10 Weird Christmas Traditions From Around The World!

#1. Norway: Hide your broom

Norwegians believe that Christmas Eve coincides with the arrival of evil spirits and witches. It is only logical then, that Norwegian householders hide all their brooms before they go to sleep. After all, nothing spoils Christmas quicker than finding your broom, broken at the foot of a tree, trashed by some joy-riding witch.

#2 Austria: Facing your Christmas demons

In Austria, St Nicholas has an evil counterpart called Krampus. He is the bad cop to St Nick's good cop, a demon-like creature with one task: to punish bad children before Christmas.

Men dressed in devil costumes roam the streets, carrying chains and a basket for abducting especially bad children and hauling them to hell.

It's one way, I guess, to keep the kids off the streets.

#3 Greenland: A Christmas dinner you'll never forget

Next time you find yourself complaining about granny's festive brussel sprouts, spare a thought for the poor tykes in Greenland. Each Christmas they have to tuck into Mattak raw whale skin with a little blubber and kiviak, which is made by wrapping an auk (a small arctic bird) in seal skin, burying it for several months and eating its decomposed flesh

#4 Portugal: I feed dead people

During consoda, the traditional Christmas feast in Portugal, families will sometimes set extra places at the dining table for deceased relatives. It is thought that the practice will ensure good fortunes for the household. In some areas crumbs are left on the hearth as well.

And you thought feeding all your living relatives was hard enough.

#5 Catalonia: Calling Dr Freud!

When it comes to celebrating Christmas, Catalans are definitely stalled at a certain point in their development. As well as dressing up logs and beating them with sticks until they defecate sweets, they also decorate their nativity scenes with small, pooping, ceramic caganers.

Usually well know characters, often drawn from the news that year, they all have their pants around their ankles.

#6 Italy: Where Santa’s little helper is an old witch

Unable to conclusively prove the existence of Santa, the Vatican decided to throw its weight behind something they'd had countless dealings with: an old witch called La Befana who delivers presents to kids in Italy.

The story goes that the three wise men invited the witch to accompany them to see the baby Jesus. She said she was too busy.

And so the legend was born.

#7 Czech Republic: A pair of matchmakers

On Christmas Eve, unmarried Czech women stand with their back to the door and toss one of their shoes over their shoulder. If it lands with the toe facing the door it means that they'll be married within the year. If it lands with the heel facing the door, they're in for another year of watching Bridgette Jones movies.

Better than marrying a heel, though.

#8 Germany: Fill your boots

On the evening of December 5 German children leave a boot or a shoe outside their bedroom door. In the morning, if they have been good, they will wake to find the shoes filled with sweets. If they have haven't, they will find only a branch.

Obviously it is best to leave out the newest pair of shoes you own. Preferably, fresh out of the box.

#10 Japan: All I want for Christmas is… KFC!

Forget the Christmas turkey or ham. For many Japanese, traditional Christmas dinner is Kentucky Fried Chicken.

A combination of tiny Japanese ovens and a clever marketing campaign convincing the locals that fried chicken is a traditional American Yuletide feast, reservations have to be made to eat at a KFC on Christmas Day.

During the run-up to Christmas, Colonel Sanders statues outside KFC's Japanese outlets wear Santa gear, and the chicken is served in special holiday packaging. Demand is such that a new online service has been created order your Xmas Family Bucket in advance and have it delivered.

#10 Peru: Let's fist fight and settle our grudges!

There is a village in Peru where people settle the previous year's grudges by fist fighting. They then start the new year off on a clean slate