Celebrate in Japan
Japan is considered a holiday for couples, rather than a time for family gatherings. Couples often celebrate by planning romantic dates, such as enjoying a special dinner at a restaurant or taking a walk-through town to admire the Christmas lights. It might come as a surprise, but instead of a glazed ham or roast turkey, the most popular choice for Christmas dinner in Japan is KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)! For dessert, instead of gingerbread men, fruit cake, cookies, or pie, they like to eat kurisumasu keeki a kind of sponge cake based strawberry shortcake, yum!
Celebrate in Iceland
Icelandic Christmas, known as Jól, blends traditional folklore with religious customs. The festivities begin on Epiphany, four weeks before Christmas Day, and continue for thirteen days.
Christmas Cat, or Yule Cat is a legend about a terrifying creature that will abduct and devour anyone—whether child or adult—on Christmas night if they aren’t wearing new clothes. This myth is believed to have been created to encourage people to work hard at spinning and weaving wool and yarn. Another interesting tradition is the 13 Yule Lads who come down from the mountains to visit Iceland’s children leading up to Christmas. The children are encouraged to leave their shoes by a window. Nice kids find a present in their shoes, while naughty ones are “awarded” with a rotten potato!
Celebrate in Venezuela
In Venezuela, the Christmas season brings a unique and joyful tradition known as Las Patinatas. This celebration sees locals donning their roller skates and gliding through the streets, particularly in the capital city of Caracas. The highlight occurs on Christmas morning when families roller-skate to early Mass, creating a festive and lively atmosphere.
Streets are often closed to traffic to accommodate the skaters, and the journey is filled with laughter, music, and the ringing of church bells. Children especially enjoy the tradition, with some even tying strings to their skates to tug small carts or decorations along.
Celebrate in Mexico
Las Posadas is a cherished Christmas celebration in Mexico that reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter in Bethlehem. Taking place over nine nights from December 16th to 24th, the tradition symbolizes the journey leading up to the birth of Jesus.
Each evening, families and communities come together for a procession that travels from house to house. Participants, often dressed as Mary, Joseph, angels, and shepherds, carry candles and sing traditional songs, asking for “posada” (shelter). At each stop, they are initially turned away, until finally being welcomed in, representing the moment Mary and Joseph found refuge.
Celebrate in Sweden
In the Swedish city of Gävle, Christmas is marked by the creation of a massive straw goat, known as the Gävlebocken. This unique tradition dates back to 1966, when local merchants decided to construct a giant version of the traditional Yule Goat, a symbol of Scandinavian Christmas celebrations that represents generosity and fertility.
Standing over 10 meters (33 feet) tall, the Gävle Goat is made entirely of straw and is set up in the city’s Castle Square. Adorned with festive red ribbons and lights, it becomes a centerpiece of holiday festivities and draws visitors from around the world.
