TREE-MENDOUS
The 20 most unusual Christmas traditions from tree pickles and rare beers to fireball swinging and shoe throwing
Naughty trolls and goblin festivals are some of the scarier traditions.
IN England, festive traditions include hanging stockings and decorating a tree.
But some more unusual traditions are celebrated for Christmas, including having pickles in your tree to throwing your shoes.
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A new study by easyJet, speaking to 2,000 British holidaymakers, found that 90 per cent wanted to find a different Christmas experience.
And 80 per cent said they’d like to travel abroad for a new Christmas experience while 76 per cent said they were looking for more adventurous and experiential Christmases.
Reasons for Brits wanting to try out new Christmas traditions or experiences abroad include making new memories (46 per cent), experiencing different cultures at Christmas (38 per cent) and trying something new with family and loved ones (37 per cent). More than a third (37 per cent) of Brits said they want to shake up their usual Christmas routine.
Sophie Dekkers, easyJet’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We hope this list helps inspire both seasoned travellers as well as first-time visitors to explore more of the places they love or visit a new destination and experience its unique customs first hand."
And in response, easyJet has rounded up some of the most unusual ways people celebrate Christmas.
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For example, in Finland locals often have a sauna with their ancestors, while in Czechia they throw shoes
Even in the UK there are some unusual celebrations, such as fireball swinging in Scotland and carrying horse skulls on poles around houses in Wales before a "battle of the rhymes".
Here are the top 10 Christmas experiences Brits said they wanted to try.
1. St Lucia Candlelight Procession Parade, Tivoli (Copenhagen, Denmark)
A special candlelight procession in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, as part of their Christmas celebrations.
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The park is illuminated by thousands of fairy lights and tree light shows.
2. Christmas Sauna to connect with departed ancestors (Finland)
On Christmas Eve, it’s traditional for the residents of Finland to have a session in the sauna to connect with departed ancestors.
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Afterwards, they head outside to celebrate while the spirits of their ancestors take their place in the sauna.
3. Fireball swinging (Stonehaven, Scotland)
The Old Town House bell sounds to mark the new year, fireballs are set alight, with the swingers setting off up the High Street, swinging the burning balls around their heads as they go.
4. Provins Medieval Market (France)
A special medieval Christmas market in Provins near Paris, that puts a unique historical twist on traditional festivities with jugglers and fire-eaters as part of the entertainment.
5. St Nicholas Day Parade, Küssnacht am Rigi (Switzerland) –
A parade of fourteen hundred boys and men carrying bells and dressed in traditional shepherds outfits walk through the village.
They’re followed by others, wearing huge headdresses made of cardboard and coloured tissue paper that are lighted from the inside by candle – looking like a parade of stained-glass windows.
6. Krampus Night (Austria)
In Austrian folklore, Krampus is a creature that will punish naughty children just before Christmas so on December 5th, it's customary for people dressed as Krampus to parade through the streets.
7. Morcote bell-ringing (Switzerland)
During the nine days before Christmas and on Christmas Eve, the people of Morcote meet in the bell tower in the evening, for eating and drinking, whilst one after another, all the attendees get up, climb a ladder to the church bells, and ring them by hand.
8. The Yule Lads (Iceland)
On the 13 days up to Christmas, 13 mischievous troll-like characters visit children leaving gifts or rotting potatoes in shoes, depending on how they behaved.
9. Bananas in Braga (Portugal)
In Braga’s historical centre, crowds gather at Casa das Bananas, an old store located in Rua do Souto for a banana and a glass of Moscatel wine.
10. Christmas Pickle (Germany)
Christmas trees in Germany include a particularly unique decoration – a pickled cucumber, with the first child to spot it given a present.
11. Frau Perchta (Austria and Germany)
Roaming the countryside during the 12 days of Christmas is a witch, with Perchtenlauf being a masked procession of fireworks and people dressed as horned beasts with large horns meant to scare off the witch.
12. St Lucia Day (Sweden)
On December 13, the celebration of Lucia sees white-gown wearing kids singing with candles in the air, along with saffron buns being served.
13. Broom hiding (Norway)
On Christmas Eve, its tradition to hide brooms and mops to prevent witches and evil spirits from taking them for a ride.
14. La Befana (Italy)
On January 6, the Epiphany, La Befana, an old witch, delivers gifts to children, similar to Santa Claus .
15. Il rogo del Vecchione (Bologna, Italy)
An effigy based on that year's events is burned in the Piazza Maggiore on New Year's Eve to symbolize the end of the old year and the start of the new.
16. J-Dag (Demark)
J-Dag is when Tuborg’s Julebryg (Christmas beer) is released, with the strong pilsner only available for the 10 weeks before Christmas.
17. Kallikantzaroi (Greece)
During the 12 days of Christmas, goblins are said to cause trouble until they are banished on Epiphany with festivals and storytelling.
18. Shoe-throwing (Czech Republic)
Single women throw a shoe over their shoulder and out of the front door, with it meaning they will get married that next year if the tow points towards the door.
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19. Caga Tió (Catalonia, Spain)
A wooden log with a painted face is fed my kids before Christmas, before hitting it with sticks on Christmas Eve for presents.
20. Mari Lwyd (Wales)
Locals carry a pol with a horse's skull on it door to door before engaging in a battle of rhymes.
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