From Icelandic folklore to a fried-chicken marketing campaign in Japan, Christmas customs take many forms. These ten examples are “strange” only in the playful sense: each belongs to a particular place or community, and none should be taken as something everyone there observes.
Iceland: folklore figures and creatures
Iceland’s Christmas folklore includes both mischievous visitors and a fearsome cat. These are legends and seasonal customs, not literal counterparts to Santa Claus.
1. The thirteen Yule Lads
Visit Reykjavík describes thirteen mischievous brothers who come down from the mountains one by one in the days before Christmas. In the familiar shoe custom, children leave a shoe at the window and may find a small gift there. The Lads cause trouble during their visits and return after New Year. Visit Reykjavík presents them as figures from Icelandic folklore.
2. The Christmas Cat
The Christmas Cat is another well-known creature in Icelandic Christmas legend. Visit Reykjavík connects the cat with Grýla and the Yule Lads. It belongs to the same folklore world of uncanny seasonal visitors, rather than to a documented animal custom.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
Catalonia: irreverent nativity and gift-giving customs
Two Catalan traditions use deliberately earthy humor. One is a family ritual involving a decorated log; the other is a figurine sometimes placed among nativity characters.
3. Caga Tió, the gift-giving log
In Catalonia, families decorate a log known as Caga Tió and care for it before Christmas. In the playful holiday ritual described by travel sources, participants strike the log with sticks so it “produces” sweets or gifts. Its name uses bodily language, which is part of the joke; the custom is specifically Catalan, not a general Spanish tradition. Lonely Planet and Michelin describe the custom.
4. The caganer in the nativity scene
A caganer is a small figurine shown defecating, sometimes tucked into a Catalan nativity scene. The contrast with the solemnity of the Nativity is intentionally irreverent. The available accounts establish its place in the tradition, but do not justify assigning it one universal symbolic meaning. The same Lonely Planet travel feature describes the figure.
Central Europe: Krampus and St. Nicholas
5. Krampus, the frightening companion
In some Central European traditions, the horned Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas and is associated with frightening or punishing naughty children. Travel accounts describe the pairing, but customs differ from place to place; “Central European” is not a single uniform practice. Lonely Planet and Michelin discuss the figure.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Japan: a Christmas meal shaped by marketing
6. KFC at Christmas
Japan’s association between Christmas and KFC is a modern seasonal food custom, not an ancient religious ritual. TIME traces its origin to KFC’s “Kentucky for Christmas” campaign in 1974. That history illustrates how advertising can shape a holiday habit; it does not establish how many people in Japan take part. TIME’s 2014 account reports the campaign’s start year.
Caracas: Christmas-season roller skating
7. Skating to church
Canadian Geographic has reported that people in Caracas skate to church during the Christmas season. The account makes this a striking example of a public seasonal practice, but does not establish current dates, routes, or how widely it continues. It should not be read as a guaranteed citywide event today. Canadian Geographic describes the practice.
Norway: a broom-related Christmas legend
8. Hiding the brooms
Secondary travel summaries repeat a Norwegian folklore belief that people hid brooms at Christmas to keep witches from taking them. This is best presented as a legend rather than a verified account of a widespread current household practice; its contemporary scope is unclear. Michelin includes the story.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sweden: the Gävle Goat
9. A towering straw Yule Goat
In Gävle, Sweden, a large straw Yule Goat has been built as a seasonal display. TIME notes that the goat has sometimes been burned, a history that gives the tradition an unusual twist but should not be mistaken for a scheduled or accepted part of every year’s event. Its report is historical, so it does not establish the status of a particular current edition. TIME describes the goat and its history.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Best Value
Italy: a gift-bringer at Epiphany
10. La Befana
La Befana is a witch-like figure in Italian folklore who brings gifts at Epiphany. That places her visit after Christmas Day, rather than on the holiday itself. The Michelin travel feature describes her as part of Italy’s unusual seasonal folklore. Michelin covers the tradition.
What these customs have in common—and what they do not
These examples range from legends and household rituals to food customs and public events. Some are firmly tied to particular regional identities; others are reported by travel accounts whose descriptions do not establish participation rates or present-day scope. “Around the world” here means a selection of locally associated customs, not a claim that every resident of a country celebrates in the same way.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
