By Lawrence Agbo

As you mark the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas season, you may notice that some countries of the world have weird traditions that date back hundreds of years.

These countries’ weird traditions make Christmas a season where every country has one thing or the other to celebrate.

From the story of the witch who refused to honour the three wise men to countries where families reserve additional seats at the dining table to celebrate with the dead, the season captures the attention of many countries of the world.

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Here are some weird Christmas traditions around the world.

Portugal – Remembering the Dead at Christmas

Portugal has strange Christmas traditions with one known as Consoda, which include eating a dinner of salted fish, potatoes, and a variety of local delicacies on Christmas Eve or occasionally on Christmas morning in remembrance of departed family members.

In Portugal, families reserve additional seats at the dining table on Christmas Eve (or occasionally on Christmas morning) for departed family members, making the highly religious holiday a time for reflection as well.

With a supper of salted cod, potatoes, and a variety of regional desserts, the custom known as consoda is believed to bring good fortune to the family and keep them together during the holiday season.

During consoda,  families in Portugal set extra places at the dining table for deceased relatives.

Germany and Austria – Krampus the Christmas Demon

The Krampus is Father Christmas’ terrifying companion, a hairy monster with claws and huge horns that punishes misbehaving children throughout the holiday season. This weird tradition is celebrated every year in numerous places across Germany and Austria.

Japan – KFC for Christmas Dinner

Despite the fact that Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, an estimated 3.6 million people commemorate the holiday by eating a KFC “party barrel” of fried chicken meal.

This is because in 1974, a joyful marketing campaign called Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii (or “Kentucky for Christmas”) marketed fried chicken as the ideal Christmas supper and encouraged people to visit Santa Kurohsu, a white-bearded guy known as Father Christmas.

Czech Republic – Shoe throwing

In the Czech Republic, a single woman uses a cunning trick to forecast her romantic life for the upcoming year on Christmas Day.

These unmarried women throw their shoes over their shoulders while standing with their backs to their front doors. A woman may be preparing for a wedding within the next 12 months if a shoe lands with the toe pointed in the direction of the door.

Norway – Hiding Brooms from Witches

In Norway, the Christmas Eve celebration is believed to be associated with the appearance of witches and evil spirits that walk freely on this night and would take brooms to ride on. Families meticulously conceal their brooms to keep them safe over the Christmas season and to ward off witches.

Guatemala – The Tradition of Cleaning for Good Luck

Because Guatemalans think that the devil and other evil spirits reside in the filthy, dark corners of your home, this tradition actually ranks cleanliness next to godliness. The belief behind this weird Christmas tradition known as “La Quema del Diablo” (The Burning of the Devil) is to start a new year from the ashes by burning all of the old clothing and waste from the previous year in a big bonfire.

Germany-Fill your boots

The “St. Nicholas Day” celebration is a peculiar Christmas custom in Germany when kids leave their shoes or boots outside the door in the hopes that St. Nicholas will find them laden with candy when they wake up. As per the peculiar custom, youngsters who have behaved well will discover their shoes stuffed with candy, nuts, and tiny presents. They may find a rod rather than treats if they have misbehaved.

Wales – Mari Lwyd

In order to commemorate the happiest time of year, a group of people marching through the streets with a horse’s skull on a pole and banging and singing on people’s doors is known as the Mari Lwyd, an odd and ancient Wales Christmas custom. Before giving up some food or drink, the occupants are supposed to sing back.

Italy – La Befana (The Christmas Witch)

When the three Wise Men visited La Befana, an eccentric wine-drinking witch in Italy, on their way to see the Baby Jesus, she refused to accompany them. She later came to regret her choice and embarked on a quest to discover the Christ child, leaving presents for kids in her wake. La Befana fills the stockings or shoes left out by the children with candy and tiny presents for the good deeds, or coal (in the form of candy) for the bad deeds.

Philippines – Giant Lantern Festival (A Dazzling Tradition)

Every year, the Philippine city of San Fernando hosts the strange Christmas custom known as the Giant Lantern Festival (Ligligan Parul). Several villages compete to create intricate and exquisite paper lanterns during the world’s longest and most extravagant Christmas season.

These paper or bamboo Christmas lanterns are known as “parols.” However, the lanterns have expanded to a size of about six meters (20 feet) and are now constructed from a variety of materials.

Vanguard News