Iceland
Jólabókaflóð, or Christmas Book Flood, is an annual tradition of giving books as gifts on Christmas Eve and then spending the rest of the night reading. This tradition has earned Iceland the distinction of publishing more books per capita than any other country. Iceland also has some fascinating Christmas folklore including the Yule Cat, a vicious feline who roams the countryside looking to eat children who didn’t receive new clothes to wear on Christmas
Ireland
Leave the milk and cookies for the kids. In Ireland, Santa gets a bottle of Guinness and mince pies. Some Irish households also put a large candle in their window on Christmas Eve, letting it burn all night to symbolically welcome Mary and Joseph.
Austria
If you’ve ever felt that fear and dread were missing from your yuletide revelry, look no further than Austria’s Krampus Parade. Participants dress up as the mythological goat-beast who beats children that are on the naughty list and march through the streets.
China
It’s a common tradition to give apples during this time of year because the Chinese word for Christmas Eve (Ping An Ye) is similar to their word for apple (Ping Guo.)
Sweden
A giant straw sculpture of a Swedish Yule Goat is created each year in Gävle, Sweden at the start of the holiday season. According to local folklore, the Yule goat is an invisible spirit who oversees people’s Christmas preparations. It has also become a bit of a tradition for vandals to try and destroy the Gävle Goat throughout the month. They have succeeded 37 times since the first Gävle Goat appeared in 1966.
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