The holiday season is a special time of year. Regardless of which holiday people celebrate in December, billions of people across the globe embrace opportunities to be a little more festive and spend more time with family and friends in the final month of the year. Tradition contributes to the special feeling felt in many communities each December.
Holiday celebrants who can’t get enough seasonal magic can take note of some of the many unique traditions across the globe that help make the month of December such a special time of year.
The Yule Lads, Iceland
In a tradition that might call to mind the seven dwarves who welcomed Snow White into their home in the classic fairy tale, the Yule Lads of Iceland are said to leave a small gift for children who leave a shoe on their windowsills before going to bed, beginning on the night of December 11. The tradition continues through Christmas Day, with each night featuring a visit from a different Yule Lad.
Hiding Brooms, Norway Norwegian folklore suggested evil spirits and witches awoke on Christmas Eve, and this unique tradition is rooted in efforts to keep those unwelcome holiday guests grounded and avoid lost brooms. On the night of Julaften (Christmas Eve), Norwegians hide their brooms in closets inside their homes to keep them from being stolen by ill-intentioned witches.
Night of the Radishes, Oaxaca, Mexico
Held annually on December 23, the Night of the Radishes is a local celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico. This unique event celebrates oversized radishes, which certainly merits the celebration’s inclusion on any list of unusual holiday season celebrations. The event involves the carving of large radishes into figures, a tradition that began as a way to attract more customers to Oaxaca’s Christmas market. A formal radish carving competition was instituted in the late nineteenth century, and the Night of the Radishes continues to draw visitors today.
Krampus Parades, Austria
The holiday season might be a heartwarming time of year in many locales, but the various Krampus parades throughout Austria turn that notion on its head. Krampus is a horned anthropomorphic figure in central and eastern Alpine folklore. Krampus is something akin to Santa Claus’s alter ego, who’s said to punish bad children rather than reward good ones with gifts. Legend says Krampus and his band of less-than-jovial elves roamed an area of the Alps and delighted in causing mayhem. Austrian Krampus parades take place at nightand feature revelers dressed in scary costumes, making this a unique, if not exactly lighthearted, holiday-season tradition. Tradition figures prominently during the holiday season, and some customs stand out for their uniqueness.
