In Ukraine, Christmas trees often feature cobwebs and spiders.
Who says Christmas has to look the same for everyone? People around the world have varied approaches when it comes to home decorations and activities.
What might sound weird to some may actually be the norm among a lot of people.
If you’re looking to add a little spice to the merry holidays this year, you might want to try the unique traditions other nations practice during the season. From cobweb ornaments to radish sculptures, here are some unique ways you can celebrate Christmas with the rest of the world.
Spider webs
At first glance, people from Ukraine seem to blend Halloween and Christmas when it comes to their decorations. Though many of their Christmas trees feature typical ornaments, you’ll be surprised to discover cobwebs and spiders hiding among the usual trinkets. Far from sinister, however, there is a touching folk tale behind this unique decoration.
According to the old wives’ tale, a woman was once so poor that she could not afford to decorate her home during the holidays. Upon waking up on Christmas morning, her family was greeted by a beautiful sight: their Christmas tree had been lovingly adorned with a glittering cobweb by a thoughtful spider.
Party Poopers
In Catalonia, Spain, the usual nativity scene featuring Jesus, Mary, Joseph and their visitors have a discreet but eye-catching addition often hidden in the background.
The caganer, which literally translates to “the defecator,” is a figure that pretty much does what is named after. There is no certain reason why this odd figure became part of the Catalan nativity scene. It is usually placed away from the holy players, to show respect to the original story of Christmas.
The figure remains part of the group, hiding in a nearby spot for children and adults alike to find and gawk at.
Recently, many caganers are even made to look like famous personalities. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and former American President Barrack Obama are just some celebrities who have been turned into literal party poopers.
Broomsticks
In Norway, December is not only the most wonderful time of the year. It’s also the darkest time of the year.
During this period, many believe that evil spirits and witches roam the land. In particular, Christmas Eve is said to be the time when many witches are on the lookout to steal broomsticks to ride on. This is why many superstitious folks hide their broomsticks on Christmas Eve and avoid cleaning. Now if you just need a good excuse to avoid a chore on the holidays, it might be fun to celebrate Christmas this way.
Radish sculptures
The Mexican city of Oaxaca celebrates crafts during Christmas. For more than a century now, farmers in the city breed large radishes and carve them into Christmas scenes as part of a competition. These sculptures are all made out of the vegetable, and often depict intricate scenes such as the Nativity. The contest is usually held on Dec. 23 in the main plaza.
The winner gets to take home a cash prize and his photograph in the paper. It’s a unique way of decorating the city and encouraging kids to appreciate vegetables.
Banana and mango leaves
If the Mexicans prefer celebrating with vegetables, Indians and Africans celebrate Christmas with fruits. Majority of the population of India and Africa do not really prescribe to the Christian holiday of Christmas.
Despite this, they get into the holiday festivities by decorating the mango or banana trees. It has become a norm that home decorations often feature the leaves of these fruit-bearing trees. African communities even involve oil palm trees in their holiday decorations.
These unusual Christmas decorations prove that people can customize the way they celebrate the holidays to suit their beliefs and environments.
By incorporating culture into our ornaments, our Christmas celebration takes up a personality of its own. Rather than sticking with the norm, why don’t you try spreading the holiday cheer with what you have at home?
You don’t have to get pine trees or expensive figurines to make your home truly festive. By being creative with your Christmas ornaments, you can be sure that your holidays would be an enjoyable and unique experience.
Sources:
Kathryn Hile via flickr.com and Wikipedia.com; lamoix via flickr.com; Matthew Yglesias via flickr.com; Erika Smith via Wikimedia Commons; marcopologuides.com; newsfeed.time.com; theculturetrip.com; pxhere.com