The meat is selected carefully, marinated with care and cooked slowly over the open coals or wood. Music and alcohol accompanies the process, no matter whether the braai is on the beach, at a park or in the back garden. There is one braai master who will look over the food while the rest of the participants sit around the fire in robust conversation and festive cheer.

The Christmas braai doesn’t have any particular type of food and will depend on the family’s own traditions. It’s more about the vibe and feeling of total relaxation where usually stressed out members of the workforce take a break from the daily grind and truly get to chill out with friends and family. Some families like to play board games, others give gifts and sing carols. But the one thing for sure is that Christmas in South Africa is a peaceful time surrounded by loved ones and a large fire, no matter race or religion.

Contributed by Cal from Once in a Lifetime Journey

Christmas traditions in UK

Carol singing is a centuries old British tradition but is a tradition which remains hugely popular today. Carol singing is when families, friends, choirs or community groups get together and stand outside on cold, dark winters nights to sing upbeat international and British Christmas carols whilst lit by lanterns and torches. It is always cold but participating is good fun – especially when you warm up afterwards with a glass of hot mulled wine and mince pie! In the past, carol singing groups would move from house to house singing Christmas carols to the homeowner when they opened the door in the hope of receiving some money for their vocal efforts. Today, it is more common for carol singers to collect donations for charity whilst singing carols. Groups serenade Christmas shoppers during the day or tour the festive pubs at night singing a carol in each location to raise funds for charity. In addition, most churches, community venues and schools hold carol concerts throughout December. Christmas isn’t Christmas without a good sing along!

Contributed by Sinead from Map Made Memories

Christmas traditions in Brazil

Maybe Brazil is not your usual Christmas destination, but know that this holiday is taken very seriously in the country.

Granted, most of the Brazilian population is very religious. Still, even newer generations, which tend not to follow religious traditions, adhere to the Christmas celebrations.

An interesting thing about Christmas in Brazil is that we celebrate it in the summer.

So while it is 86F (30C) outside, we decorate our homes with tinsels, baubles, fairy lights, and snow.

Yes, snow. Although it doesn’t snow in Brazil, we make sure to sprinkle some artificial snow here and there so that Santa Claus can feel at home.

As for the celebration, it all starts with drawing names for a kind of Secret Santa, or Amigo Secreto in Portuguese. This usually happens one month before Christmas.

Then, on December 24, the whole family gathers in the evening to give the gifts while saying something funny or even some kind words about the person one was assigned to.

Around midnight, we finally start our celebrations with plenty of music, laughter, drinks, and food.

On the next day, we gather again to eat the leftovers of the night before, to talk and chill. It’s a well-deserved relaxing day.

Contributed by Bruna from I Heart Brazil

Christmas traditions in India

Christmas traditions around the world are different in each country and is more prevalent and established where Christianity is the principal religion. The Christmas traditions in India are very much established and prominent and normal and simple practices are followed every year in the country. The churches are the centre of attractions during this time of the year and important streets are illuminated and decorated with lights with people crowding in from all corners of the city.

There are Christmas trees being decorated in houses, hostels and hotels and all types of decorations including balloons and other stars are available in every celebration. The streets are illuminated and people enjoy every moment of the festival with friends and families. The Spruce trees plays a crucial role in every Christmas tree celebration and PVCs are used widely in their decorations. Places like Goa and Pondicherry remains very crowded in the country due to the presence of carnivals being celebrated in the region. The ship remains very crowded and there are special events being organized in these corners of the region which remains full packed with local and foreign tourists from all around the world.

Contributed by Somnath from Travel Crusade

Christmas traditions in Japan

As the countdown to Christmas rolls on, Christmas trees go up, winter illuminations bring cities to life at night, and families place their orders for Christmas dinner at their local KFC, at least they do in Japan.

Most of us have probably heard of the iconic fried chicken franchise’s immense popularity in the land of the rising sun but to understand this cultural phenomenon you have to go back to its origin.

Japan’s first KFC store opened its doors in Nagoya city in 1970 with moderate success. The story goes that the diligent manager, Takeshi Okawara, overheard a visiting foreigner one night complaining that they missed eating turkey at Christmas time and that chicken was the next best thing, from then on Okawara resolved to start selling party buckets of chicken during the festive season to try and boost sales.

He started with his own store and the idea quickly took off until in 1974, KFC began to market their fried chicken as a Christmas meal under the famous ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ advertising campaign, forever binding the franchise to Christmas in Japan.

Today, sales at Christmas are so immensely popular customers are often place their orders as early as November and still join the long queues outside their local KFC just to pick it up.

The next time you find yourself in Tokyo during the festive season remember, you’ll probably have more luck finding a roast turkey dinner than a KFC, unless you book ahead!

Contributed by Rory from Ryokou Girl

Christmas pudding in UK

The British tradition of Christmas pudding started way back in the 14^th century and has seen something o f a face-lift since the early days when it was made with beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines and spices.

Over the years there have been many superstitious additions added to the pudding, one of which says it should be made with only thirteen ingredients (to represent jesus and his disciples) and that every member of the family should stir the pudding with a wooden spoon in honour of the wise men.

Putting a silver coin in the pudding was a Victorian custom that was said to bring luck to the person that found it. I am not a fan of potential metal poisoning though and the thought of breaking a tooth on a coin is unnerving when most dentists are closed.

The majority of people buy their Christmas pudding ready-made from shops now but we love to make our own mini puds and set them alight on Christmas day with Brandy. They are incredibly rich as they’re made with a variety of dried fruit like currants, raisins & candied peel and whilst some people like to steam or boil their pudding, we actually bake ours in the oven.

As we’re vegan and vegan Christmas puddings are really hard to come by, we designed our own recipe which has become something of tradition now. We replace butter with coconut oil, milk with soya milk, egg for flax seed and unlike most recipes we do not use any sugar (as they’re rich enough).

We only make Christmas puddings once a year and it is something we really look forward to doing. Roll on Christmas!

Contributed by Emma from Journey of a Nomadic Family

Christmas traditions in New Zealand

Christmas in New Zealand is all about fun in the sun.  Being in the southern hemisphere, it is summer and most Kiwis have off for two weeks as businesses close down to take some time off over the holiday period.

Christmas Day is all about the BBQ and getting outside.  It is traditional to have a BBQ and then go for a walk on the beach or play cricket.  In New Zealand, you are never more than 30 miles from the beach.

The Christmas meal is very different to the northern hemisphere roast dinner with all of the trimmings.  When it is so warm a big meal like that doesn’t really suit.  Its more about having lots of snacks, meat to throw on the BBQ, and fresh fruit and berries along with the traditional New Zealand pavlova.

It is a very relaxed day all about family and spending time together in the sun.

Contributed by Nicole from American SW Obesssed

Christmas traditions in Zimbabwe 

Christmas in Zimbabwe is an outdoor, fun-filled affair with huge tables decorated with stunning fabrics and enormous stereo speakers playing the latest African music hit or the old traditional favorites. There is a lot of merry and dances under the scorching sun – consider this when preparing your Zimbabwe packing list.

It is that time of the year when people who had left the village for the city start trickling back with huge shopping bags full of essential goodies (bread, jam, cookies, milk, etc.) People save up and gather food for months to have a great feast at Christmas, and as December begins, so does the countdown to the most adored holiday of the year. Rice and chicken/beef stew is a luxury to many homes in Zimbabwe, but people will strive to put this meal on the table to make Christmas special.

Some homes decorate a fir tree with home-made ornaments, but most do not bother to. There are lots of remarkable Christmas practices, but a few cuts above the list; what makes Christmas unique in Zimbabwe is food and families coming together.

Most villagers may not have much, but the day starts with a church service that is filled with joyful songs and dances. Typical Christmas evenings are characterized by full berries plus Christmas hymns. As the sun goes down and the day is coming to an end, the countdown starts all over again – it is only 365 days to go! Visit Zimbabwe to experience the best Christmas tradition around the world.

Contributed by Lydia from Africa Wanderlust

Another Christmas tradition, and one of our favourites is the European Christmas markets where you can bypass crowded shops and avoid the frustration of online shopping and purchase some creative gifts for your loved ones. Rows of quaint wooden huts where local craftsmen sell their handmade arts and craft, wooden toys, handmade soaps, and the most beautiful handcrafted baubles are a great place to wander and browse. It is easy to let yourself be dazzled by the fairytale ambiance of twinkling fairy lights and glittering tinsel while sipping a mug of warm Glühwein. But don’t be fooled by the lights, the aroma of all the food cooking will have your tummy rumbling. You will sample many local delicacies like bretzels, currywurst, pomme frites, langos, flammkuchen waffles, strudel, roasted chestnuts, and my favourite chimney cake. Locally it is known as kürtőskalács, baumkuchen or trdelnik, but regardless on what it’s names, it’s delicious.

These are just a few Christmas traditions from around the world. Which traditions do you follow? Are there any Christmas traditions you would like to share with us?

Since you’re already here we have a small favour to ask and that is to please share this post or leave a comment below. If you like this post and want to read more like it, why not subscribe to our Newsletter? We won’t spam you or share your personal details. If you’re not doing so already, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or click the Mix, Flipboard or other social media buttons below to share this post with others who might enjoy reading it. If you want to come back to this post again, pin the photo below using the Pinterest button.What are you waiting for?