By Jane Yule
There are hundreds of different festive traditions around the world. Some date back to pagan rituals and some are as recent as the 1960s. Let’s take a look at some of the more traditional festivities and some of the slightly more bizarre..!
Over in France, you are likely to receive gifts on St Nicholas Day, the 6th December, but children will also wait with anticipation on Christmas Eve for Pere Noel to fill their sabots (shoes) with presents. Just make sure you take them out before you head out for your Christmas Day walk!
The children of the Netherlands will be on the look out for Sinterklass on his white horse on the 6th December. A kindly bishop, Sinterklaas wears red robes and travels by ship from Spain every winter with his sidekick Black Pete.
Single ladies in the Czech Republic perform a ritual on Christmas Eve to find out if they will marry the following year. If you too want to find out your relationship status for 2016, put your back to your front door and throw a shoe over your shoulder. If the heel is near the door then you are likely to be remain single but if the toe is pointing that way then get ready for wedding bells.
In a small town in Sweden, the locals build a giant Goat made of straw. The aim is to destroy the monument before Christmas Day. Since 1966, the goat has only survived 10 times!
As for Japan, for many, instead of turkey for their traditional dinner, they opt for the next best thing…. Kentucky Fried Chicken! It is so popular on the big day, you need to make a reservation. A special Christmas Party Bucket is 3880 yen (around £21!).
And finally….
The Irish Santa likes a bottle of Guinness left with his mince-pie. Thankfully he has Rudolph to help guide his sleigh so he doesn’t drink and fly!
Check back next week for the next instalment of Jane’s Yule bLog!
