Revealing the strangest Christmas traditions in the world, everyone is surprised!

Christmas is an important holiday of the year, widely celebrated in many countries around the world. Let's explore the unique customs and traditions of celebrating Christmas in countries around the world.

Christmas is an important holiday of the year, widely celebrated in many countries around the world, not only to honor the birth of Jesus but also as a time for families to gather, express love and share joy. Each country has its own customs and traditions in celebrating Christmas, creating diversity and richness in the way this holiday is celebrated. Although there are common features in celebrating Christmas, each country has its own unique style to welcome this holiday season.

Germany, the birthplace of the Christmas tree tradition, is famous for hiding pickles in the Christmas tree. Whoever finds the pickle will receive a reward or good luck for the following year. Although its true origins remain a mystery, the tradition has become a unique part of the holiday season. Every Christmas morning, the child who discovers the pickle on the tree will receive a special gift or be allowed to open the first present.

On Christmas Eve in the Netherlands, children leave their shoes by the fireplace or window, sing Sinterklaas songs, and hope to receive gifts from Sinterklaas. They also leave hay and carrots for his horse, hoping to receive sweets or small gifts. Children believe that Sinterklaas and Piet visit weekly, so they leave their shoes out every Saturday until December 5, when Sinterklaas brings gifts. However, the Zwarte Piet tradition is changing because it is considered racist, and Sooty Piet (only soot) is becoming more popular instead. Sinterklaas parties usually take place on New Year's Eve, with treasure hunts and riddles.

In Caracas, Venezuela, people celebrate Christmas by rollerblading to church. At 8 a.m., streets around the capital are closed to the public to make way for the rollerblading. Children also hang their skate laces out of their windows, and when skaters pass by, they pull the laces to signal that it is time to go outside. This tradition originated because skiing is not possible in Venezuela, where December temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius, and has become a unique part of the country's Christmas culture.

Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) is a festival held on December 23 in Oaxaca City, Mexico, which began in 1897. The tradition of carving large radishes instead of wood carvings was started by wood carvers to attract the attention of shoppers at Christmas markets. The radish carving contest is not only part of the festival, but also helps promote local produce, especially radishes, in Oaxaca's Christmas cuisine. Visitors come to see the carvings and enjoy traditional Bunuelos while they wait.

The Christmas sauna is a long-standing tradition in Finland, where each family member enjoys a sauna bath on Christmas Eve. Before electric saunas, people prepared carefully to heat the room. The sauna was decorated with candles, lanterns and provided with sauna oil and towels. After the sauna, the family dressed up, ate and received presents from Santa Claus Joulupukki. An important element of the tradition is that each sauna has a 'saunatonttu' elf, a mascot that must be respected.

According to Ukrainian legend, a poor family had no decorations for their Christmas tree, but while they slept, spiders created beautiful webs to decorate the tree. The next morning, the sunlight made the webs shine like silver and gold. Today, Ukrainians still decorate their Christmas trees with spider webs and spider ornaments, believing that this brings good luck and reminds them of the preciousness of simple things.

The Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando, Philippines, is a December highlight, featuring intricately crafted star lanterns symbolizing hope and light. Initially simple, the festival became larger and more elaborate in 1931, when electricity was introduced. Craftsmen use steel frames and foil to connect more than 5,000 light bulbs to create dazzling lanterns that reflect the spirit of Christmas.

The Irish tradition of 'Candle in the Window' on Christmas Eve involves placing a large candle in a window, usually a living room window. The candle is lit after dusk, symbolising the welcome Mary and Joseph received on their journey to find refuge before the birth of Jesus. The candle also symbolises hope, love and kindness, spreading the spirit of sharing during the festive season.

Although each country has its own unique traditions, they all aim to bring joy, happiness and family reunion during the Christmas season. The diversity in the way Christmas is celebrated reflects the love, creativity and respect for the traditional cultural values of each country, contributing to making this festive season more special and meaningful.

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