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Top christmas traditions


20+ Popular Christmas Traditions Around the World

By Minted | Last Updated: October 14, 2022

A CLOSE LOOK AT CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Christmas is one of the most important celebrations for Christians and every year billions of people around the world celebrate in their own unique ways, creating their own unique Christmas traditions. While many people celebrate Christmas on December 25th, it can be celebrated at different times or for longer periods of time depending on where you live in the world. Over 160 countries celebrate this special holiday in some unique forms. While some traditions are religious in nature, such as attending church, others are less formal in nature and might include decorating Christmas trees, watching Christmas movies, or baking cookies for loved ones. We have assembled a list of 10 most popular Christmas traditions. See how many traditions your family participates in and also gain inspirations on some new ones you may want to start! We also share a fun list of 12 Christmas traditions around the world that you may or may not be aware of that you can use as ideas on how to celebrate Christmas in a new way with your family.

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10 MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN THE US

One uniquely American tradition during the holidays is watching specific movies and TV shows that put us in the holiday spirit. There are a number of favorites that range from old movies to cartoons. What better way to celebrate the holidays than with timeless classics such as “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 34th St.”, or “The Christmas Story?” Don’t forget those cartoons that will forever be a part of the holidays, such as “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and “Frosty The Snowman. ” While some of those older movies and cartoons may not be as popular for the younger generation, you can always find more recent family favorites that bring a smile to your face, such as “Home Alone,” “Elf,” “ or “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”

As most of us have some time off during this time of the year, there are also a number of blockbuster movies that will be released during the holidays. Kick back, relax, and enjoy these great movies and shows during the holidays.

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Top-Performing Christmas Movies Based on Ticket Sales (source: BoxOfficeMojo)

Rank

Christmas Movie

Gross Worldwide Ticket Sales

1

The Grinch

$511,595,957

2

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

$345,141,403

3

A Christmas Carol

$325,286,646

4

The Polar Express

$313,500,433

5

Elf

$220,885,524

6

The Holiday

$205,135,175

7

The Santa Clause

$189,833,357

8

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

$173,961,069

9

The Santa Clause 2

$172,855,065

10

Four Christmases

$163,733,697

Once you have had your fill of binge-watching holiday movies, you may want to participate in one of the oldest Christmas traditions, which dates back to the 15th century. That is, of course, selecting and decorating a Christmas tree. Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. Whether you go and cut down your own tree, buy one, or use an artificial tree, decorating a tree is one of the first signs that the Christmas holiday season is upon us.

If you do plan to venture out and find a real tree, finding the perfect one may take some time. You may want to consider things such as the scent, how sturdy the branches are in order to hold all of the ornaments, whether it drops a lot of needles, the price, color, shape, height, and so on. While there are a lot of variables to consider, you will know when you find the perfect one for your home.

Once you do finally get the tree into your home, the decorating fun begins. Start with a festive tree skirt as the base of your Christmas tree. Adorn your tree with lights, tinsel, garlands, ornaments, and a number of other trinkets that suit your family theme and taste.

Many families hang a special ornament each year that holds a special significance to them. Start a family Christmas tradition of adding one special ornament each year to your tree. Minted offers personalized Christmas photo ornaments in case you wanted to create special ornaments to send out to your loved ones this year.

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Holiday decorating is not limited to just the tree. Decorate your home with Christmas light displays and be the envy of your neighborhood. Some displays even coordinate the lights to turn off and on in unison with popular Christmas songs. Families often travel from miles around to search for the most beautiful light displays.

While you are decorating your home, don’t forget to hang stockings for each of your family members, even that special pet. Remember, you don’t have to have a fireplace to hang stockings. You can hang them from the staircase railing, from garland, on a bookcase, the footboard or headboard of your bed, your TV stand, and so many other places. Be creative! You may also want to read through our post on Christmas mantle decoration ideas.

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The tradition of hanging a strand of mistletoe in the house goes back to the 2nd or 3rd century. Mistletoe was said to have powers that bring good luck to a home by getting rid of evil spirits. More commonly, it was also used as a sign of love and friendship. This is where the custom of kissing under the Mistletoe originates. If you’re curious about where you can purchase mistletoe nearby, consider Home Depot, Lowes, your local hardware store, the garden section of Walmart or Kmart, or the pop-up Christmas tree sales tent.

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Of the many Christmas traditions celebrated around the world, the most common thread is the celebration of a shared meal. Create memories and reflect on the year by joining friends and family together to enjoy a delicious meal. If the idea of interacting with a larger group this holiday season has you feeling uneasy, look to just host a special meal with your immediate household.

As you might imagine, there are countless food choices that people enjoy throughout the world during Christmas, however, there are some main staples that are a part of many Christmas meals. Some classics include roast turkey, ham or chicken, potatoes, stuffing, and of course you cannot forget the gravy. You can also pair the food with some cocktails too.

If you're hosting, you can create a merrier ambiance around the dining room and kitchen with napkin sets and tea towels in Christmas patterns. Some candles and garland in the dining table set the mood for this Christmas dinner with your loved ones. Little accents and decorations here and there in the house will certainly make the season brighter and warmer for everyone.

Not everyone shares the same seasons and climate. In some parts of the world, there could be hotter temperatures during Christmas, which would result in serving colder or lighter dishes. Serving roasted meats cold or enjoying seafood recipes may be more common in warmer climates.

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While we all love a good meal, the actual process of baking together is often a family tradition in itself. Making cookies, baking pies, or building gingerbread houses falls in line with the holiday spirit that it is better to give than receive. Don’t forget to set a few cookies aside (with a glass of milk) for when Santa pays a visit. Some popular Christmas snacks include:

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Gift giving is one of the most beloved traditions of Christmas (especially for children) and it goes back to when the Three Wise Men offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to baby Jesus in the manger. Gifts are usually placed under the Christmas tree or within stockings in festive patterns. Browse some unique gifts you can get for your family and friends.

>The timing and place of the gift exchange could vary depending on where you live in the world. For example, in some European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Czechia), some presents are opened as early as December 5th, right before St. Nicholas’ Day on December 6th. In America, we have created a few unique ways to exchange gifts in large group settings, such as

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The tradition of giving gifts to others is centered around showing how much we appreciate others and value the role they play in our lives. As you go about your holiday shopping, remember Christmas is a time to think about others and the joy of giving rather than receiving. Need some help finding the perfect personalized gift for your friends and family this year? Browse Minted’s Holiday Gift Guide for our top picks this 2022 season.

Tree lot wrapping paper designed by Joyce Pinheiro.

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Exchanging greeting cards has become a huge tradition during the holidays. It is a great way to communicate with friends and family and express that you are thinking of them. This year has been a very unusual one, with many of us not venturing too far from home, which means it has likely been a while since some of your more distant friends and family have seen your face. The annual holiday card greeting will be appreciated that much more this December. Did you know that in the United States alone, more than two billion Christmas cards are sent annually?

When it comes time to selecting Christmas cards for your loved ones, consider our wide range of beautiful and unique designs that capture the celebration of the holiday. Minted’s exclusive Christmas cards are designed by a global community of independent artists which guarantees that you will always find a unique and stylish design. There are a number of customization options available through Minted to add a more personal touch to your holiday greeting. Impress your friends and family with beautiful designs, premium quality, and experienced craftsmanship. Learn about what unique design trends we are seeing in 2021.

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The Elf on a Shelf phenomenon became a family Christmas tradition close to 15 years ago. It is derived from a children’s story about Santa’s elves watching over children and reporting back to Santa about the good and bad activities of the children observed that day.

The tradition has become extremely popular amongst adults and kids, as the Elf hides in a new spot every morning around the house and the kids try to find it. The elves are said to have magical powers derived from being adopted and loved by a child. However, the kids must follow one simple rule and that is to not touch the elf or the elves may lose their magic. If touched, the elves cannot report the children’s Christmas wishes back to Santa.

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Music plays a large role in many Christmas traditions around the world. We listen to holiday favorites with family and friends and have our playlist of favorite songs, such as “O Holy Night,” “Let It Snow,” “Jingle Bells,” and many others.

One Christmas tradition that has been passed down from many generations is caroling, in which a group of people shows up at homes to serenade inhabitants with holiday music. Some grade schools and high schools have even adopted the practice by encouraging certain groups of students to travel from classroom to classroom singing. This tradition or caroling dates back to the 19th century and is still practiced in many countries to this day.

12 ADDITIONAL UNIQUE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

There are some truly unique and somewhat strange traditions that are practiced in different places around the globe. Here is a sampling of just a few…

Countless German cities like Berlin, Munich, Nuremberg, and Duesseldorf host impressive Christkindlmarkts, or Christmas Markets, where locals and tourists can shop hand-made souvenirs and seasonal-themed edible treats like lebkuchen and pfeffernüsse. Some of these outdoor markets and villages have been re-created each year dating back 500 years. If you do find yourself at a German Christmas market this year, be sure to observe any social distance advisories and mask-wearing protocols.

This theme has become fairly popular over the last few years. Outfits our parents and grandparents wore during the holidays (considered fashionable at the time) are now the butt of the joke at these gatherings and have become a funny family pastime. The tradition of wearing over-the-top holiday sweaters will most likely stay strong and continue to bring people together for some laughs. Consider hosting an ugly Christmas sweater party! In line with dressing up, be sure to check out our list of Christmas outfit ideas for the perfect family holiday card.

How would you like to take a nice swim in freezing cold water on Christmas morning? This may not be for you but hundreds of people in Brighton, England schedule a Christmas day dip every year with just a swimsuit and their Santa hat. This tradition is not exclusive to Brighton but also practiced in London’s Serpentine Lake, Sandycove, Dublin, and plenty of other cold bodies of water around the world. The thought of jumping in frigid Irish waters on Christmas morning is not for everyone!

While Christmas is not viewed as a huge celebration in Japan, a fairly new tradition has emerged in which families enjoy a feast of Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas day.

One of Norway’s Christmas Eve traditions that dates back centuries is the act of hiding all the brooms in the house. This act deprives the witches and evil spirits of finding something to ride on.

Before Venezuelans in Caracas head home to enjoy their Christmas day feast of tamales, hundreds head to church on roller skates. Roads all across the city are closed to cars so people can partake in this unique annual tradition and skate to church in safety.

Numerous cities throughout the U.S. and Europe host a Dickens Fair tradition each holiday season. San Francisco has been hosting one annually since 1970. Attendees will feel as though they have time-traveled back in time to a Victorian London setting where old-timey vernacular is used, vintage clothing is adorned, and bangers and mash are served at every other food stall.

On the Saturday before Christmas Eve, eleven villages in the city of San Fernando in the Philippines create giant lanterns in an annual competition. Known as The Giant Lantern Festival, this competition attracts people from all over the country to view this spectacle. The lanterns started off as small and simple creations, but over the years the lanterns have become more elaborate and much larger, reaching close to 20 feet. The lanterns are shaped in kaleidoscope patterns and are illuminated with electric bulbs.

One of the scarier traditions around the holidays takes place in Austria. While St. Nicholas rewards nice little boys and girls with presents, his evil accomplice, Krampus, is said to capture the naughty children and take them away in a sack. Krampus is described to be a half-man, half-goat and young men dress up in costume to frighten kids during the Krampus Parade, which has grown in popularity across Europe.

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In Sweden, they construct a giant straw goat, known as The Yule Goat, which is over 42 feet high, 23 feet wide, and weighs over 3 tons. Every year, the goat is built in the same spot. If you are not able to view the Yule Goat in person, you can watch a live stream from the first Sunday of Advent until after it is taken down at the beginning of the New Year. More recently, vandals have been setting the Yule Goats on fire, which is easy prey given that it is made from straw.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center has to be one of the most iconic outdoor ice skating venues in the world. The seasonal rink opens around the end of October each year but starts to really lure in skaters once the Rockefeller Center Tree is lit in early December. Call ahead to learn what special socially distanced guidelines may be in place.

If roast turkey or ham does not seem appetizing for Christmas dinner, then how about fried caterpillars? This delicacy can be enjoyed in South Africa at Christmas. The Pine Tree Emperor Moth - also known as the Christmas caterpillar - is covered in different colors and is said to give a little extra luck in the New Year to all those who eat it.

No matter what Christmas traditions you practice during the holiday season, it is always a fun time of the year to share special moments celebrating with family and friends. Happy Holidays!

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42 Best Christmas Traditions - Classic Holiday Family Activities

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Christmas isn't just one day in our book—there are a whole host of Christmas traditions that let you enjoy the holiday all month long! For example, stop by the Drummond ranch in mid-December, and Ree Drummond is planning an outing to a local Christmas tree farm to pick out a live evergreen. Come Christmas Day, she's handing out matching Christmas pajamas for their annual pictures and, of course, baking cinnamon rolls to gift to friends. The annual Christmas activities you grew up with are what create lasting memories and make the holiday season even more heartwarming and nostalgic. And here's the thing, it's never too late to start a new holiday ritual. Check out our list of the best Christmas to try this year—and every year!

Ahead, you'll find ideas for a December-long Christmas bucket list. You can start by reading Christmas books, donating presents, and writing a letter to Santa. If you're in the mood for a family road trip, plan a visit to one of the best Christmas towns in the country. Make sure you have your Santa hats on and your favorite Christmas songs playing in the background! It's already the most wonderful time of year, but this might be your most memorable holiday season yet thanks to these sweet Christmas family traditions.

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Make Paper Snowflakes

Have a white Christmas by making paper snowflakes to decorate the house! This sweet, nostalgic craft is kid-friendly and only requires paper and scissors. Hang them from the ceiling, paste them onto windows, or craft a garland out of your geometric creations.

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Bring the Kids to Meet Santa

Who remembers this one from childhood? Give your kids a holiday moment to remember by meeting ol' Saint Nick and taking pictures together. Plenty of malls, stores, and organizations host these types of events all the way up through Christmas Day.

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Take a Holiday Hike

A warm, cozy house and hearty Christmas meal can make you want to hibernate for the next ten years. Some fresh air and a constitutional walk with the whole family will restore your body to keep the celebration going!

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Sip Eggnog

Storebought eggnog is fine, but why not make your own? We have a delicious eggnog recipe so you can sip this classic holiday drink all month long.

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Organize a Secret Santa

Secret Santa isn't just for family! Organize your friends, classmates, or work friends to partake in a cute gift exchange. Set a price limit and have everyone pull names from a hat so that no one knows who is their "secret Santa." When it's time to exchange gifts, you can choose to do an open handoff or have everyone make their best guesses.

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Cook a Christmas Feast

What are the holidays without the food? Cook a feast with Ree’s delicious honey-glazed ham and other classic holiday dishes.

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Go Caroling

It's fun to listen to Christmas carols, but it's just as fun to sing them yourself! Take the family out for a caroling adventure, or host a song session at home.

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Leave Cookies Out for Santa

Santa doesn't ask much of us, but he does expect two things: That we've been good this year and that he'll have some cookies to munch on when he arrives! Take a bite out of one after the kids go to bed, so they know he arrived.

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Set Out a Nativity Scene

Setting up—or crafting—a nativity scene is a wonderful opportunity to teach your kids about the real meaning of Christmas. Plus, it's a necessary piece of holiday décor!

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Make Mini Christmas Row Houses

These whimsical houses are heirloom worthy—you'll want to put them out as décor in the years to come!

Get the tutorial at The Craft Patch.

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Celebrate Sinterklaas

The Dutch tradition—known as Saint Nicholas Day—is celebrated on December 5 each year. The night before, Children leave their shoes by the fireplace with carrots sticking out for Sinterklaas' horses. He then leaves a small gift, poem, or treat in exchange!

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Create a Christmas Tablescape

Christmas table decorations can make your feast go from fine to festive. A tablescape can be anything you make it! Set a runner with row houses on top, a faux white Christmas forest, or a scene from Santa's workshop.

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Buy a Real Christmas Tree

Ree always has a real Christmas tree in her home. "Part of the beauty of a Christmas tree is the amazing scent that fills your house, the daily mess of falling needles, the responsibility of keeping it watered, the natural imperfections on this branch or that," she says. Plus, you get a bonus activity here by visiting your local tree farm!

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Get Matching Holiday Pajamas

On Christmas morning, the Drummonds open gifts and enjoy breakfast together while wearing adorable matching Christmas PJs—Ree included! If you're looking for a pair just for yourself, these women's Christmas pajamas are so cute.

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Make Cinnamon Rolls

Every Christmas, Ree bakes her mom's delicious cinnamon rolls to gift to friends and family. (She makes an impressive 21 pans!) Don't worry, there's still enough for the rest of the Drummond family to enjoy on Christmas morning.

Get Ree's Cinnamon Rolls recipe.

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Assemble Cookie Platters

Unsurprisingly, Ree loves baking Christmas cookies. "I set aside one day and bake a few different kinds so the cookie platters will look more fun," she says. Keep a few for your family and gift the other platters to friends and neighbors. Check out these amazing Christmas cookie recipes to choose from.

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Wear Ugly Christmas Sweaters

It wouldn't be the holidays without donning your best ugly Christmas sweaters. Invite your whole crew to wear one and then pose for an awkward family photo that's guaranteed for a laugh!

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Visit a Christmas Town

For a healthy dose of holiday cheer, plan a trip to one of the best Christmas towns in the country. (You can even visit one that served as the setting for a Hallmark Christmas movie!)

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Host a White Elephant Gift Exchange

A white elephant gift exchange is always good for a laugh. Your friends and family will have so much fun competing for the best gifts in the game!

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Start a Christmas Village Collection

You might already know someone who builds these miniature Christmas villages every year. Take a look at this village based on A Christmas Story or this one that's a replica of Whoville from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

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Dress Up Your Pets

Get your furry friends in on the fun by dressing them up in cute Christmas sweaters, hats, or headbands. (And yes, these are Ree's basset hounds in their best holiday attire! 😂)

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Wrap Christmas Presents

Wrapping Christmas presents can be almost as much fun as unwrapping them! Take it to the next level with one of these out-of-the-box gift-wrapping ideas.

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Serve a Big Christmas Breakfast

Each year, Ree says the first thing the Drummonds do is open presents. No surprise there! Afterward, they all sit down for a tasty Christmas breakfast. On her menu is normally a casserole, her cinnamon rolls, and something on the side, like a fruit salad.

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Put Out a Nutcracker

Ree's grandma used to gift her a nutcracker every year, so to her, these wooden figurines are a sign that the holidays are right around the corner. You can purchase them just for decoration or use them to actually crack nuts.

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Put Up Mistletoe

Putting up a few branches of the infamous kissing plant will add a festive touch to any doorway. Although you might want to pause on following through with the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe this year, it'll still look cheery in your home.

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Recreate a Family Recipe

You've probably got a few tried-and-true family recipes up your sleeve during the holidays. For Ree, her go-to is her mom's sugar cookie recipe! Whether it's something sweet or savory, make memories this Christmas by gathering your kids and making delicious creations together.

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Open One Present on Christmas Eve

Although you'll tear into the bulk of your gifts Christmas morning, pick out a special one to exchange the night before. Maybe it's the video game your child has been begging for, or the special keepsake you bought for your other half. It'll get everyone even more excited for the following day.

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Personalize Your Stockings

Crafting your own DIY stockings will make your yearly tradition of sneaking in stocking stuffers even more personal and fun.

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Hide the Pickle Ornament

If your kids always fight over who opens the first gift, this pickle ornament tradition will solve your problems. All you have to do is hide a pickle bauble in your tree, and whomever finds it the fastest gets dibs on the first present.

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Read a Story Together

On Christmas Eve, put your kids to bed with a festive story from one of the many amazing Christmas books out there. Make it a classic like 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or The Polar Express. They'll go to sleep while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads!

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6 Christmas traditions that came to us from paganism

December 17, 2018 Holidays

Delicious food, music and good company are attributes not only of modern holidays, but also of ancient Roman Saturnalia.

The customs that today we associate with the New Year and Christmas did not appear in Christianity at all, but much earlier. The Slavorum blog has collected six examples of traditions that came to us from pagan times.

1. Decorate the house with garlands

Although electric garlands appeared only at the end of the 19th century, people began to use such decorations, only made of paper and fabric, much earlier. So, many Indo-European tribes worshiped trees and dressed them up for important holidays, including the day of the winter solstice. It was believed that in this way you can drive away evil spirits and pay respect to the gods.

2. Waiting for gifts from Santa Claus and Father Frost

An old man with a long beard who gives gifts to children as the personification of Christmas arose in the West in the 16th century. The prototype of Santa Claus is considered to be Saint Nicholas, who did a lot of charity work. Although the images of his appearance have nothing to do with the modern image of a fat man in a red suit.

In most Slavic countries, Santa Claus is called Grandfather Frost. This hero appeared long before the spread of Christianity. In the mythology of the ancestors of the current Slavs, he was considered the deity of cold and frost.

3. Singing Christmas carols

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Singing special ceremonial songs at this time of the year is also a pagan tradition. It is associated with fertility rituals, during which people walked through the fields, singing and making noise to ward off evil spirits that could interfere with the ripening of the crop.

4. Kissing under mistletoe

In ancient times, many peoples considered mistletoe to be a magical plant that protects against evil otherworldly beings and witchcraft. The Romans used it to glorify the god Saturn and decorated their homes with it during Saturnalia, a winter holiday that came after the completion of agricultural work.

In Scandinavia, mistletoe was a symbol of peace. According to myths, Balder, the god of peace, was wounded by an arrow from mistletoe, but healed at the request of other gods. After that, the plant passed into the power of the goddess of love and they began to kiss under it. And the warriors of the warring tribes who met under the mistletoe were obliged to lay down their arms.

5. Exchanging gifts

In ancient Rome, people gave gifts to each other during the Saturnalia, which lasted from 17 to 23 December. And in Slavic legends, there is a story about how Santa Claus and his granddaughter Snegurochka fight the evil Baba Yaga, who wants to steal gifts from children.

During the Middle Ages, French nuns began distributing food and clothing to the poor on Saint Nicholas Day (December 5 in Western Christianity). Gradually, this evolved into the modern New Year and Christmas gift exchange.

6. Baking Candied Fruit Cake

This traditional Western dish originated in ancient Rome. It was there that they began to prepare pastries in the form of a ring of barley, pomegranate seeds and nuts. It was stored for a long time and was nutritious, so the Roman soldiers took it with them to the battlefield. This tradition was continued by the crusader knights, and from them it passed to the inhabitants of Byzantium. Gradually, the dish spread in different countries, new ingredients were added to it: dried fruits and candied fruits, various nuts, alcohol, spices.

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12 interesting Christmas traditions from around the world ‹ GO Blog

Christmas is always about food, family and friends, isn't it? And what is most attractive is the various traditions that have formed in different countries.

Here we have collected the most amazing (or surprisingly strange) traditions from around the globe:

1. Christmas Chicken

Christmas is always about food, and in Japan it is associated with three letters - KFC. In Japan, many people order chicken with KFC, and in advertising they sing along - “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!”, This is a kind of “Kentucky For Christmas!”. This tradition began in 1974 with chicken marketing campaigns everywhere, and as a result, KFC has the biggest sales on Christmas Eve to this day.

2. Lucky number

Since the 19th century, the Spanish National Lottery has been giving away a large amount of money with the name “El Gordo” or “The Fat One” in English. It became a huge event on December 22nd and people with a dozen tickets can be found waiting for the jackpot. Lottery numbers are usually sung by a chorus of 22 schoolchildren, and the whole country is eager to hear who this lucky person is!

3. Tió de Nadal

If you are not a fan of Christmas trees, what about Christmas figurines? In many cities in Spain, gifts are received through Tió de Nadal (Christmas figurine) - these are wooden figurines with a face and small feet decor.

However, the figurine not only brings gifts to families, but it can also be fed at night and can be seen snuggled up in a blanket on a rocking chair. Sweet, isn't it? Well, the mercy ends right here: on Christmas Eve, families throw the figurine into the fire of the fireplace, and the poor legged figurine… squeezes presents and sweets out of itself!

This figurine is also popularly called Caga Tió or poop figurine. All because this whole process looks like squeezing excrement out of yourself ... 😀

4. Brooms and Mops

In Norway, Christmas means hiding your brooms and mops, not because they don't want to clean up, it's just that Norwegians are a little superstitious. The fact is that in this way they prevent the theft of utensils by ghosts. It turns out that ghosts take those brooms and mops and fly around on Christmas night.

5. Christmas Spiders

Believe it or not, there is a Christmas spider. In Ukraine, at Christmas, the Christmas tree is decorated with a spider net. Don't be scared, there are just ornaments that look like cobwebs and it turns out to bring good luck. The origins of this story come from a very old tale in which a poor woman could not afford ornaments to decorate a tree. The next morning she woke up and saw a Christmas tree decorated with cobwebs and sparkling in the morning light so beautifully.

In other countries, like Poland or Germany, it is considered a good sign to see cobwebs on the Christmas tree.

6. Santa's Post Office

I'm sure many of us wrote letters to Santa, but did you know that he has a real address? He has a Canadian postal address, and if you write to him by December 16 in any language, including Braille, he will write back.

Just send your letter to Santa Claus, North Pole H0H 0H0, Canada. It's completely free, you don't even need a postage stamp, because Santa is cool, and so is the North Pole zip code.

7. Christmas pickles

Pickles must be your favorite decoration because they mean an extra gift. In many countries, there is an ornament in the form of a pickle, which is hidden in the Christmas tree. And the person who finds it will receive an additional gift or a big jackpot in the form of good luck for the whole year.

It's still unclear where this tradition came from, but I think we're all fine as long as there's an extra gift.

8. Guiding stars

In some countries, like Ukraine and Poland, the time for unpacking gifts is written in stars: the youngest child in the family must look at the evening sky and wait for the first star to appear. This is the signal indicating the time of unpacking. In case of bad weather, someone from the family decides when is the best time to open gifts.

9. Christmas Pudding

Puddings in various flavors and shapes are a popular Christmas treat. In Slovakia and some regions of Ukraine, pudding will bring joy not only to your stomach, but also to your destiny! It goes like this: The oldest member of the family takes a spoonful of loxa pudding and throws it at the ceiling. The more pudding on the ceiling, the more luck will accompany you! Everything is very simple.

**10. Donald Duck (**

Donald Duck)

An important tradition on Christmas Eve in Sweden is the “Donald Duck Special”. The Christmas Eve TV show is broadcast nationally at 3:00 pm, and all events are aged to this program so that the whole family has time to watch Donald the Duck.

11. Christmas monsters

Christmas, with all its positive celebrations, is also a time when monsters or simple monsters remind children of the right behavior. The most unexpected and surprising character in The Christmas Police is the Icelandic Christmas Yule Cat or “Jólakötturinn”.

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