Christmas is around the corner that you can already see the festive decorations in almost every place you visit. For many people, Christmas is a magical time packed with tradition, festivals, celebrations, markets, parties, gifts, shopping, and foods. Some people may celebrate it and some people don’t but that’s not a problem. What unique is that Christmas traditions are different across the world. If you are travelling overseas during Christmas time, you may experience the festive mood of it through various tradition adopted by the place you visit.
Festive Christmas markets
Christmas celebration is often associated with lots of foods. No wonder you will find Christmas markets during your travel overseas. During Christmas celebrations, people love to visit markets and stuff their face with lots of delicious foods like cakes, cookies, and chocolates. Each city, town, and village around the world may have different way to celebrate Christmas but you will find their markets to be one of the most festive spots.
Christmas lights
Another way to celebrate Christmas is by setting up a light show to create lively and festive atmosphere. In Toronto for example, there is Christmas tradition called Cavalcade of Lights. It’s an annual event to mark the start to the holiday season. If you happen to visit this country during Christmas celebration, you may witness how 300,000 energy-efficient LED lights illuminate the Nathan Phillips Square and Christmas tree. It shines from dusk to 11PM until New Year. This event often comes with a spectacular firework show as well.
Another place that celebrate Christmas through lights is Medellin. During Christmas, the city lights up with some mesmerizing light show called El Alumbrado. The amazing display can be found throughout the city. The main areas are moving around each year so if you are lucky you may experience it during your travel to Medellin.
Unique Christmas tradition
Some places around the world also have their own unique way to celebrate Christmas. For example, people in Norway have hiding broom tradition as the people since centuries ago believed that witches and evils spirits came out on Christmas Eve looking for the broom to ride on. Thus, it became a tradition for Norway people to hide their brooms on Christmas Eve.
Another unique tradition is in Japan where people don’t really celebrate Christmas. However, the people in Japan now have a light tradition to eat KFC in December. They even place their orders weeks in advance or wait for hours to just get their KFC fix. This tradition came after a successful marketing campaign from KFC in 1974. It has led thousands of Japanese people to flock KFC to get Party Barrel around Christmas time.
Ukraine also has pretty unique Christmas tradition since the Ukrainians decorate their Christmas trees with artificial spiders and spiderwebs instead of baubles and tinsels. This tradition is said to come from the Legend of the Christmas Spider. Thus, you may witness Christmas tree with hanging spiders and spiderwebs in some households in Ukraine during your vacation in the country.
