Christmas Traditions Around The World: 12 Festive Customs

From the snowy markets of Europe to tropical island celebrations, Christmas traditions vary beautifully across the globe. Here are some of the most captivating festive customs worldwide.

1. United Kingdom – Christmas Crackers and Pantomimes

The UK’s Christmas traditions blend centuries-old customs with Victorian-era innovations. Christmas crackers – cardboard tubes wrapped in festive paper that “crack” when pulled apart – appear at every holiday table, releasing paper crowns, jokes, and small gifts.

British families also enjoy Christmas pantomimes, theatrical comedy shows with audience participation that run throughout December. Christmas pudding, a rich fruit dessert set alight with brandy, takes pride of place at the Christmas Day feast, often containing a hidden sixpence for good luck.

2. Germany – Christkindlmarkt and Advent Traditions

Germany’s Christmas markets, or Christkindlmarkt, transform town squares into winter wonderlands from late November through December. These historic markets offer handcrafted ornaments, gingerbread, and steaming mugs of Glühwein (mulled wine).

German families observe Advent with meticulous care, lighting candles on their Adventskranz (advent wreath) each Sunday leading to Christmas. On December 6th, children leave their shoes out for St. Nicholas to fill with sweets and treats.

The tradition of the Christmas tree itself originated in Germany, spreading worldwide in the 19th century.

3. Saint Lucia – Caribbean Christmas with Music and Masquerade

This Eastern Caribbean island transforms the festive season into a spectacular cultural celebration that begins immediately after Jounen Kwéyòl concludes in October. Creole Christmas melodies fill the air island-wide, performed by the two historic Saint Lucian cultural societies – La Rose and La Marguerite – who present serenades and traditional folk performances throughout the season. The streets come alive with masquerade dancers wearing distinctive cone-shaped hats and vibrant robes fashioned from strips of colourful crêpe paper.

In rural areas, the tradition of bamboo bursting adds explosive excitement to the season. Locals pack bamboo lengths with kerosene, creating thunderous booms that echo through neighbourhoods, fostering community spirit and friendly rivalry from the Creole celebrations straight through to Christmas.

Christmas Eve features Séwinal, an energetic street celebration in communities like Mon Repos and Choiseul, with morning jump-up style festivities filled with music, drumming, and dancing. Christmas Day brings feasts of ham, roast pork, rice and peas, macaroni pie, potato salad, coconut cake, and fresh-baked bread – a spread offered at both family tables and resort seasonal menus.

4. Mexico – Las Posadas and Nochebuena

Mexico’s Christmas celebrations extend over nine nights with Las Posadas, re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. Processions move through neighbourhoods with participants singing and carrying candles, stopping at designated homes for refreshments and prayer.

The festivities culminate on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) with elaborate family feasts featuring tamales, bacalao (salt cod), and ponche (fruit punch). Children don’t receive gifts on Christmas Day but wait until January 6th – Three Kings Day – when they leave their shoes out to be filled by the Wise Men.

5. Japan – KFC Christmas Dinner

In a fascinating modern tradition, millions of Japanese families pre-order Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas dinner – a custom sparked by a successful 1970s marketing campaign. Christmas isn’t a national holiday in Japan, but it’s celebrated as a romantic occasion for couples, similar to Valentine’s Day.

Illuminations (elaborate light displays) decorate shopping districts, and Christmas cake – typically a sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream – is a must-have dessert enjoyed on Christmas Eve.

6. Philippines – Giant Lantern Festival

The Philippines boasts one of the world’s longest Christmas seasons, with decorations appearing as early as September and celebrations lasting until January. The Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando, Pampanga, showcases spectacular paról – star-shaped lanterns up to 20 feet in diameter featuring intricate designs and synchronized LED lights.

Filipino families attend Simbang Gabi, a series of nine pre-dawn masses leading up to Christmas, followed by traditional breakfast gatherings. Christmas Eve, or Noche Buena, features midnight feasts with lechon (roast pig), ham, and various rice dishes.

7. Iceland – The Yule Lads

Icelandic children receive visits from 13 mischievous characters called the Yule Lads, who arrive one by one during the 13 nights before Christmas. Each has a distinct personality and prank – from door-slamming to sausage-stealing.

Children leave shoes in windowsills, receiving small gifts if they’ve been good or rotting potatoes if they’ve been naughty. The tradition also includes the Yule Cat, a fearsome feline who supposedly eats people who don’t receive new clothes before Christmas, encouraging families to finish their weaving and wool work before the holiday.

8. Italy – La Befana and Feast of Seven Fishes

Italy’s Christmas traditions centre around both religious observance and culinary excellence. On Christmas Eve, many Italian families prepare the Feast of Seven Fishes – a elaborate seafood dinner featuring dishes like baccalà (salt cod), calamari, and shrimp, representing the seven sacraments.

The Christmas season extends to January 6th with La Befana, a kind witch who flies on her broomstick delivering gifts to good children and coal to naughty ones. Italian families also create elaborate presepi (nativity scenes) that can occupy entire rooms.

9. Australia – Beach Barbecues and Carols by Candlelight

Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere means sunshine and surf. Australians celebrate with beach barbecues featuring prawns, steaks, and pavlova (a meringue dessert).

Many cities host Carols by Candlelight – outdoor concerts where families gather at dusk with picnic blankets and candles to sing Christmas songs under the stars. Some families enjoy Christmas dinner with traditional roast turkey and ham, but increasingly, cold seafood platters suit the summer weather better.

10. Sweden – Saint Lucia Day and Julbord

Swedish Christmas celebrations begin on December 13th with Lucia Day, when young girls dress in white gowns with red sashes and wear crowns of candles (now often electric) while serving saffron buns and coffee. The Julbord (Christmas table) is an impressive buffet featuring herring, meatballs, ham, and lutfisk.

Families watch Donald Duck cartoons on Christmas Eve – a tradition since 1960 that draws over 40% of Sweden’s population. Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day, is when Swedes exchange gifts and celebrate.

11. Ethiopia – Ganna and Ancient Traditions

Ethiopia celebrates Christmas on January 7th, in accordance with the ancient Julian calendar. The holiday, called Ganna, begins with an all-night church service where worshippers carry candles and circle the church three times before entering at dawn.

After the service, people return home for a festive meal breaking their 43-day fast, featuring wat (spicy stew) and injera (sourdough flatbread). Traditional games of Ganna, a hockey-like sport, are played in the afternoon, supposedly dating back 1,500 years.

12. Norway – Hiding Brooms and Christmas Peace

Norwegians observe quirky Christmas customs alongside festive celebrations. On Christmas Eve, families hide their brooms – an old superstition holds that witches and mischievous spirits emerge on Christmas Eve to steal brooms for riding.

Norway also observes Julebord (Christmas table) – lavish office parties and gatherings featuring traditional foods like ribbe (pork ribs), pinnekjøtt (dried lamb ribs), and lutefisk. At 5 PM on Christmas Eve, church bells ring across the nation, marking the start of Christmas Peace – a time for reflection, family, and feasting that extends through the holiday.

These diverse traditions remind us that while Christmas is celebrated globally, each culture brings its unique flavour to the festive season, creating a rich tapestry of customs worth exploring and experiencing.

Read next: