When people think of Christmas, they think of tree decorating, baking cookies and watching movies. You might not immediately think of the Christmas Pickle and it’s certainly unusual. Here’s a list of unusual Christmas traditions from around the world.
The Christmas Pickle
The tradition of the Christmas Pickle has been around since the late 1800s. People believe it originated in Germany, however people have rarely heard of it there. Parents hang a pickle, the last ornament on the Christmas tree, and the first person to find it the next day gets an extra present.
Beer and Cookies
In the United States, people leave cookies and milk on Christmas Eve for Santa. That’s not the case everywhere. In Australia, people leave beer and cookies for Santa. They also might leave milk and carrots for reindeer, but beer always comes first.
Spider Webs
Decorating a Christmas tree with ornaments seems like obvious thing to do. However that’s not the case everywhere. In Ukraine, people decorate their Christmas tree with spider webs. People believe the spider webs bring good luck for the next year.
Dining with the Dead
On Christmas Day in Portugal, families set up a few extra plates around the table for the spirits of the dead. People make extra food for the spirits to take so they will have a successful year. This creates a way for people to remember those they have lost.
Hiding Brooms
There’s a time and place for cleaning, and in Norway, Christmas Eve isn’t it. That’s why Norwegians hide their brooms. If brooms had been left out overnight, people believed evil witches will steal them.
