Explanation
1
Czechia - By throwing a shoe over their shoulder on Christmas Eve. If the toe of the shoe lands pointing toward the door, itâs said that she will marry in the next year. If the heel points toward the door, sheâll stay single until next Christmas Eve. No pressure.
2
Lativia - Friends and family disguise themselves in terrifying masks and costumes (to drive evil spirits away, obviously) and go round door to door singing, dancing, and playing pranks in exchange for food, drinks, and gifts.
3
Many families follow this tradition to keep evil spirits and witches that are said to emerge on this night from using the brooms for their flight, thus keeping them safe from mischief.
4
Ukraine - Folklore goes that a poor widow and her children watched a pine tree grow outside their home and turn into a Christmas tree â but they couldnât afford to decorate it. The children went to bed sad, and the widow hung fruit and nuts on the tree that night in the hope itâd make them smile on Christmas Day. Spiders in the hut next door observed all this and set to work overnight, weaving reams of silky silvery and gold webs around the tree for the family to find the next morning. They were, of course, all dazzled and delighted!
5
Sweden - Legend has it that Santa would ride the Yule goat instead of his sleigh to help deliver presents. Some even regard the Yule goat as an invisible spirit whoâd appear right before Christmas to make sure all the festive prep was done right. Nowadays, the goatâs most commonly depicted as a little Christmas ornament made of straw and tied with red ribbon.
6
Christmas, FL USA - Plenty of tourists flock here to get their holiday cards and letters stamped at the post office, because who wouldnât want their postmark to read âChristmas, FLâ?! Unsurprisingly, the street names are Christmas-themed too. Look out for Bethlehem, Comet Street, Cupid Avenue and of course, St. Nicholas Avenue.
7
Japan - Way back in December 1974, KFC Japan created its âKentucky for Christmasâ ad campaign, promoting fried chicken as the perfect Christmas meal. And now eating KFC food as a Christmas meal is still a huge holiday tradition in Japan! Because, what could be more Christmassy than strolling down Tokyoâs epic streets, illuminated by beautiful Christmas lights, with a boneless bucket in hand?
8
Russia - The countryâs celebration of Christmastide. Hailed as âthe most unholy time of yearâ, âSvyatkiâ as the Russians call it, is a festival that runs from the Orthodox Christmas Eve on 7th January to the Epiphany on 19th January.
9
Mexico - Called ânacimientosâ, locals proudly display these elaborate Nativity scenes in their homes or gardens throughout the Christmas season, while local communities create public ones usually designed by local artists and craftspeople. Even better, more characters are added throughout the Christmas countdown â baby Jesus is added on Christmas Eve and the three kings pop up around 5th January.
10
Australia - he Christmas season down under means sun, sea and⊠surf. Itâs true, Christmas traditions in Australia play out across a backdrop of sunshine and barbecues. Youâll 100% find more people wearing bikinis and swimwear on Christmas Day than Christmas jumpers.
11
Germany - You may know him as Santa Claus or Father Christmas, but the origins of this jolly man in red first started in Germany with Saint Nicholas. Apparently, he was a real-life priest born in the 4th century and is now a celebrated figure throughout parts of Europe. In Germany, itâs all about St Nicholas Day on 6th December. On this very festive night, kids clean and polish their shoes and leave them outside their door before going to bed. In the morning, their shoes are magically filled with nuts, sweets and gifts from St Nick. If you visit Germany during the Christmas period you can also meet Saint Nicholas in shopping centres and at the Christmas markets.
12
United Kingdom - Did you know that the Christmas cracker was invented by a London sweet maker called Tom Smith back in 1847? Apparently, his original idea was just to wrap up his tasty sweets in a twist of fancy-coloured paper. But the idea took off and became one of the best-known Victorian Christmas traditions in England. His packages began to sell out when he added festive notes, paper crowns and made them go off with a BANG! Itâs no wonder then, that England is home to the Guinness World Record for the longest Christmas cracker pulling chain ever, with 1,081 people pulling it off (see what I did there?) in a school in South London.
13
Ireland - For most of us, 6th January is when the Christmas tree comes down and all the decorations go back in their boxes. However, for the women of Ireland this day also marks the tradition of âNollaig na mBanâ or Womenâs Little Christmas. Itâs by far one of the oldest (and most archaic!) Christmas traditions both from around the world, and in Ireland, as this was the time when the female community â exhausted from all the festive cooking, hosting and housework â could finally let their hair down a bit and take their token annual day off. Nowadays, we prefer stretching this notion of âtaking some much-needed time offâ to people of all identities, for the entire Christmas period⊠Am I riiiiight?
14
Spain - On 22nd December, youâll find that the Spanish never venture far from a TV or radio as this is the day that the Christmas lottery is drawn! Basically everyone in Spain buys a ticket, hoping to win âEl Gordoâ (the fat one). Sometimes, whole families and villages enter together meaning that groups of people in the same area can become filthy rich overnight. The prize money is usually in the billions.. Now that would be a bank balance.
15
Italy - In southern Italy and Rome in particular, youâll find shepherds playing the⊠bagpipes. Usually performing in pairs, these legends break out the tunes in squares and piazzas across the regions, all while everyone goes about their festive business. Dressed in traditional sheepskins and wool cloaks, they do this in honour of the traditional shepherds in the nativity and itâs quite the spectacle! Talking of tunes, visitors will also be able to hear the church bells ringing out on Christmas Eve across the country to mark Jesusâ birth. âBuon Natale!â
16
France - Families gather together in the countryâs stunning cathedrals to sing traditional French Christmas songs and carols. Of course, all this singing really works up an appetite, which is why youâll find many locals hurrying home to celebrate âLa Reveillonâ afterwards â a big feast held during the early hours of Christmas Day. Menus vary but think chestnut-stuffed turkey, goose, oysters and even foie gras and caviar for a really special meal.
17
In Venezuela, if youâre not rollerskating to church on Christmas, youâre not doing it right. This practice, referred to locally as âLas Patinatasâ is commonplace on the days leading up to Christmas Eve and includes everyone from children to adults.
AP Human Geography Latin American Map Quiz
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