In many parts around the world, Christmas is the season for gifts, fruit cakes and Christmas Carols. This is also the time when we find our social calendars busier than usual. Between shopping and Christmas party invitations, we still have to find the time to gather round the warmth of the hearth or watch Christmas classics with family and friends.

These are traditions that we look forward to each year. It’s all pretty standard and basic, but in some parts of the world there are colorful customs that make the season all the more astounding. Thus, Tree Time Christmas is proud to present some of the world’s best bizarre Christmas traditions.

Make a Wish, Make a Pudding

There’s nothing odd about making pudding for Christmas, however, British pudding is not typical Christmas fare. There is an old British tradition that says puddings can make wishes come true. The catch is that the ingredients must be mixed in a clockwise direction for it to come true.

The Stranger in the Manger

Putting up a miniature model of the Nativity Scene is quite common in different parts of the globe. In Catalonia, Spain, however, folks have a different method of putting up and decorating the scene. Together with the Holy Family, the shepherds, barn animals and the Three Wise Men, is a figurine of a man called “Caganer”. The word roughly translates to “defacater” – and it is exactly that. Complete with excrement, the figurine and his “mess” are supposed to signify fertility for the coming year.

Our Dearly Departed

Christmas is a time of love and, apparently for the Finns, these include the dead. Each year on Christmas Eve, Finns take the time to visit their dearly departed. They visit the graves and together with their moments of reflection, Finns sing to honor the memory of the deceased. Truth be told, it is a quite touching custom.

Behold Krampus Nacht

In Austria, Santa Claus need not worry about keeping a naughty and nice list. His evil twin brother, Krampus Nacht has complete control over the naughty kids. According to tradition, this bad version of the Santa Claus keeps naughty children in check by beating them up.

Fortunately, thanks to the Universal Rights of the Child, folks can’t beat children black and blue. Instead, young men put on their most devilish, horrifying demon masks and playfully smack people with twigs and sticks.

Belfana, The Witch

Because the Vatican can’t find proof of modern day Santa Claus’ existence, they came up with a story wherein a kindly witch, named Belfana, leaves them presents on Christmas Eve night. The story tells that the good witch visits every house in search of the baby Jesus, leaving presents for each child, hoping that Jesus is in one of them.

Bring on the Singing Horses

Latvia’s most famous Christmas tradition consists of folks dressed up like bears, horses, cranes or as Death itself. Known as mumming, these mummers go from house to house and are greeted with treats of sausages, butter, bacon buns and ale. According to folklore, mummers chase bad and evil spirits away from the home.

Silver, Gold and Spider Webs

It may be better suited for Halloween, but to the Ukranians, decorate their tree with spiders and spider webs to bring good fortune. An old legend states that there was a poor peasant woman who could not afford to decorate her tree. Come Christmas day, she woke up with the tree all adorned with intricate and beautiful spider webs. Later, the webs magically turned to precious threads of silver and gold.

Next time Christmas comes rolling in; remember that Christmas is more than presents, eggnog and cakes. There are many and varied traditions the world over and celebrating the season in so many ways is a reminder of the universal appeal and magic of Christmas.