For a lot of, Christmas is a time of gift exchanges, log cakes and turkey dinners.
But that is not the case in every single place.
In a yearly series, CNBC Travel highlights diverse Christmas celebrations world wide.
Austria
Christmas comes with a spooky twist in Austria, Germany and other Alpine countries that remember St. Nicholas Day throughout the first week of December.
“Krampuslauf,” which translates to “Krampus run” in German, is an annual parade typically held on Dec. 5 or 6 where participants dress up because the half-goat, half-demon Krampus to frighten onlookers.
Krampus costumes often consist of a mask, horn, coat fabricated from sheep or goat wool, in addition to chains, bells and a rod, in keeping with Helen Bitschnau, a representative of the Austrian National Tourist Office.
Jure Makovec | Afp | Getty Images
As legend has it, Krampus accompanies St. Nick on his journey to provide well-behaved children gifts, in keeping with Helen Bitschnau, a representative of the Austrian National Tourist Office.
Children who’ve been bad, nonetheless, face Krampus’ wrath. “The function of the Krampus is to punish every thing bad by the use of a rod or a horse’s tail,” Bitschnau said.
A mixture of anticipation, excitement and a few nervousness fills the air on Krampuslauf, Bitschnau said.
“If you have got been good all year long — there is basically nothing to be anxious about,” she said.
Bitschnau added that she has “all the time been fearful of Krampus.”
“Now I wish to go to the Krampuslauf in my hometown, because I do know all of the people behind the Krampus costumes [which] makes it slightly less scary for me.”
Oaxaca, Mexico
Every 12 months on Dec. 23, participants gather in Oaxaca’s important square to enter delicately carved radishes into the “Night of the Radishes” competition.
These aren’t any bite-sized radishes — they could be as large as a toddler’s leg.
“Artists spend entire days carving the radishes for the competition, soaking them always in order that they won’t dry out,” said Ileana Jimenez, who was born and raised in Oaxaca.
Winners of the radish-carving contest are awarded small money prizes, said resident Ileana Jimenez.
Patricia Castellanos | Afp | Getty Images
“There are queues of individuals patiently waiting for his or her turn to go in and admire the sumptuous job [of] the Oaxacan artisans,” she said.
The atmosphere on the Zocalo, Oaxaca’s town square, is jubilant with live music, fireworks and swarms of locals and tourists, said Jimenez.
“It’s a celebration that keeps people’s spirits up.”
Gavle, Sweden
Standing 42 feet tall and weighing greater than 7,000 kilos, an enormous handmade straw goat is an annual Christmas spectacle within the Swedish city of Gavle.
This 12 months’s goat took greater than 1,000 hours to construct, said Anna-Karin Niemann, a spokesperson for the special committee that protects the goat.
The Gavle goat is moving to a recent location this 12 months for the primary time in 56 years, in keeping with Visit Gavle, the town’s visitor’s guide.
Mats Astrand | Afp | Getty Images
Though it’s against the law to burn or destroy it, the goat of Gavle has been subjected to quite a few arson attacks for the reason that first one was inbuilt 1966.
The arsonist who broke the last goat’s four-year survival streak was sentenced to 6 months in prison and ordered to pay 109,000 Swedish kronor ($10,450) in damages, in keeping with a Swedish news outlet.
Sweden’s treasured goat figure is built with straw despite its flammability, because “it’s tradition,” Niemann said.
“He means so much for us in Gavle, and he’s a giant a part of the Christmas spirit,” she said.
Miniature versions of the goat make for fun souvenirs or Christmas ornaments for travelers, said Mark Wolters, the creator of the favored travel YouTube channel Wolters World.
Those thinking about how this 12 months’s goat is doing can observe it through a live webcam.
Ukraine via Krakow, Poland
In a show of resilience amongst Christmas celebrants, 40 Ukrainian refugees in Krakow, Poland, sold handmade items akin to candles, tree ornaments and gingerbread cookies at a Christmas craft fair organized with the assistance of the U.N. Refugee Agency.
A stall on the Ukrainian Christmas market in Krakow, Poland.
Omar Marques | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Sales from the Christmas market provided the refugees, most of whom were female, with income to make ends meet, said Tarik Argaz, a representative of the U.N. Refugee Agency.
The market was attended by locals, tourists, and the Ukrainian community, he said.
It was a possibility to showcase the “great talent throughout the refugee community,” Argaz said, adding that the thought for the event was born when U.N. staff members got an “intricately painted” rock by one among the residents at a collective center, which is an accommodation that houses large numbers of refugees.
The Philippines
Through the festive season, houses within the Philippines are decorated with star-shaped lanterns called “parol,” said travel blogger Kach Umandap, who was born and raised within the Philippines.
Parols were originally used to light the way in which for the tradition of Simbang Gabi, a nine-day period of pre-dawn masses held from Dec. 16 to 24 — in addition to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, called Misa de Gallo, Umandap said.
Teachers, students and fogeys hold Christmas lanterns made out of recycled materials during a campaign for sustainable Christmas celebrations at an elementary school in Quezon City, Philippines.
Ted Aljibe | Afp | Getty Images
“Now, the lanterns are used as decorations,” Umandap said. “Parol symbolizes the victory of sunshine over darkness and hope.”
Some 90% of individuals living within the Philippines discover as Christians — mostly Catholic — in keeping with Harvard Divinity School. The Philippines stays the one Asian country where Christianity is the national religion.
Many Filipinos use materials like shells, glass and LED lights to make parols brighter and more colourful, she said.
Umandap, who now lives in Europe, said the lanterns remind her of home.
“Once I see them, they [give] me hope that whatever struggles I encounter, they could be conquered,” she said.
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Brazilians love their parties, said Bruna Venturinelli, creator of the Brazilian blog I Heart Brazil. That is why their Christmas parades are “contagiously fun” with “numerous laughter and joy,” she said.
Dressed-up characters dance alongside Santa and his elves, while interacting with children within the crowds, she said.
Brazil’s Christmas parades typically feature characters from Korvatunturi, a mountainous region in Lapland where Santa Claus supposedly lives.
Cris Faga | Nurphoto | Getty Images
“There are multiple Christmas parades throughout the districts, that are organized by the town council or a non-public institution to advertise the start of their festive season, just like the shopping center parade depicted in the image,” she said.
“If I’m in Brazil during Christmas, I take my nephew and niece to a Christmas parade, and now we have a blast! … Additionally they take the chance to say they wrote Santa a letter and behaved well through the 12 months, although the last part is just not 100% true.”
Many individuals in Brazil will have a good time Christmas Eve with their family by sharing a Chester chicken, she said.
On Christmas Day, people gather again to have leftovers for lunch while listening to Brazilian music, she said.
The ‘North Pole’
The fashionable tradition of writing letters to Santa can have been began by American Fanny Longfellow, wife of poet Henry Wadsworth, in keeping with Smithsonian Magazine.
But at first, it was Santa who wrote to the kids, reasonably than the opposite way around.
Longfellow wrote letters to her three children about their behavior throughout the past 12 months, in keeping with the magazine.
In one among Longfellow’s letters, dating to 1853, “Santa” said: “[Y]ou have picked up some naughty words which I hope you’ll throw away as you’d sour or bitter fruit,” in keeping with the article.
A toddler posts a letter to Santa Claus in Fort Price, Texas.
Richard Rodriguez | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Because the practice caught on, parents began leaving letters from Santa by the fireside or in a stocking, where their children would pen replies in return, it said.
Today, the tradition of writing to Santa has expanded beyond the house.
In the US, the U.S Postal Service runs an annual program called Operation Santa where children and families in need can write anonymous letters to Santa about what they would really like for Christmas. These letters are “adopted” by people across the country, who buy and ship the requested gifts to the families, in keeping with the USPS.
The UK’s postal service, Royal Mail, provides personalized replies to children who write to “Father Christmas.”
But some parents are using other avenues to contact Santa, including apps and even balloons.
In 2021, a pair of four-year-old twins in Kansas, United States, released balloons that contained letters to Santa. A pair living in Louisiana found one, and thru the assistance of donations, fulfilled the dual’s Christmas wish lists, which included giving them a puppy.
