Don’t think the Holiday season is hectic enough? Well here are some very unusual, complicated, or downright frightening Christmas traditions from around the world.

A Giant Flaming Goat?

In Scandinavia, this tradition is shrouded in mystery. No one really knows why it started. Every year certain towns erect a giant straw effigy of a goat before the Christmas holiday. Even fewer of those towns actually set it on fire. Not a fan of a giant burning goat at your town center? Well, many shops sell small goat ornaments to be hung on Christmas trees. As for why there are goats, many people believe that it was either because of the Norse legend where Thor rode a chariot pulled by goats, or because goats were seen as demonic (and therefore were burned every year).

Krampus

This legend is about the “Anticlause,” or the opposite of Santa. In most countries, children are rewarded on Christmas for their good behavior over the course of the year. This is true, but some cultures also add Krampus on the other end of the spectrum. While there are rewards for being good, children who are bad over the year can be punished severely. According to legend, they can be carted off into the night and EATEN. In Germany and its surrounding countries, some towns even hire someone to walk the streets at night dressed as Krampus to frighten children.

Swept Away

In Norway, it is common for people to hide their brooms during the Christmas holiday. This comes from the idea that demons and spirits love brooms. Apparently Christmas is another thing they like, so by hiding their brooms, families are less likely to have bad luck caused by a spirit’s presence.

Skating into Holiday Cheer

In Caracas, Venezuela, worshipers travel to early morning church services on roller skates. It is so common that some streets are even closed to allow these people to make it to their destination safely.

Just Horsing Around

In Wales every year, a member of a community is selected participate in a very special parade. Whoever is chosen must carry a horse skull on a stick with cloth draped below it to hide them as well as the pole. During the parade other members of the community sing traditional Christmas songs.

Unusual Radishes

On December 23rd, in a small town in Mexico, there is always an exhibit of radish sculptures. Artists use their talents to make sculptures out of radishes by carving and even stitching pieces together. Popular designs are recreations of nativity scenes.

Christmas (Banana) Tree

The Christmas trees seen in the United States seem to mostly be fir trees, with a shape like an upside down cone. This has become the classic example of a Christmas tree, but what happens if those trees do not grow in a region where Christmas is celebrated? India has this problem, but with only 2.3% of their population being Christian, it is not commonly noticed. Instead of a Fir tree, these people decorate banana or mango trees out on the street and light them up like normal Christmas trees.