European Traditions
In Germany, this traditional market, held in the weeks leading up to Christmas, is famous for selling crafts, food, and mulled wine (non-alcoholic for kids).
What is a Christkindlmarkt (or Christmas Market
In Mexico, a series of nine traditional parties called Las Posadas commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph to this location.
What is Bethlehem?
In Iceland, children are visited by 13 mischievous Santa-like figures over 13 nights, known by this rhyming two-word name.
Who are the Yule Lads (or Jólasveinar)?
In Australia and New Zealand, Christmas falls during this season, so celebrations often involve beaches and barbecues.
What is summer?
This traditional German fruitcake, dusted with powdered sugar and shaped to look like the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, is a famous Christmas food.
What is Stollen?
The date for the celebration of Christmas in many Orthodox Christian countries, like Russia and Greece, is this date, following the Julian calendar.
What is January 7th?
The tradition of the Yule Log cake, or Bûche de Noël, originated in this European country.
What is France?
In Portugal, many families celebrate Festa de S. Nicolau (St. Nicholas' Day) by lighting bonfires called these.
What are fogueiras (or bonfires)?
In Wales, groups travel door-to-door singing carols, a tradition known by this Welsh name, which means "singing."
What is Plygain?
In Estonia, families traditionally visit this type of structure on Christmas Eve to remember departed relatives.
What is a cemetery (or gravesites)?
In Italy, children often receive gifts not on Christmas Day, but on January 6th from an old woman named this.
Who is La Befana?
In Venezuela's capital city of Caracas, people traditionally travel to Christmas Mass on this non-motorized mode of transportation.
What are roller skates?
In the Netherlands, Santa's helper, often portrayed in blackface and referred to as this name, has caused modern controversy.
Who is Zwarte Piet (or Black Pete)?
In South Africa, the traditional Christmas meal is often served hot, but it is often preceded by this summer-friendly cooking method.
What is a braai (barbecue)?
In Japan, due to a highly successful 1970s marketing campaign, many families traditionally eat Christmas dinner at this American fast-food chicken chain.
What is KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)?
The tradition of leaving out a pair of shoes or a stocking to be filled with gifts is most commonly associated with the feast day of this saint.
Who is St. Nicholas?
In England, Christmas crackers, which explode with a small pop and contain paper crowns, trinkets, and jokes, are pulled before eating this meal.
What is Christmas dinner?
This Christmas decoration, found globally but especially popular in the US, originated in Germany as thin strips of silver used to symbolize icicles.
What is tinsel?
In Mexico, a traditional Christmas Eve service is called the Misa de Gallo, which translates to this.
What is Mass of the Rooster?
In Greece, instead of decorating a Christmas tree, some families decorate a boat called a Karavaki in this color.
What is blue?
In Spain, December 28th is celebrated as Day of the Holy Innocents, which is very similar to this day in the U.S. when people play pranks.
What is April Fool's Day?
A traditional Puerto Rican Christmas drink, similar to eggnog, is made with coconut milk, rum, and spices and is called this.
What is Coquito?
In Austria and other Alpine regions, this demonic, goat-like figure accompanies St. Nicholas to punish naughty children.
Who is Krampus?
An iconic Australian Christmas song tells the story of an outback Santa being pulled by this many kangaroos instead of reindeer.
What is six?
In Ukraine, Christmas trees are traditionally decorated with artificial cobwebs and spiders in honor of this folktale about a poor family.
What is the Christmas Spider/Tale of the Christmas Spider?
The poinsettia, a common Christmas plant, is native to this country.
What is Mexico?
In the Czech Republic, unmarried women turn their backs to the house door and throw one of these over their shoulder to predict marriage.
What is a shoe?
In India, where the Christian population is small, native evergreen trees are often unavailable, so people decorate these two types of trees instead.
What are mango trees and banana trees?
This instrument, commonly associated with the Scottish military, is often used to play Christmas carols in Scotland.
What is a bagpipe?
In Poland, a tradition dictates that the Christmas Eve meal, called Wigilia, cannot begin until this first celestial body appears in the sky.
What is the first star?
This country is famous for its tradition of lighting the Yule Goat (or Gävle Goat) every Christmas season, which is often a target for mischief.
What is Sweden?
In Colombia, the start of the Christmas season is marked by Día de las Velitas (Day of the Little Candles), celebrated on this date.
What is December 7th?
In Russia and other Slavic countries, the Christmas figure is called Ded Moroz, which translates to this.
What is Father Frost?
In Brazil, the Christmas figure is called Papai Noel, who is said to arrive from this chilly continent.
What is Antarctica?
In Sweden, a spiced, sweet, milky rice porridge called Risgrynsgröt is served with a single one of these hidden inside.
What is an almond?
The traditional greeting for the new year in China is a major celebration, but Christmas is generally celebrated as a secular, or non-religious, holiday.
What is the New Year?
This northern European country is famous for giving the city of London a massive Christmas tree every year as thanks for aid during World War II.
What is Norway?
The first commercially sold Christmas cards were produced in this country in 1843.
What is England (or the UK)?
The practice of leaving out an empty plate for a wandering guest, common in Ireland, is a tradition called this.
What is Céad Míle Fáilte (meaning a hundred thousand welcomes)?
The Christmas meal in Ethiopia, often featuring a spicy chicken stew called Doro Wat, is typically held after a long period of fasting called this.
What is called Doro Wat, is typically held after a long period of fasting called this.What is Tsom-e Filseta (or the Fast of the Prophets/Nativity Fast)?
In France, this character, similar to Santa Claus, brings gifts to good children on Christmas Eve.
Who is Père Noël?
The primary Christmas Eve dinner in many Latin American countries, including Peru and Argentina, often revolves around this bird.
What is turkey?
In Catalonia, Spain, a log decorated with a smiley face, known as the Tió de Nadal, is fed for weeks, and on Christmas Eve, it is hit with sticks to produce this.
What is gifts (or treats/candy)?
The most common food served at a Christmas barbecue in Australia is not a hot dish but this cold seafood.
What is shrimp (or prawns)?
In Finland, families celebrate with a traditional Christmas Eve sauna, after which they leave a meal for this mythical creature believed to live there.
What is a sauna elf/Santa Claus?
The Christian holiday of Epiphany, celebrated on January 6th, commemorates the arrival of these three figures at the Nativity.
Who are the Three Kings (or Magi/Wise Men)?
The oldest and largest Christmas market in the world is the Striezelmarkt, which takes place in this German city.
What is Dresden?
In Lebanon, the Christmas Eve meal is traditionally held around a table decorated with these symbols, which represent the birth of Jesus.
What are Nativity scenes (or crèches)?
In many East African countries, a popular Christmas activity after church is performing this type of traditional theatrical play.
What is a Nativity play?
In Cuba, the traditional Christmas celebration features fireworks and a competition between two towns to create the most elaborate, giant float.
What is a Parranda (or a float competition)?