Christmas is celebrated in innumerable ways around the world. Beyond the more universal Christmas tree and Santa Claus, each culture adds its own unique flair and innovation to the holiday season. From Guatemala's incandescent festivities to Iceland's playful folklore, each tradition reflects a sense of joy, unity, and cultural bounty.
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Iceland's magical Yule Lads and Yule Cat
In Iceland, at Christmas time, there is much folklore. The Yule Lads are a group of thirteen brothers who visit children over the days leading up to Christmas in turn, placing small treats in shoes left on windowsills. The families all get together, eating warm food and lighting up with festive lights; the Yule Cat encourages them to wear new clothes, adding a little magic to the season.
A very special Japanese twist on Christmas
Christmas in Japan is modern and merry; cities glow in bright illuminations. Many treat Christmas Eve as a romantic occasion, and one of Japan's most unusual customs includes ordering in KFC for dinner-a tradition first begun in the 1970s. To complete the meal, families order festive cakes topped with cream and strawberries, adding in Western influence with the local flair needed to complete such a warm, playful celebration.
Indonesia’s cultural festivities
In Indonesia, Christmas is a combination of faith and local culture. The Batak people in North Sumatra celebrate Marbinda by slaughtering an animal to bond with the family or community. In Bali, the penjor bamboo poles are set outside homes, and families exchange home-cooked dishes during Ngejot. In Jakarta, neighbours unite during Rabo-Rabo to celebrate hospitality and joy by singing, dancing, and feasting over meals.
La Quema del Diablo of Guatemala
La Quema del Diablo, or the Burning of the Devil, initiates Christmas in Guatemala. On December 7th, families clean their homes and burn devil-shaped effigies with used belongings, symbolically banishing negativity. There will be bonfires on every street, music, and people on the streets, then midnight mass, fireworks, and festive feasts.
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Christmas boats of Greece
In Greece, Christmas is a blend of faith, folklore, and maritime. The colourful wooden boats are decorated and lit up, known as karavaki, while children sing traditional carols around homes with triangles or drums. Families bake Christopsomo, Christ's bread, and cookies called melomakarona, thereby retaining the sacred rituals along with the joyous celebration.
