Christmas may be celebrated across the globe, but it sure doesn't look the same everywhere. Swap your snow for a beach barbecue, your jolly Santa for a friendly witch, or your turkey for a bucket of fried chicken — and you've only scratched the surface.
Grab your passport (metaphorically). Here's a festive tour of how the world does Christmas.
🇮🇸 Iceland: The 13 Yule Lads
Forget one Santa — Iceland has thirteen. In the days leading up to Christmas, the mischievous Yule Lads come down from the mountains one by one, each with his own quirky personality (and name to match — there's a Door-Slammer, a Sausage-Swiper, and a Spoon-Licker, among others). Children leave a shoe on the windowsill, and each night a Yule Lad leaves a small gift for the good kids — or a rotten potato for the naughty ones.
🇮🇹 Italy: La Befana the Christmas Witch
In Italy, gifts don't only come from Santa. On the eve of Epiphany (January 5th), a kindly old witch named La Befana flies in on a broomstick to fill children's stockings with sweets and small presents. According to legend, she's still searching for the Christ child and leaves gifts for children along the way.
🇯🇵 Japan: Kentucky for Christmas
Here's one that started as marketing and became tradition. In Japan, where Christmas isn't a national or religious holiday, many families celebrate with a very specific meal: fried chicken from KFC. A wildly successful 1970s advertising campaign turned "Kentucky for Christmas" into a beloved custom, and today people place their orders weeks in advance to avoid the lines.
🇲🇽 Mexico: Las Posadas
For the nine nights before Christmas, communities across Mexico hold Las Posadas — a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for shelter in Bethlehem. Processions move from house to house singing traditional songs, often ending with a festive gathering and a piñata shaped like a star.
🇦🇺 Australia: Christmas on the Beach
Down in the Southern Hemisphere, December means summer. Australians often celebrate with beach trips, backyard barbecues, and cricket in the sun. Santa might still make an appearance — sometimes trading his sleigh for a surfboard. "Carols by Candlelight" outdoor concerts are also a cherished part of the season.
🇸🇪 Sweden: St. Lucia's Day
On December 13th, Sweden celebrates St. Lucia's Day, a festival of light during the darkest time of year. A girl is chosen to portray St. Lucia, dressed in white and wearing a crown of candles, leading a procession of children singing traditional songs. It's a beautiful, glowing start to the holiday season.
🇩🇪 Germany: Christmas Markets & the Christkind
Germany gave the world many of its most beloved Christmas customs, and its Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) are legendary — twinkling stalls full of mulled wine, roasted nuts, and handcrafted ornaments. In many regions, gifts are brought not by Santa but by the Christkind, an angelic gift-bringer.
🇵🇭 The Philippines: The Giant Lantern Festival
The Philippines is famous for having one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world, with celebrations beginning as early as September. A highlight is the Giant Lantern Festival in the city of San Fernando, where enormous, intricately lit lanterns called parols dazzle crowds.
🇳🇴 Norway: Hide the Brooms
A charming Norwegian folk tradition holds that on Christmas Eve, witches and mischievous spirits come out looking for brooms to ride. So families hide all their brooms safely away before bed — just in case. It's a fun, spooky little twist on the cozy Norwegian julekos (Christmas coziness).
One holiday, a thousand flavors
What's wonderful about Christmas is how every culture has made it their own — weaving in local legends, foods, weather, and history. Whether it's a witch on a broomstick, a bucket of fried chicken, or a surfing Santa, the spirit of warmth, generosity, and celebration shines through everywhere.
How does your family celebrate? We'd love to hear the traditions that make your holiday unique. 🎄