Christmas traditions on the globe

Christmas is one of the most important holidays for Christians. Every year, billions of people worldwide celebrate in their own unique way, creating their own special Christmas traditions.

While many people celebrate Christmas on December 25, it can be celebrated at different times or for longer periods of time depending on the community/country. More than 160 countries celebrate this special holiday in unique ways.

While some traditions are religious in nature, such as going to church, others are less formal in nature and may include decorating Christmas trees, watching Christmas movies, or baking cookies for loved ones.

In this article, we have compiled a list of 7 of the most popular Christmas traditions worldwide.

1. GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET

Countless German cities such as Berlin, Munich, Nuremberg, and Duesseldorf are home to impressive Christkindlmarkts, or Christmas Markets, where locals and tourists alike can purchase handmade souvenirs and seasonally themed edible treats such as lebkuchen and pfeffernüsse. Some of these open-air markets and villages have been recreated every year, dating back 500 years.

2. CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTIES

This theme has become quite popular in recent years. The outfits our parents and grandparents wore during the holidays (considered fashionable at the time) are now the subject of jokes at these gatherings and have become a family pastime. The tradition of wearing holiday sweaters will most likely remain an important tradition and continue to bring people together for some fun.

3. SWIMMING SESSIONS WITH THE POLAR BEAR

How about a nice ice bath on Christmas morning? This may not be for you, but hundreds of people in Brighton, England scheduled a Christmas Day swim every year in just a bathing suit and their Santa hat. This tradition is not exclusive to Brighton but is also practiced in London’s Serpentine Lake, Sandycove, Dublin, and many other cold-water spots around the world. The thought of jumping into icy Irish waters on Christmas morning is not for everyone!

4. HIDING THE BROOMS

One of the Christmas Eve traditions in Norway, which dates back centuries, is the act of hiding all the brooms in the house. This act deprives witches and evil spirits of finding something to ride on.

5. ROLLER SKATING ON CITY STREETS

Before Venezuelans in Caracas return home to enjoy the Christmas holiday, hundreds head to church on roller skates. Roads throughout the city are closed to cars so that people can participate in this unique annual tradition and go to church safely.

6. CONSTRUCTION OF GIANT LANTERNS

On the Saturday before Christmas Eve, eleven villages in the city of San Fernando in the Philippines create giant lanterns in an annual competition. Known as the Giant Lantern Festival, this competition draws people from all over the country to see this spectacle. The lanterns started as small and simple creations, but over the years the lanterns have become more elaborate and much larger, reaching almost 20 meters. The lanterns are shaped like a kaleidoscope and are lit with electric bulbs.

7. VISIT THE CHRISTMAS YULE GOAT

In Sweden, the Swedes build a giant straw goat, known as the Yule Goat, which is over 42 meters high, 23 meters wide, and weighs over 3 tons. Every year the goat is built in the same place. If you can’t see the Yule Goat in person, you can watch a live stream from the first Sunday of Advent until after he is taken down at the start of the New Year.

If you’ve discovered other Christmas traditions for us to include in our next charts, you can write us about them on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.