Unique Christmas Traditions Practiced In Different Countries

Many celebrate Christmas every year by exchanging gifts and having a wonderful dinner with loved ones. However, there are actually several other countries that have their own unique practices during the holiday season. Here are some Christmas traditions in different countries. The list is not exclusive and more places have their own tradition.

1. Italy, Spain, and Portugal

In a report by TodayIFoundOut.com, people in these countries usually make a model village that resembles the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. People make miniature figures of Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. They also add other characters like angels, the three kings, and stable animals. However, the most unique character is the Caganer, which is a man poised in the act of defecating with feces at his heels.

2. Russia and Ukraine

Christmas traditions in different countries sometimes have people celebrate Christmas every January 7, and not on December 25. The main reason is that they follow the Julian calendar when following religious days. Russians celebrating Christmas pray a lot throughout the day and even fast for as long as 39 days or until the first star appears in the sky on Christmas Eve. The Russians then eat a 12-course meal to represent the 12 apostles.

3. China

Only a small percentage of the one billion Chinese population is Christian, but many parts of China celebrate Christmas in the same manner as Westerners, such as by setting up Christmas trees and singing Christmas carols. The Chinese, however, set up plastic Christmas trees instead and adorn it with paper lanterns, chains and other paper decors. Compared to Christmas traditions in different countries, China also follows the strange approach of giving apples wrapped in colored paper to others or offering these for sale, based on a report by WhyChristmas.com.

4. Egypt

Kiahk is the month leading to Christmas where people sing praise songs every Saturday night. From November 25 to January 6, Coptic Orthodox Christians fast and only eat vegan food. The practice is known as the "Holy Nativity Fast." On Christmas Eve, people go to church for a special service and then meet with family and friends to celebrate Christmas together.

5. Slovakia

At the start of the Christmas dinner, the head of the family will take a spoon of Loksa, which is made of bread, water and poppy seed filling, then throws it up to the ceiling. The family head will try his best to keep as much Loksa glued to the ceiling as possible. The more Loksa that sticks to the ceiling, the more abundant his crops will be in the next year.

More Christmas traditions in different countries are practiced every year, some of which have been handed down for hundreds of years.