We all have our own Christmas traditions without which the holiday simply wouldn't feel complete. Maybe it's gathering ‘round the fireplace, hanging up ornaments on the tree, or tucking into the couch to blow the dust off some classic Christmas movies—or flying somewhere warm with the family to chase after the winter sun. While we Americans might think of sugar plums, roasting chestnuts, and snow-piled rooftops when it comes to the holiday, other cultures around the world embrace the Christmas spirit in all sorts of different ways. For instance, where we conceive of Christmas dinners as fantastic spreads of roasts and sumptuous sides laid out on velvet table runners, more than 3.5 million Japanese households order theirs from KFC. And in South Africa, many tend to embrace the warm December weather by picnicking.
From new characters in the nativity scene to a take on Santa's helper straight from your nightmares, Christmas traditions around the world showcase global craft, creativity, and community building. While we certainly did not capture them all, we've selected some notable ways cultures across the globe celebrate Christmas below.
The Caganer in Catalonia
Your eyes do not deceive you. Someone really is dropping trou in the middle of the nativity scene— his name is the Caganer. Literally meaning the “pooper,” the exact origins of the Caganer are lost to history, but we do know he's been around since at least the 18th century. In Spanish and Italian nativity scenes, it's typical to see the set expand out to depict the whole city of Bethlehem versus just the manger itself. Proposed interpretations for what exactly the Caganer is doing are various—a talisman of prosperity into the new year, a symbol of freedom, or simply a fun, mischievous guy that's fun to spot in Barcelonian nativities. One thing's for sure—it's a tradition that keeps up with the times. While the classic representation is a peasant wearing the red barretina cap, you'll find caganers in the likeness of celebrities and pop culture icons, such as Hello Kitty, in scenes and on sale at Christmas markets.
KFC Christmas Dinner in Japan
In the US, KFC might just be fast food, but head half the world away to Japan, and you'll find a different story. In 2024, the BBC reported that 3.5 million Japanese households ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken for their Christmas dinners. What caused the popular phenom? A wildly successful marketing campaign from more than 50 years ago. One night in 1970, KFC Japan's first manager, Takeshi Okawara, was struck with the brilliant epiphany to sell a Christmas dinner. With few other distinctly Japanese Christmas traditions, marketing KFC as the equivalent of a modern-day, affordable Christmas roast was the right idea at the right time. Four years later, the idea made its way up the corporate ladder and into the annals of Japanese Christmas history.
Gävle Goat in Sweden
The genesis of the Scandinavian Yule goat stretches back to the days of the Norse gods. Thor's own chariot was driven by his two trusty goat companions Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, whose names translate to the menacing “teeth-grinder” and “teeth-barer.” Goats have long assumed a mythic status in Scandinavian cultures, whether as the chariot drivers for the gods, a figure of a bountiful harvest, or as a Christmas spirit. Today, the Yule goat, typically made of rough-hewn wood or straw, is a regular in the stable of Christmas characters whose meaning borrows from all of these past lives. In 1966, Sweden's 43-foot-tall Gävle Goat was erected to tower over all others. Every year on the first day of Advent, the central Swedish city raises the Gävle Goat in an inauguration ceremony that is typically available on livestream.
Rollerskating to Christmas Mass in Venezuela
Out of all the Christmas traditions, going to mass doesn't always rank very high among people's favorites. One outlier to the general consensus is Venezuela, and particularly the residents of Caracas. Starting in the 1950s, Venezuelans began celebrating the holiday with Las Patinatas Navideñas, or the all-night skating festival that ends with a morning mass—it runs from December 16th to the 24th. A jolly family affair with food and caroling, the block party vibes keep spirits high as the crowd glides into 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. mass. While the peak of the tradition crested in prior years, there's still hope yet for a skating revival.
Picnicking in South Africa
The average temperature in South Africa in December ranges from 75 degrees Fahrenheit to a scorching 90 degrees—in any case, the country closes the year out warm and toasty. As a result, heartwarming foods like soups, roast hams, and casseroles aren't exactly appropriate for the season. Instead, South Africans take to the outdoors and enjoy the balmy temps by picnicking for their Christmas meals. Especially at coastal cities like Cape Town, you'll see parties circled around braais, or charcoal barbecues, grilling meats and sides.
Parols in the Philippines
In the Philippines, Christmas revelers hang up something a little more elaborate than the string lights so synonymous with celebrating Christmas in the US: paper lanterns known as parols. Made from bamboo sticks and Japanese paper and lit up with candles or oil lamps, parols were a staple in the Philippines prior to Spanish colonization. When the country began celebrating Christmas, the creation and illumination of parols were folded into the seasonal celebrations. One of the most common shapes these lanterns assume is that of the five-pointed star, though you'll see a variety of embellishments and expansions as seen above. Should you find yourself in Southeast Asia for a warm-weather Christmas getaway, be on the lookout for these artful pops of light and color.
Tió de Nadal in Catalonia
Did you think Catalonia only had one pooping Christmas tradition? Well, you'd be mistaken. The Tió de Nadal is yet another scatalogically inspired Spanish Christmas character. Standing on two to four legs, with a friendly smile and barretina of its own, the tió sits under the Christmas tree as a bearer of gifts for children. Starting on the night of the Immaculate Conception, the log must be fed, kept warm, and taken care of so that come Christmas morning, it defecates small presents like nougats and little toys for the household children. A wholesome member of the home during the most wonderful time of the year, the tió certainly gives our own elf on the shelf a run for its money.
Ukrainian Christmas Spider
It's all too easy to never question where our Christmas traditions come from. Why did we start bringing in Christmas trees? Why do we string together popcorn garlands? Where does tinsel come from? Well, for that last question, Ukrainian folklore holds an answer. The story goes that a widow and her young children came across a pine cone, which they planted in the floor of their home. With great care, they nurtured the tree, but come Christmas Eve, they had no ornaments to dress it. The next morning, the family woke to discover the tree covered in cobwebs that magically transformed into gossamer threads of gold and silver, thus providing an origin story for Christmas tinsel. Today, you might spot a Christmas spider ornament on Ukrainian Christmas trees. Named pavuchkys, or little spiders, these little guys are a wink to the holiday-inspired folk tale.
Krampus in Alpine regions
You might remember the 2015 Christmas comedy-horror film of the same name that brought the Krampus to mainstream US audiences, but Santa's menacing helper has persisted in European culture long before that. Stalking the streets of Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Liechtenstein, the Krampus descends from the Alpine regions of the continent. With a towering figure, horns, and a snarling jaw, the Krampus visits children on the night of December 5th to give good kids small presents and punish the bad with birch rods. Despite his intimidating appearance, the Krampus is a popular figure in Christmas celebrations that never fails to boost the mood.
La Befana in Italy
In Italy, Christmastime is witching season, at least for the good witch Le Befana. On January 5th, households throughout Italy are visited by La Befana, who flies around on her broomstick, depositing stocking stuffers and other small goodies to kids to close off the Christmas season. Rumored to have been a devoted housekeeper too dedicated to her work to follow the Three Magi to the manger, she chased after them in the morning with gifts for Jesus, only to find that she had just missed the big event. Ever since, Befana has chased after Christmas, ending the season on a high note.
The Night of the Radishes in Oaxaca, Mexico
Held annually on December 23rd in Oaxaca, Mexico, the Night of the Radishes is one of the greatest displays of craft and creativity in honor of Christmas. With skills transferred from the city's storied wood carving tradition, Oaxacans took the radishes they gained from global trade and instituted a Christmas carving competition in 1897. An ephemeral display that only lasts for a few hours, the radishes attract visitors the world over who come to admire the transformative work of over 100 craftspeople. So much more than a humble vegetable, radishes are essential fixtures that aptly color Oaxaca red, green, and white just in time to ring in Christmas.
