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Bizarre Christmas traditions around the world
  • Caterpillars might not be the most popular South Africa delicacy but they are one of the most festive. On Christmas Day locals will be tucking into deep-fried caterpillars of the Emperor Moth.
  • Catalonia has not one but two weird and wonderful Christmas traditions. The local resident include the 'Caganer' in their nativity scenes, which is a small figure of a defecating man. The Catalonians also have Tio de Nadal, which is also known as the 'pooping log'. The log is decorated with a face and blanket and put in the fire on Christmas Eve before being beaten with sticks. 
  • You won't find any Norwegian houses being cleaned on Christmas Eve. It's not even because it's a holiday, all brooms are kept hidden away just in case they're stolen by witches or evil spirits.
  • Attending Mass is the run-up to Christmas might not seem that unusual, but in Venezuela you'll see people making their way there in a rather bizarre fashion. Caracas residents have started journeying to Mass on roller skates.
  • The power of advertising can be life changing apparently, many Japanese families eat at KFC on Christmas Eve thanks to a campaign way back in 1974.
  • When it comes to unusual Christmas tree decorations, Germany ranks fairly high. Traditionally Germans hide a pickle in their Christmas Trees on Christmas Eve and the first child to find it gets a little present.
  • Forget the traditional conifer if you're spending the Christmas period in New Zealand because on that side of the world they prefer to decorate Pohutukawa trees at Christmas.
  • Christmas morning in Portugal is not a time for rushed openings of stockings but rather a time to remember the dead. Consoda is a traditional feast and families lay places at their tables for the souls of their loved ones.
  • On 5 December in the Netherlands and Germany children put their shoes out to receive sweets and gifts overnight. In the Netherlands it's also traditional to receive a chocolate letter representing the first letter of your name and little spiced cookies called 'pepernoten' that are thrown by Sinterklaas' helpers. 
  • Christmas may be a time for joy and giving but it can also be a scary time of year for Austrian children who live in fear of 'Krampus', a Christmas devil who's said to beat naughty children with branches.
  • Forget the tinsel -  Ukrainians go for a completely different festive style - they decorate their trees with artificial spiders and web.
  • At Christmas in the Czech Republic, unmarried women stand by a door and throw a shoe over their shoulder. If the shoe lands with the toe pointing towards the door then they'll marry within the next year. 
  • In the Swedish town of Gavle the authorities started installing a Swedish Yule Goat each year as of 1966. But almost every other year vandals get in early and burn it down.
  • Forget about Santa if you're spending Christmas in Italy because the children there await the arrival of a friendly witch called Befana who delivers sweets and toys on 5 January.
  • The postal service in Canada recognises the address: Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, HOHOHO. Any letters that are sent to this address will be opened and replied to.

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