Unusual Christmas Traditions: Kangaroos Instead of Reindeer, Ugly Sweaters

Christmas is celebrated by more than 2 billion inhabitants of the Earth. At the same time, Christians living in different countries have developed their own, sometimes very unusual traditions associated with the onset of this holiday. “MK” found out the features of Christmas in all corners of the world.

In African Ethiopia, Christianity is very widespread. Among the natives, this holiday is known as Genna and is celebrated according to the old style on January 7th. Given the climatic conditions characteristic of this country, it is not surprising that those gathered for the Christmas service are dressed in white. Before the start of the solemn service, a ceremony is performed: people walk around the church three times.

In Venezuela, the custom has spread to get to the temple, where the Christmas service will be held, on roller skates. Whole families go – both children and adults. This tradition has become so popular that the authorities in major cities even temporarily block the traffic on the roads to ensure the safety of numerous “rollers”.

Our Belarusian neighbors have long had a tradition of covering the table for the Christmas meal with hay. In this way, those present were reminded that the Savior was born in a cave adapted for a cattle shed. Most often, hay was covered with a tablecloth on top and plates and bowls were already placed on it. Although some hostesses did the opposite. But in this case, it was probably not very convenient for the participants in the feast: dry blades of grass constantly came across on hand, inadvertently it was possible to send them into the mouth.

Every well-intentioned resident of Norway on the eve of Christmas night should definitely find a minute to hide the broom in the house. In this way, he will keep a thing useful in the household and is guaranteed to deprive the “vehicle” of the witches, who, according to local beliefs, like to steal a floor sweeping tool from a negligent owner on Christmas Eve, and then ride such a broomstick and play pranks.

The exact opposite situation with “witchcraft” has developed in France. There, the good witch Befana is held in high esteem, who on the night before Christmas flies, riding a broom, from house to house and leaves gifts for children. However, not always the visit of this fabulous sorceress can end in a pleasant present. If a boy or girl has previously distinguished themselves by bad behavior, Befana will reward them with just a piece of coal. (However, in this year, marked by an unprecedented energy crisis in Europe, such a gift may seem very appropriate.)

The “know-how” for celebrating Christmas had to be invented by Christians living in New Zealand. These inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere have a big problem with Christmas trees, so as a replacement for such traditional Christmas trees, New Zealanders have chosen a representative of the local flora – the beautiful Pohutukawa tree. It doesn’t even need to be specially dressed up for Christmas, since it is in December-January that the pohutukawa has a flowering period: beautiful raspberry flowers appear on the tree.

Characteristic changes in the classic Christmas epic, related to the geographical features of the country, were also made by the neighbors of the New Zealanders – the inhabitants of Australia. It’s about the retinue of Santa Claus. At the service of the Australian “Santa Claus” – not a reindeer team (for lack of such on the Green Continent), but a company of kangaroos.

Among Christians, the tradition of arranging nativity scenes is very popular – installations that illustrate the events associated with the birth of the Savior. As a rule, in such compositions one can see a cradle with a baby-Christ, figurines of the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the Magi… There may be images of cows, sheep: according to Holy Scripture, Jesus was born in a barn.

In Spanish Catalonia, a completely exclusive Christmas symbol is often added to the traditional set – the figure of a character called Caganer. This hero is placed away from the main composition. And for a completely understandable reason: after all, Kaganer is depicted in a characteristic “toilet” pose, with his pants down.

No obscenity is to be found in this. The fact is that, according to ancient beliefs, such a scene symbolizes future abundance (the logic is clear: the more fertilizer in the fields, the higher the harvest).

The mischievous Catalans sometimes even give the figure of Caganer a portrait resemblance to one of the media persons – football players or politicians.

In some regions of Mexico, nativity scenes are made in their own way. The local craftsmen carve all the figurines from radishes.

The so-called Christmas log appears as an important symbol of Christmas in Bulgaria. It is customary to give it to each other for a holiday. It is believed that a special log, being brought into the house and burned, will help the owners to reap a good harvest in the coming year and get a significant increase in the number of livestock.

Wonderful helper logs are also rooted in the Christmas traditions of some other peoples. This symbolic attribute of the holiday has long been popular in France. Moreover, for a greater “action effect”, the Christmas log was even poured with wine and oil. However, over the years, this attribute of the holiday has undergone a radical change. Instead of a natural wood log that needs to be burned, the French began to use a biscuit cake in the form of a log – “buche de Noel”. This delicacy is served at the end of the festive feast and is eaten together by all those present – such a ceremony guarantees good prospects for the coming year.

In the United States, where it was also considered right from ancient times to burn a Christmas tree log for good luck, such a tradition has now come into conflict with home furnishing. In city apartments there are simply no fireplaces and stoves where this could be done. But then advanced American TV came to the aid of citizens. You can turn on the TV and watch a special Christmas broadcast: the process of burning a log is shown in full detail on the screen, accompanied by a suitable sound design – Christmas songs.

In Croatia, children are told that Saint Nicholas brings presents on Christmas Eve and puts them in shoes. But only clean. Therefore, prudent boys and girls should definitely put their shoes and boots in order and put them on the windowsill so that it would be more convenient for the magical grandfather to fill them with sweets.

And more about Christmas gifts. In some countries, a tradition that originated in Canada has found distribution. A custom has taken root there: for Christmas, women give their loved ones a warm sweater made with their own hands (a northern country!). The received gift should be put on and spend a festive evening in it.

However, the tradition turned out to have its own “ambush”. Not all of the fair sex were skilled knitters, so their creations sometimes did not look very presentable, sometimes even the length of the sleeves turned out to be different. It was precisely this unpresentability, presented, however, from the bottom of my heart, that they subsequently began to specially beat. Now it has become fashionable to stock up for a gift (buy or make yourself) a sweater as stupid as possible in appearance or pattern.

Since the 1960s, the Christmas television rule has taken root in Sweden. On a festive day at exactly 15 o’clock, Disney cartoons about Donald Duck are broadcast on TV.

In Finland, it is customary to wish Merry Christmas not only to people, but also to birds. On the eve of the holiday, farmers hang bunches of wheat ears on the trees, and put seeds, nuts and pieces of bacon in the feeders.