Weird Christmas Traditions

Weird Christmas Traditions

We heard so many good stories about Santa, the Elf and the beautiful Christmas traditions. But where the wonderful is, there is also the weird.

Here are my favourite weirdest Christmas traditions around the world.

Beware of the Evil Spirits, Norway

In Norway the Christmas Eve means also that the evil spirits and witches arrive. To protect themselves, the Norwegian families hide their brooms and mops before they go to bed. Some people will fire gunshots in the air to scare the evil off.

Burning the Clock in Brighton, England

The shortest day of the year is December 21st! The British show their displeasure by burning their clocks! This is the festival of the Winter Solstice called “The Burning of the Clocks”. People are walking in a parade with paper lanterns before burning the clocks on the beach. This event marks the end of the old year and welcomes the new one.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day, Japan

Christmas Eve (December 24th) in Japan coincides with the most romantic day of the year. It is a Japanese Valentine’s Day. So, if you don’t have a date on this day, you don’t want to be seen in public alone. Japanese couples book dinners at romantic restaurants, stores sell romantic gifts, and all the place is decorated beautifully to embody the most romantic day of the year.

Mushrooms on the Christmas Trees, Germany and Austria

In Germany and Austria, they hang white and red mushrooms on the trees. They believe in bringing good fortune. They adorn trees, wreaths and trinkets for the holiday season. The classic red and white mushroom is a lucky omen. People search for the mushrooms at the base of pine trees around Christmas and New Year.

Roller Skating to Church, Venezuela

Many people in Venezuela, in Caracas celebrate holiday season on skates. The tradition is called Las Patinatas and began in the 50s. The Venezuelan skate all night long and then they skate to the Church for a 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. Mass. There are so many skaters that the city’s streets are closed to keep the skaters safe.

Caterpillar that Brings Luck, South Africa

In South Africa, the main dish for Christmas is the emperor caterpillar’ moth. It brings some extra luck for the coming year. It is high in protein and is considered a delicacy because it is tasty. It can be eaten as a snack or cooked with tomatoes and sauce.

Dear Akademos Students, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Let the New Year bring you All prosperity and great new opportunities!

Vocabulary

weird – strange (dziwny)

evil – morally reprehensive (zło)

witch – a person, especially a woman who is credited with having usually malignant supernatural powers (czarownica)

broom – a bundle of firm twigs or fiber bound together on a long handle especially for sweeping (miotła)

gunshots – shot fired from a gun (strzały z broni)

Winter Solstice – the time of the sun’s passing a solstice which occurs about June 21 to begin summer in the northern hemisphere and about December 21 to begin winter in the northern hemisphere (przesilenie zimowe)

wreath – an arrangement of flowers and leaves in a circular shape, used as a decoration or as a sign of respect and remembrance for a person who has died (wieniec)

trinket – a small ornament of jewelry that is of little value (bibelot, cacko)

skate – a special boot with a thin metal bar attached to the bottom that you wear to move quickly on ice, or a boot with four small wheels fixed to the bottom so that you can move over a hard surface (łyżwy)

caterpillar – a small, long animal with many legs that feeds on the leaves of plants, and develops into a butterfly or moth (gąsiennica)