W TRADITIONS | GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS
Looking to change up your family’s celebration with a touch of international flair?
Just as the U.S. has ists longheld traditions, so do other countries around the world – and they can be refreshingly different. Some honor unique aspects of the season while others celebrate activities and folkways from their specific region. Here are a few to explore and possibly integrate into your own festivities this year:
BOOKS AND CHOCOLATE In Iceland, an intriguing custom involves exchanging books on Christmas Eve, followed by an evening spent indulging in chocolate and reading. This practice is part of a festive season known as the Christmas Book Flood, or “Jolabokaflod.” The tradition is said to have contributed to a remarkable achievement in which Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country worldwide, with a significant portion of sales occurring in the early holiday months of September and November.
THE HOLIDAY PICKLE One well-known custom that’s believed to have German origins is hiding a Christmas pickle in the tree. According to this tradition, the person who discovers the pickle- shaped ornament on Christmas morning is rewarded with an additional gift. The idea supposedly traces back to a Civil War soldier from Bavaria who requested one last pickle before his demise in a moment of desperation — and was miraculously saved.
Another narrative involves St.
Nicholas saving two boys trapped in a pickle barrel.
Others suggest that this tradition simply gained prominence through the sale of pickle-shaped ornaments that were originally introduced in Germany.
UNIQUE TREE DECORATIONS
In Poland, Christmas trees may be adorned with spider webs. This practice is rooted in a local legend that claims a spider wove a blanket for Jesus, leading many Polish people to view spiders as symbols of goodness and prosperity.
NATIVITY SCENES
In Peru, La Noche Buena marks the principal celebration of Christmas Eve.
Following the Christmas Mass, families gather to share a substantial meal, exchange gifts and then they toast one another at midnight. Homes are adorned with intricately carved nativity scenes made from stone or wood, with gifts placed around the manger.
Tradition holds that whoever is selected to place the figurine of baby Jesus in the manger will experience good fortune.
