Think your family has weird holiday traditions? You’re not alone. People around the world celebrate the holiday season with some very strange customs.
You might enjoy Christmas decorations, a warm dinner, and fun with family. But in other places, they eat bugs, hit a wooden log, or wear masks to scare bad children.
In this article, you’ll explore:
- Funny and spooky holiday traditions
- Strange Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals
- Unusual gifts, games, and customs from around the world
Ready? Let’s see how the world celebrates the season, one weird tradition at a time.
1. Weird Holiday Traditions Around the World
The holiday season is full of fun, food, and family. But not all holiday traditions are the same. Some are sweet. Some are strange. And some are just plain weird. Around the world, people celebrate with decorations, gifts, and a special dinner. But they also follow weird holiday traditions that might surprise you.
Let’s explore some of the weirdest holiday traditions around the world.
Not every tradition involves a Christmas tree or Christmas caroling. Here are some unique ways the world celebrates during the holidays.
- Spain: In early December, people in Catalonia display a wooden log called the Tió de Nadal. Kids “feed” the log every night. On Christmas Eve, they hit it with sticks to make it “poop” out gifts and candy. It’s a funny tradition for children and family members.
- Japan: Kentucky Fried Chicken is a popular Christmas Eve dinner. Families order it weeks in advance. It’s considered a Christmas special, and many kids think it’s a normal part of the Christmas season. But to outsiders, this might seem like one of those weird holiday traditions that make global celebrations so unique.
- Austria: To scare bad children, the country celebrates Krampus. This creature comes during the holiday season to punish kids who misbehave. People wear scary masks and chase others in the night.
- Venezuela: In Caracas, people skate to Christmas morning mass. Streets are closed, and the whole family joins on roller skates. It’s a fun and active tradition — and definitely one of the weirder holiday traditions celebrated around the world.
- Philippines: People decorate with giant lanterns. These Christmas decorations light up towns and bring the holiday spirit to life.
See Also Holiday Traditions in England
2. Strange Christmas Holiday Traditions
Many Christmas customs are strange but loved. From Santa Claus to spooky stories, each country adds a twist to Christmas Day.
- Germany: People hide a pickle in the Christmas tree. On Christmas morning, the child who finds it first gets a gift or good fortune for the next year.
- Iceland: There are 13 Yule Lads, each visiting on a different night before Christmas. Some give gifts to good children, while others play tricks on the bad ones. They all wear a red hat and act a bit strange, making this one of the most memorable weird holiday traditions from Iceland.
- Norway: People hide brooms to protect against evil spirits. They believe these spirits might come out on Christmas Eve and steal brooms to fly.
- Italy: Instead of Santa, children wait for La Befana. She rides a broomstick and brings candy to good children on January 6. She leaves coal for bad children.
- United States: Many families watch Die Hard as a Christmas movie. Some argue whether it counts as a Christmas film, but it’s a fun tradition, and for many, it’s become one of those quirky, weird holiday traditions that make the season special.
See Also Christmas Eve Traditions
3. Bizarre Holiday Foods and Feasts
Food is a big part of every celebration. But some holiday meals are just plain weird.
- Greenland: People eat “kiviak,” a dish made by fermenting seabirds inside a seal skin. It’s eaten during Christmas and New Year’s.
- Japan: As mentioned, Kentucky Fried Chicken is a huge hit during the holidays. In fact, many people enjoy it as their Christmas Eve dinner. What started as a clever marketing campaign has now become one of Japan’s most iconic — and globally recognized — weird holiday traditions.
- Italy: On Christmas Eve, many families eat the “Feast of the Seven Fishes.” This includes a variety of seafood dishes, and no meat is allowed. While it’s a beloved custom for some, others see it as one of the more unique and weird holiday traditions tied to Christmas.
- Mexico: Families drink “ponche,” a hot fruit punch, and eat sweet tamales during the holidays. They also break piñatas full of candy.
- United Kingdom: People eat Christmas log cake, known as “Yule Log“. It’s shaped like a real log and topped with chocolate.
- Spain: Aside from the Tió de Nadal, families enjoy turrón, a sweet almond candy. The Tió itself, a wooden log that “poops” out presents when beaten with sticks, is one of the most charmingly weird holiday traditions in Catalonia.
See Also National Foods Around the World
4. Quirky Holiday Decorations and Customs
Christmas decorations are everywhere during the Christmas season. But not all decorations are the same.
- Ukraine: People hang spider webs on their Christmas trees. It’s said to bring good fortune. It also honors an old story about a poor mom who had no money for decorations.
- Mexico: Towns put on big nativity scenes with real people and animals. These are called “Las Posadas” and take place for nine nights before Christmas. The mix of pageantry, tradition, and live performance makes it one of the most vibrant — and to some, delightfully weird holiday traditions celebrated in Latin America.
- Spain: In Catalonia, besides the Tió de Nadal, there’s a strange figure called “El Caganer.” It’s a small statue of a man going to the bathroom, hidden in nativity scenes.
- South Africa: People eat fried caterpillars during the Christmas season. It’s considered a festive treat, rich in protein and tradition. To many outsiders, though, it stands out as one of the more surprising weird holiday traditions.
- United States: Ugly Christmas sweaters, glowing Christmas decorations, and large Santa Claus statues are common. Some even add a Santa hat to everything, including their pets.
- France: Children place their shoes instead of stockings near the tree, waiting for Santa to leave gifts inside.
See Also Traditional Christmas Decorations
5. Unusual Holiday Gifts and Exchanges
Gifts are fun, but some traditions make them more exciting—or strange.
- Iceland: People give books on Christmas Eve and spend the night reading by the fire. This cozy tradition is called the “Yule Book Flood,” or Jólabókaflóð. While heartwarming, it’s also one of those beautifully weird holiday traditions that make Icelandic Christmas unique.
- Scotland: On New Year’s Eve, the first person to enter your house should bring coal, shortbread, and whisky. This tradition is for good fortune in the new year.
- United States: April Fool’s Day isn’t in December, but some friends play pranks as part of secret gift swaps. Silly gifts can make kids laugh and bring the holiday spirit.
- Canada: On Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, stores offer big sales. People give and return gifts, and spend time with family. While it’s mostly about shopping now, its origins and customs still make it one of those evolving weird holiday traditions in some countries.
- Spain: In some areas, children write letters to the Three Wise Men instead of Santa Claus. They ask for gifts and thank them on January 6.
Weird Holiday Traditions: A Recap
As we’ve seen, the holiday season is full of surprises. From hitting a wooden log in Spain, to eating Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan, to scaring bad children with devils in Austria—people know how to celebrate in strange and fun ways.
While some enjoy Christmas decorations and singing traditional songs, others wear Santa hats, play pranks like it’s April Fool’s Day, or even eat insects.
These holiday traditions may seem weird, but they show how much family, friends, and children mean to every culture. The world celebrates the Christmas season in all kinds of creative ways—sometimes funny, sometimes wild, but always meaningful.
No matter where you are, whether you’re opening gifts on Christmas morning or lighting a Christmas log, the holiday spirit is all about joy, sharing, and togetherness.
Keep your tree bright, your house warm, and your heart open.