For us, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are almost the same as Valentine’s Day. Those who are accompanied have a romantic dinner with their lovers and give each other gifts, while those who are single arrange a party with close friends. . This is just a reason to celebrate, but in fact there is not much traditional element in it.
We all know that Christmas involves decorating the Christmas tree and eating turkey, and we also know that New Year’s Eve requires kissing. But in addition, in fact, there are some unique celebration methods and traditions that are popular around the world, some are weird, and some are popular. If you are interested in romance, come and learn about it from the works of illustrator Marie Muravski.
1. Austria
Every year on December 4th, which is St Barbaras Day, people will insert a cherry blossom branch into a glass vase filled with water. If it blooms before Christmas Eve, it will herald the coming year. You will have good luck, and singles may meet the person they like and get married. The Czech Republic also has this tradition.
2. Portugal
In Portugal, at the breakfast party (also known as Cosoda) on Christmas Day, more chairs will be placed around the dining table to commemorate the deceased relatives. Although the yin and yang are separated, people will still pay tribute to each other on this important day. They set aside a place to spend time together.
3. Belarus
In Belarus, at Christmas time, unmarried women will get together and put some corn or the like under their feet, and then others will loosen the roosters. Whoever the rooster chooses to eat under his feet will be the next person to get married.
4. United Kingdom
There are many legends about mistletoe, one of which comes from England. The Druid religion believed that mistletoe could bring miracles, including fertility, prosperity of population and livestock, etc. Therefore, the practice of kissing under the mistletoe for blessing during festivals emerged, and it became popular in the 18th century. All over the UK.
5. Sweden
The chef will add an almond to the Ris à la Mandami rice pudding, the last dessert of the Christmas dinner, and the single person who is drawn will get married in the coming year.
6. Finland
On New Years Day, local people in Finland will melt tin, and then gather together to pour the tin into a bucket of cold water. The shape produced after being cold will be used to predict the situation in the new year. For singles, heart and ring shapes are very popular.
7. Ukraine
There is a local legend in Ukraine: The widow was too poor to afford to decorate the Christmas tree. After hearing her lament, kind-hearted spiders climbed up the tree and spun silk to decorate it with beautiful patterns. Nowadays, people hide a spider in their Christmas tree to wish for good luck and blessings in the coming year.
8. Italy
In Italy, in order to pray for good luck in the coming year, people will wear colorful underwear on New Years Eve, but of course, in addition to being colorful and colorful, they must also be clean enough.
9. Venezuela
In Venezuela, a week before Christmas, families and couples will put on roller shoes early in the morning and rush to attend early morning mass or parties. Roads will even be closed to keep everyone safe.
10. Czech Republic
In order to see if they will get married in the coming year, single women in the Czech Republic will take off one of the shoes they are waiting for during the New Year and throw it backward. If the shoe flies over their shoulders and falls to the ground, the toe of the shoe will appear. If it faces the front door, it means that you will have the opportunity to be a bride in the coming year.
11. Japan
In Japan, Christmas is actually like Valentines Day. Among the many ways to celebrate, going to KFC to dine in pairs is one of the more interesting ones. Because there are so many people going, reservations are even required.
12. Haiti
In Haiti, children stuff one of their shoes with straw and place it under the Christmas tree in the hope that Santa will remove their shoe and place a gift in its place.
13. Greenland
In Greenland, Christmas Eve is the only day when Inuit men are completely obedient and considerate to their wives. This is a day when women, as wives, can have a good rest. But when Christmas morning comes, everything changes. Will return to its original shape.
14. Mexico
On December 23, in Oaxaca, southern Mexico, families will gather together to use radishes to carve images of the Advent scene of Jesus. The most outstanding works will be displayed in the city square.
15. Philippines
After midnight mass, families and loved ones will gather together to have a feast, and the most important thing is a whole round cheese wrapped in a layer of wax.
16. Poland
At Christmas dinner, Poles will put some straw under the tablecloth to symbolize the birth of Jesus in the manger. Guests will take turns pulling out a straw. If they draw a green straw, it means good luck or marriage. If it is a yellow straw, they will remain single for the next year.
17. Catalonia
Caga Tio is a local wooden character who will definitely appear during the Christmas season. Starting from the 14 days before Christmas, people will feed it with candies.On Christmas Eve, people would hit it with wooden sticks to make it spit out all the sweets.
18. Greece
In Thessaly, Greece, boys will take cedar branches and put them on the fire to burn, while girls will take branches of the white cherry tree. Whoever’s hand burns faster will have better luck in the coming year, and there will be Opportunity to walk into church with your loved one.
19. United States
Even if you have never spent Christmas in the United States, I believe that many people will have a certain understanding of this country’s way of celebrating the holiday from TV and movies, but you may have never heard of the idea of ??pickling cucumbers on the Christmas tree. It is said that this practice originated from the civil war that year. Not wanting to go hungry on Christmas Eve, Private John C. Lower begged his captors for something to eat, and he was given a pickle out of kindness. The soldier believes an act of mercy saved his life, hence the wacky Christmas decorations.
Of course, in order to ensure hygiene, imitation pickled cucumbers are now used for decoration. It is said that some families will hide a decorative pickled cucumber in the Christmas tree. On Christmas morning, the first child to find this pickled cucumber can get more Got a gift from Santa Claus. It is also said that the first person to find it will have good luck throughout the next year.
