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AMONG one of the joys of travelling abroad is the exposure to different types of cuisines. In my opinion, this makes up 50 percent of the experience, a priceless bit of insight into the types of food that the locals consume on a daily basis.

Part of the other 50 percent is made out of cross cultural differences, which sometimes include unusual and strange eating habits. Sometimes, these different practices can leave us feeling out of place or come off as unintentionally rude. But then again, strange is just a matter of perspective, no?

Here we've compiled some eating habits that could benefit you when traveling to a foreign country.
India
It is pretty widely known that Indians traditionally eat with hands. However, this practice is not limited to traditional Indians only. Many urban Indians today, whether living in India or not, maintain the practice of eating using their hands. Some say it is more delicious to do so, perhaps due to the ability to personally mix your food and curries to your precise taste.

Before settling down to begin your meal, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly first. Always eat with your right hand only - eating with your left is considered disrespectful and unhygienic. As a rule of thumb, make sure not to have any food touch your palms, and do not put your fingers into your mouth. Instead use your thumb to push the food into your mouth.
China
The use of chopsticks when eating Chinese cuisine is one that needs practice. To hold the chopsticks properly, first hold the first stick like a pencil, and the second stick between your thumb and your ring finger. Your middle finger should be in between the two chopsticks, acting as somewhat of a fulcrum.

When eating with chopsticks, makes sure not to use it to point, tap, suck the tips, or use it upside down (it's really easier than it sounds). Also, a big no-no is sticking it vertically into your rice bowl, especially if you are with a superstitious crowd, as this mimics the use of traditional incense used to honour the dead.
Japan
In Japan (and in some local Japanese restaurants), before sitting down to a meal, fresh hot towels called oshibori are given out for patrons to clean their hands with. When your orders arrive, it is also polite to utter the phrase " itadakimasu", which means "I graciously receive" or can be thought of as a version of the French's " bon apetit "

Also, remember how your mother told you not to make slurping noises when drinking your soup? Forget all that when heading to Japan.

In Japan, it is customary to slurp your noodle soup as loud as you can when eating your noodle soup or ramen. It serves as a display of enjoyment as well as supposedly enhancing the flavours of the soup as you consume it. If you're a beginner, like me, expect to cough and choke a lot on your first few tries.
Iran / Middle East
In the Middle East, in general, it is not uncommon to eat with your hands. In Iran, bread is commonly served whole on the centre of the table (sometimes directly on the table), and guests are expected to help themselves to the bread using their hands. Sometimes, accompanying side dishes are also served at the centre of the table. Tear small pieces of the bread and use the bread to scoop up the accompanying dishes. Do not lick or put your fingers in your mouth when eating with your hands.

In Iran, you'll also find that during the hot summers, lunch is taken rather heavily and followed by a period of rest, where shopkeepers and merchants close their shops for a couple of hours to escape the heat. So make sure you grab a meal before then.
Britain
Dinner may not be the dinner that you and I know (assuming you're a Malaysian reading this). Depending on which part you are visiting in England, the term "dinner" can refer to the afternoon meal, or lunch as some of us know it. What we know as dinner is sometimes called tea or supper, depending on how late it is consumed. Supper is generally a lighter meal taken later in the evening.

In some parts, the term "dinner" is used for the biggest and most important meal of the day, whether afternoon or evening, and the distinction does not matter.

So if your British counterpart invites you out for dinner, make sure to ask what time of the day that means.
South Korea
In Korea, respect for the elders is a key element to keep in mind. Before beginning a meal, make sure the seniors and elders on the table have begun eating first. Unlike China and Japan, holding your rice bowl in your hand while eating is not a norm here unless you are receiving food that is being served to you. When receiving food or drink served to you, you should hold your bowl or glass with two hands to be polite.
Russia
Russians eat lunch as their main and heaviest meal, sometime between 1pm to 3pm. For dinner, their meals are typically lighter and sometimes consist of a simple breads, meats, and vegetables. Tea is usually served after the dinner. When drinking vodka in Russia, drink it plain, without any mixers or ice. Mixing vodka with anything else is considered to be ruining the purity of the alcohol.

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7 interesting eating habits from different cultures

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If you think the art of giving gifts is tricky at home, try making it work abroad. While you must carefully choose the item itself, the gift's wrapping is surprisingly important, too, as is the timing. In fact, in many cultures, gift-giving is like a traditional dance-you have to do the steps in order, in time to the music, and without stepping on anyone's toes for it to be a good experience for everyone involved.

So whether you're at a business meeting in Seoul or visiting a friend's home in a small village in Provence, there are destination-specific guidelines you can (and probably should) follow to offer and receive gifts without causing offense. Here are some traditions to be aware of on your travels.

Insist a little
China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan

In many countries in East Asia, when offering a gift, you should expect to be refused once, twice, or even three times. This is done to avoid seeming greedy or impatient. If you're being offered a gift in one of these places and want to be polite, you're well advised to do the same. Also, when the person finally accepts, you're expected to thank them.

Hand it over with care
India, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia

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In Asia and the Middle East, how you handle gifts is very important. In India and the Middle East, the left hand is considered unclean so use your right hand to give and receive gifts (unless they're so heavy two hands are required). In East Asia (China, Thailand, Vietnam), always offer or accept a gift with both hands, palms up.

Give gifts as a thank-you
Asia, Russia

Throughout Asia, gifts are given to show gratitude after receiving a gift and as a thank-you for hospitality. In Russia, thank-you cards are thought of as impractical; send a small gift to your hosts after a dinner or overnight stay instead.

Leave sharp objects at home
East Asia, Brazil, Italy, Peru, and Switzerland

In more countries than you might imagine, scissors, knives, and basically anything pointy or sharp represents the severing of ties and relationships-a gesture you'd probably prefer to avoid if you've gone to the trouble of buying and wrapping a present.

Avoid taboo objects
China, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan

In China, don't give someone an umbrella-it means you want the relationship to end. Also avoid giving a green hat; in China and Hong Kong, they communicate the decidedly unfriendly message that your wife is cheating or your sister is a prostitute. Straw sandals, handkerchiefs, and clocks are also taboo in these two cultures because of their association with mortality. Skip brooches and handkerchiefs in Italy for the same reason, and in Japan, forget about handing over a potted plant as a hostess gift-it's thought to encourage illness.

Pick a lucky number
Asia, Europe

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When you're gifting multiples of flowers, money, or chocolates, always be sure to steer clear of unlucky numbers. In East Asia, even numbers are lucky. Number four, which has the unfortunate luck of sounding like the word for death in many Asian languages, is an exception. On the other hand, odd numbers, with the unsurprising exception of 13, are locals' choice in Europe and India.

Etiquette experts from around the world agree that gifts should always be wrapped. That said, the symbolism of colors varies from country to country. Avoid white, black, and blue gift wrap throughout Asia, as they're associated with mourning. And while yellow paper is cheerful and appropriate for celebratory gifts in India, in China it's covered in black writing and used exclusively for gifts to the dead. In South America, black and purple are eschewed because of their association with death and religious ceremonies, and in Italy purple is simply considered unlucky. To avoid any of these faux pas, have gifts wrapped by a pro in your destination. Color, folds, and ribbons aren't just an important element of presentation-in many cultures they're symbolic and the wrong wrapping could send the wrong message.

No gifts, please
Yemen, Saudi Arabia

In these countries, receiving a gift from anyone but the closest of friends is considered embarrassing. If you do happen to have a best buddy from this part of the world, expect to have any gift you give thoroughly examined-it's a sign of appreciation and respect for the gift and giver, who's expected to carefully select the best quality available. For men, don't give anything made of silk or gold.
>>Next: 10 Essential European Gestures to Learn Before Your Next Trip

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The Dos and Don'ts of Gift-Giving Around the World

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If you think the art of giving gifts is tricky at home, try making it work abroad. While you must carefully choose the item itself, the gift's wrapping is surprisingly important, too, as is the timing.

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From the bride tossing her bouquet to wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue, American wedding customs are still so popular today that even the most non-traditional couples happily take part. (Why tempt fate and start off your new marriage with anything other than good luck vibes?) But Americans don't have a monopoly on such rituals-pretty much every other country and culture also has its own beloved wedding customs.

Some are sweet, like how wedding guests in Sweden kiss the bride or groom anytime their new spouse leaves the room. Some are perplexing: Couples in the Congo, for example, are forbidden to smile on their wedding day. And some are seemingly strange, such as the way engaged pairs in Mongolia must kill and butcher a chicken to find a healthy liver before being allowed to wed. But what binds these seemingly disparate customs from near and far is one simple thing: love.

If you follow these traditions, the theory goes, you will find eternal joy with your soulmate. So, even if some Hindu brides must first marry a tree or some South Korean grooms have to tolerate getting their feet whipped by family and friends, hopefully, it's all worth it in the end. When love and happiness ever after are the outcomes, it's usually a win-win for the newly wedded couple.

Keep reading to learn about 45 of the most awe-inspiring rituals from around the globe to give you an idea of the many traditions that go far beyond the bouquet toss.

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45 Fascinating Wedding Traditions From Around the World

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From the bride tossing her bouquet to wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue, American wedding customs are still so popular today that even the most non-traditional couples happily take part. (Why tempt fate and start off your new marriage with anything other than good luck vibes?)

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12 Interesting Baby Welcoming Traditions From Around the World

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This is how cultures the world over welcome newborns into their homes and hearts.

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Couples and their families often hand craft many aspects of the wedding day purely because this is cheaper - although there is a sense that handcrafted favors are more meaningful souvenirs for the guests too!

Argentinian Engagements

Often times an engagement occurs because a couple in love just decide they want to get married ~ no elaborate or contrived proposal, just a simple, mutual (and just as romantic) decision to spend the rest of their lives together!

Once the decision's been made, involving family and friends in the preparations is a must. In Argentina, the mothers of both bride and groom take a leading role in the arrangements, although it's still customary for the parents of the bride to be the ones to pay for the majority of the wedding expenses! Sometimes a girl's father will be asked for her hand in marriage as a courtesy, but usually it's straight on to the arrangements. An engagement ring isn't usually part of the deal, although the couple may exchange wedding rings, which they wear on the right hand until the wedding day, when it swaps across to the left hand.

With a lot of Argentina's wedding practices reflecting the beliefs and customs of many other Latin cultures, particularly when it comes to family and these wonderful celebrations which come as rites of passage within and between families, it's extremely common for many of the couple's relatives to become active participants in an Argentine wedding, especially when that hand-made preference creeps in too!

Everyone's happy to be involved: from seamstress aunties to make the dress, fabulous cooks within the family making the cake and relatives with musical skills providing the music, to green-fingered relations popping off to the massive flower markets of Buenos Aires in the early hours of the wedding morning to buy flowers which they then transform into bouquets, arrangements and corsages which will all be a part of the day! As such, a wedding in Argentina doesn't just have a hand-made focus, but also a hands-on one, with as many people being involved in the arrangements as possible.

Argentine Wedding Ceremonies

The predominant religion in Argentina is Catholicism, although many Argentineans of catholic faith do not necessarily attend church apart from the solemnization ceremonies which occur throughout life - including weddings! Other religions practised in Argentina include Judaism and Protestant faiths, so a church wedding will involve the customary rites of the relevant faith. Civil legal ceremonies are also conducted.

In any of the relevant faith ceremonies, the wedding rites take part within a special mass or sermon, which can be very long. Some Argentine wedding services can be up to 2 hours long but at the other end of the scale, some can be very, very brief!

Civil and protestant-based wedding services can involve parents giving their blessing or witnesses and invited friends dedicating songs or poems to the couple.

It's not customary for there to be bridesmaids at an Argentinean wedding, although many weddings include ring bearers and / or flower girls.

Many Argentine wedding ceremonies may be conducted quite late in the day. This can be quite common as the wedding celebrations can start late at night!

Like Belgian marriages, an Argentinean church ceremony is not legally binding. A couple should have a civil marriage service, which is the legal solemnization, which usually takes place the day before a church ceremony. Many of the civil venues used for these were specially built in the 1900s and can include beautiful parks and gardens for photographs to be taken afterwards. It's customary for both families and two special friends (who act as witnesses) to attend the civil ceremony.

The Argentinean Wedding Reception ~ making a night of it!

As above, often the wedding celebrations don't properly begin until quite late at night - often around 8 or 9pm. However, once they do get going, there's often no stopping them and amongst the food that families will plan for the wedding party, breakfast the following day is also on the list!

The main reception buffet (which has often been prepared by many of the family) is a cold dinner / buffet with a full range of delicate sandwiches with varied ingredients including local specialities of fine fish and special meats such as prosciutto. Like the Norwegians with their cake at weddings, an Argentinean wedding feast would not be complete without a full table (or two) of sweets, including cakes, pastries, cream bombs and chocolate mini cones.

Speeches aren't a general feature of Argentine wedding receptions, although there are plenty of toasts to the couple, using champagne or sidra, very popular local cider.

Generally, Argentinean weddings and parties are enjoying something of a trend in revivalist "themed" weddings. For example, the whole ceremony and party might take place at an Estancia (big farm) venue and include many of the most popular traditional activities, such as feasting on Argentinean barbeque, dancing and singing to guitar songs and playing horse riding games.

A couple may also hold their wedding reception at one of the family homes or at a hotel or ballroom venue, if it's a more urban area and the families are a little more affluent!

Argentinean Wedding Attire

An Argentinean bride tends to wear a white wedding dress, although this may vary depending on her faith. Generally though, all the accoutrements of Catholic and Christian wedding attire might be expected, including that white dress, full veil and bouquet. Underneath it all, an Argentinean bride will commonly wear a blue petticoat as her "something new,"

Unique Traditions

Throwing rice or birdseed as the couple exit their church or civil venue is a popular custom, and symbolizes fertility.

There are no wedding attendants for the bride and groom and each is accompanied down the aisle by one of their parents: the mother of the groom and the father of the bride.

Argentinean brides have their own variation of the bridal garter game. The bride will in fact wear several garters and will give these away throughout the party to her single girlfriends.

The wedding cake takes center stage at an Argentine wedding, not just for a cake cutting ceremony, but also for a little game which takes place prior to the cutting! Several ribbons, with hidden trinkets at one end, are attached to the cake. All of the single girls pull a ribbon each and the female who finds herself holding a ribbon with a ring at the other end is deemed to be the next bride-to-be!

If you're attending an Argentinean wedding, be aware that party time is also present time! Yes, it's customary for all the presents to be opened early on in the party and in front of all the guests.

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Couples and their families often hand craft many aspects of the wedding day purely because this is cheaper - although there is a sense that handcrafted favors are more meaningful souvenirs for the guests too!

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November 1st is known throughout much of Latin America, especially in places like the Caribbean, as All Saints Day to compensate for any festivities that were skipped in the past year. Day of the Dead history is shared throughout Mexico and varies from state to state as those who celebrate honor their dead. Perhaps, the best place to head to for your first time is the Historic Center of Oaxaca. This UNESCO Human World Heritage is special for the sheer amount of evocative and rich cultures that conjoin here. There's so much to do, from visiting vibrantly colorful markets like the Friday market in Ocotlan to following comparsas, wild and jovial night processions, that pass by vigils at various cemeteries, it's something you'll never forget.

Perhaps, what makes Day of the Dead so endearing for so many is that there is so much lively imagery that's associated with it to warm and soothe the soul.

1. Dia de los Angelitos

In Mexico, the first Day of the Dead, also known as the Day of Nuestros Angelitos, or little angels, refer to the dead children whose passed on spirits are the first to arrive before the adults do a day later to visit us, as they're quicker on their feet.

2. Ofrenda

Altars with offerings (called ofrendas) are common at the cemetery right over where the deceased lay. After all, the purpose of the Day of the Dead is to honor family members who have passed and for them to use this opportunity to ask them for their guidance by appealing to their good nature with offerings like food, drinks, items of personal significance and anything else that they might enjoy on the other side. It's quite a sight you behold as there's an abundance of candles and homey decoration, however, these offerings are frequently done in other public and private places as well. This event is characterized by a festive atmosphere that's charmingly cultivated with playing musicians, tasty seasonal foods and a fair amount of alcohol to encourage positive spirits. As such, Day of the Dead traditions are close to many people's hearts.

What ties together all the Day of the Dead celebrations is the altar that every family in Mexico set up in their homes for their dead. This private altar includes the photographs of their dead loved ones as well as all that they liked and loved when they were alive. This can include food, cigars, books, music, and clothes they used to wear. The idea is to make them comfortable and welcomed during their short visit.

3. Day of the Dead Festivals!

For a more small town setting, the artist-filled town of San Miguel de Allende is an old favorite because of its festival La Calaca. It lasts four days and is organized to promote ancient traditions through celebration. It's a beautiful place and the festivities begin at the end of October in the Main Garden where altars start to branch out and actually compete in a contest. On the Day of the Dead, there's a parade where most people in attendance, be they from the town or are just visiting are dressed up to enjoy in the mixture of catholic and pre-hispanic culture. To give you an idea, people here celebrate the spirits of people that go as far back as 3,000 years.

4. Papel Picado

Papel picado is the flag that's associated with the occasion and, especially at night time, really lights up a room or a whole street. Although you may not be familiar with the name, you've surely come across them at a Mexican restaurant or during Mexican festivities that have taken place in the fall. It's fine color paper that has an image, or a series of images, that are associated with the Day of the Dead. Some of the most common are skeletons in jovial celebration and foods that are enjoyed.

5. La Catrina

One of the most emblematic characters to represent this holiday is La Catrina, a classy skeletal lady that was created by Jose Guadalupe Posada in order to bring elegance and a sense of aristocracy to the celebration. Catrina comes from the word "catrin", meaning a distinguished gentleman who is well dressed and accompanied by his partner with refined garb to compliment. Skeletal characters like these have a long history in Mexico of serving as a certain criticism over the different disparities between the classes and continue to represent the idea that we are all socially equal.

6. Sugar Skulls

The quintessential day of the dead treat is the sugar skull that is popularly made out of chocolate. This sweet figurine often represents a person whose name is written on it. There is considerable significance in the original water and sugar based treat as it represents the merging of Pre Hispanic culture with the Spanish custom of molding.

7. Day of the Dead food!

Some of the wide array of delicious foods that are prepared for this special time are decorated in a similar way. One of the most symbolic and popular is the sweet bread of the dead which everyone loves to eat at night with coffee or hot cocoa. One of the most succulent dishes is mole, a dark pudding-like dressing that usually bathes chicken. The truly special thing about it in Mexico is that it is prepared differently in different parts of the country which, in turn, serves as a great way to become acquainted with the varied offerings of the land. In some places, it's sweeter, in other more herb driven. The same can be said about one of the most treasured food, the divine tamale! This corn based packed treat that is wrapped in a corn husk can be sweet or salty making it the ideal food to take on the go as you go about your day.

Soups are also a really big deal, particularly as they warm one up before heading out for night on the town. The most popular is undoubtedly Pozole, a tomatoey soup with balls of corn, onion, garlic, a delicious herb, lettuce and radish garnish and usually pulled pork. Most people like making it spicy as well as adding lemon. It fills you up and is many Mexicans´ favorite food, and with good reason. Another tasty soup is Aztec Soup and is much lighter, particularly as it is made with chicken. Most of its ingredients are the same except instead of balls of corn, tortilla bits are dropped in.

8. Alebrijes

In many major cities, a festival takes place in the most important streets, usually punctuated by a parade with many beautifully decorated floats that are often like floating clouds of flowers with specific themes. In Mexico City, the place to head to is the city center, el Zócalo, by way of the broad Reforma Avenue where you'll be joined by throngs of revelers in Day of the dead make-up.

As you make your way, you will be greeted by large mystical colorful looking creatures the size of dinosaurs that are called Alebrijes. They're often a conglomeration of characteristics from a bunch of different animals, like a large lizard with antlers and insect wings. In Mexico, they're considered the creatures of our dreams and even of the realm of the dead.

Perhaps the most traditional celebration takes place in Mixquic, a town located in the south east side of Mexico City. The heart of the celebration happens on the night of November 1st at San Andres Mixquic cemetery where all the local families get together amid lit candles, adornments and food laid on the tombs to wait for their dead to arrive.

9. Oil Cloths

Classical imagery that many Mexicans associate with the Day of the Dead may be found in the warm almost pastel-like colors of the traditional oilcloths. The enchanting thing about them is that, thanks to their dark backdrop contrasting with the vibrant colors usually denoting natural elements, they set the scene at night time quite intimately. It carries with it a lot of significance particularly as it is, in fact, a reference to the renowned Frida Kahlo who would don these oilcloths as a tribute to Tehuana women. These women from Tehuantepec are admired for their strength in both in times of hardship and of festivity.

10. Day of the Dead Flower (Marigold)

The Day of Dead wouldn't be nearly as evocative if it weren't for the proliferated adornment that blossoming flowers like Cempasuchitl provide to altars and to private and public spaces such as stores, governmental buildings and parks. They give off a distinctive sweet aroma that embraces everyone. The petals of this flower are laid out as walkways for the dead to find their way on earth so they may be reunited with their loved ones.

Traditions for the departed souls

All in all, the Day of the Dead is a way of maintaining a healthy and intimate relationship with the unknown and is not only an occasion for festivities but also for a profound recollection of those who died and and invitation to reflect on life and death.

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10 Traditions that make up Day of the Dead

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November 1st is known throughout much of Latin America, especially in places like the Caribbean, as All Saints Day to compensate for any festivities that were skipped in the past year. Day of the Dead history is shared throughout Mexico and varies from state to state as those who celebrate honor their dead.

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The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is held every February in the Canary Islands, where Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of the largest island. Though the name of this carnival might not be as well known, it is considered the second most popular carnival in the world, after Rio de Janeiro's famous carnival! The party starts on a Friday and continues straight through Ash Wednesday when participants go through a tradition called entierro de la sardina (meaning 'burial of the sardine'), but not to worry - the party begins again the following weekend.

Rio de Janeiro Carnival

Held just before Lent each year, the Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the worldwide standard for huge festivals. With over two million people in attendance each year, it is the world's biggest carnival and has been running annually since 1723. Though the revelers are allowed to move freely around the carnival, the floats themselves are quite organized - they are staffed exclusively with samba schools, or groups of neighbors that want to perform together. This carnival is filled with street festivals and numerous parties, and even features Queens of the Carnival.

Carnival of Venice

The Carnival of Venice, which takes place just before Lent and ends on that holy day, is all about the decorative masks native to the city itself. Though nobody is sure exactly how this carnival began, it is said to date all the way back to 1162, but it became extremely famous during the 18th century for its excess and was even outlawed from 1797 until 1979, thanks to the conservative King of Austria (who even outlawed masks entirely). Now that masks are no longer outlawed, each gargantuan carnival holds a competition for la maschera più bella, or 'the most beautiful mask.'

Cadiz Carnival

Cadiz Carnival is just one of many carnivals that happens in Spain, which certainly has no shortage of festivities. Though the festival itself only runs for two weeks every year, the rest of the year is still consumed with rehearsals, planning and preparation, making this carnival feel like a year-round event. Cadiz relies on music for its entertainment, and the most popular musical performances are always the chirigotas, who use worldwide news events as fodder for their song lyrics.

Taking place on Fat Tuesday, which was legally declared a holiday in Louisiana in 1875, Mardi Gras is certainly one of the most famous festivals in the United States and, perhaps, in the entire world. Though many of Mardi Gras' traditions developed in medieval Europe, specifically in spots like Rome and Venice (which, of course, sees its fair share of carnivals), they came to New Orleans upon its creation in the mid-1700s. Today, excited partiers travel from all over the United States to attend Mardi Gras celebrations, and Mardi Gras is known for over-the-top floats and costumes, drunken revelry, and, of course... beads.

Notting Hill Carnival

The Notting Hill Carnival, held annually in the perennially chic Notting Hill neighborhood in London every August, is devoted to the traditions of the British West Indian community. Attracting over a million people each year, this carnival is a huge part of British life and culture, even though it is not technically part of the religious 'Carnival' season surrounding Lent. This carnival is heavily music-focused and includes the use of large-scale sound systems and live performances. There's even a Notting Hill Carnival app that can help you navigate the different traditions and events during the festival!

Binche Carnival

Binche Carnival, or 'Le Carnaval de Binche,' is a huge carnival event that takes place in Belgium and pays tribute to this fascinating country's heritage and traditions, so much so that it was named a 'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity' by UNESCO. For several Sundays that lead up to Ash Wednesday, there are smaller parades that include fantastical performances and live music, but the main event takes place around Shrove Tuesday and is dominated by 'Gilles,' or performers styled like clowns who wear everything from wax masks to wooden shoes.

Carnival of Oruro

Also named as a 'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity' by UNESCO, the Carnival of Oruro in Bolivia is over 200 years old and is steeped in rich history. This particular carnival is indigenous in origin but was expanded over time to include Christian rituals as well. This carnival is focused heavily on traditional dances and ceremonies - the traditional dance of the festival is known as the 'llama llama' or diablada, and there are over 48 dance groups that perform over 15 different folk dances throughout the festivities.

Carnival of Viareggio

The Carnival of Viareggio, held in the Tuscan town of, well, Viareggio, is upheld as one of Europe's most important and well-known festivals. The main parade takes place next to Viareggio's beach on its main strip and features floats and masks, both of which are made of paper, and depict politicians, athletes and other famous figures, and all of the floats each year are built across the city in what is referred to as the 'Carnival Citadel.' In fact, the origin of the carnival was simply a disagreement-turned-competition between Viareggio's townspeople - while the wealthier citizens wanted a parade of flowery floats, local citizens decided to protest while adorned with masks.

Sitges Carnival

The Sitges Carnival in Spain, which takes place in February and attracts over 2,000 visitors, is located in a town a little ways south of Barcelona, which is primarily known for this outrageous event. Events kick off with the arrival of a figure called 'King Carnestoltes' and, like the Carnival of Santa Cruz, include a 'burial of the sardine,' along with numerous parades with names like 'Debauchery' and 'Extermination,' which should give visitors a good idea of what these parades are all about. Two huge traditions of the Sitges Carnival are folk dancing and xanotades, which is a meal comprised of an omelette served with a local salad.

Ivrea Carnival

Italy's Ivrea Carnival is based around a huge, battle-style event referred to as the 'Battle of the Oranges,' which is famously the biggest food fight in all of Italy. Though it remains a mystery as to how this tradition came about, it is a favorite Italian tradition and one that is joyously observed each year in February, when townspeople divide into a number of teams and literally throw oranges at each other for three full days, ending the carnival on Shrove Tuesday with a silent march and code phrase ' arvedse a giobia a 'n bot, ' which means 'see you next Thursday at one.' However, 'next Thursday' refers to the following year's carnival, meaning the events are over for the next year.

Torello Carnival

The Torello Carnival takes place outside of Barcelona at the end of February through the beginning of March and is a dedicated festival of drunken revelry and outright insanity (search the ' Pullasu celebration ' on Youtube to see something extraordinarily strange). Alongside this is a crossdressing parade, where men dress (scantily) as women, and there's plenty of binge drinking to go around as well - all around, the Torello Carnival is not for the faint of heart.
By Nina Starner

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The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is held every February in the Canary Islands, where Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of the largest island. Though the name of this carnival might not be as well known, it is considered the second most popular carnival in the world, after Rio de Janeiro's famous carnival!

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Carnival is celebrated all around the world in Venice, the US, Panama and Brazil, just a few of the places we highlighted.

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Each year Americans in the United States celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Most families follow traditions begun on the first Thanksgiving, but many have their own traditions that they follow each year. Here are some of the common traditions associated with Turkey Day.

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is spending time with family. Many people live far from family members and travel long distances by car, train, or plane to be with their loved ones. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year!

Each year at Thanksgiving, the president of the United States receives a gift of two live turkeys. At a White House ceremony, the president traditionally "pardons" the National Thanksgiving Turkeys so they can live on a farm.

Traditional foods are a large part of Thanksgiving celebrations. Many families include the entire family in the food preparation. Traditional foods include turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Many people serve pie for dessert at the end of the meal. Popular pie flavors are pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, and apple.

Some families choose to serve vegetarian Thanksgiving dinners instead of a stuffed turkey. They might eat vegetarian turkey, which can be made out of tofu. Others eat squash, salads, or other fruit and vegetable dishes.

THE WISHBONE

Some families include breaking the turkey's wishbone as part of their celebration. The wishbone is found attached to the breast meat in the turkey's chest. After the meat has been removed and the wishbone has had a chance to become dry and brittle, two people each take one end of the bone, make a wish, and pull. Whoever ends up with the larger part of the bone gets their wish!

Many families watch the New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which includes marching bands, floats, songs and performances from Broadway musicals, and giant helium-filled balloons! People like to watch football games-maybe your family likes to play one outside!

Thanksgiving is a great time to help out people who might not be as lucky as you. Some people volunteer to serve food at homeless shelters; others donate to shelters or participate in canned food drives.

The food is eaten, the dishes are washed ... now it's time to relax. Some families take bike rides, go on walks, or take naps. Others play board or card games together.

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Each year Americans in the United States celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Most families follow traditions begun on the first Thanksgiving, but many have their own traditions that they follow each year. Here are some of the common traditions associated with Turkey Day.

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From the bride tossing her bouquet to wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue, American wedding customs are still so popular today that even the most non-traditional couples happily take part. (Why tempt fate and start off your new marriage with anything other than good luck vibes?) But Americans don't have a monopoly on such rituals-pretty much every other country and culture also has its own beloved wedding customs.

Some are sweet, like how wedding guests in Sweden kiss the bride or groom anytime their new spouse leaves the room. Some are perplexing: Couples in the Congo, for example, are forbidden to smile on their wedding day. And some are seemingly strange, such as the way engaged pairs in Mongolia must kill and butcher a chicken to find a healthy liver before being allowed to wed. But what binds these seemingly disparate customs from near and far is one simple thing: love.

If you follow these traditions, the theory goes, you will find eternal joy with your soulmate. So, even if some Hindu brides must first marry a tree or some South Korean grooms have to tolerate getting their feet whipped by family and friends, hopefully, it's all worth it in the end. When love and happiness ever after are the outcomes, it's usually a win-win for the newly wedded couple.

Keep reading to learn about 45 of the most awe-inspiring rituals from around the globe to give you an idea of the many traditions that go far beyond the bouquet toss.

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45 Fascinating Wedding Traditions From Around the World

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From the bride tossing her bouquet to wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue, American wedding customs are still so popular today that even the most non-traditional couples happily take part. (Why tempt fate and start off your new marriage with anything other than good luck vibes?)

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by, Lori Boggan

There are few things more memorable in life than the birth of a baby. No matter where in the world, what socioeconomic background she comes from, or how many times she has given birth, a woman can probably tell you every single detail surrounding her birth and the early days thereafter. She can tell you the exact moment each baby was born, how long it was and how much it weighed. I have been honored and privileged through the years of working with moms, dads, and babies to hear their birth stories and bear witness to the one of the most important moments in their lives.

Living abroad over the last five years has given me a unique perspective of birth culture. I live in the second largest city in Sweden, Gothenburg. It is an international city that welcomes students and workers from all over the world. Gothenburg boasts international universities and large companies such as Volvo and Ericsson. It offers refuge to asylum-seeking immigrants from war-torn regions past and present including most recently Syria. I have met and cared for babies whose parents come from all parts of Europe, Africa, and The Middle East. One of the first questions I have always asked goes something like, "where are you from, what is your baby's name, and what is something unique to your culture around the birth of your baby?" The answers are interesting and varied.

Join me on my journey of birth traditions around the world as I compare birth models and customs. Bear in mind is that most of the highlighted countries use a midwife model of care during pregnancy and birth. We will end our tour in the U.S. where we find that what may be the norm for us, may not be the norm everywhere else in the world.

Iran

Toktam, an engineer at Volvo, in Gothenburg, comes from Mashad, Iran. She recently gave birth to a baby girl, Hannah. She gave birth naturally and is the first in her generation of women to do so. Most women give birth by cesarean in Iran, but Toktam delivered her baby in Sweden where cesareans are reserved for emergencies and when medically indicated. When I asked her about birth traditions in Iran, she began talking about a shower. I immediately pictured the American baby shower with a group of women playing games and eating the latest Pinterest-inspired edibles. I was way off. A shower in Iran traditionally happens around 10 days after the baby is born or when the umbilical cord has fallen off. The mother's sister, mother or aunt showers the mother. She is then massaged with special oils, given a facial, and painted with henna. It is reward for all her hard work and the pain she had to endure in labor. After the mom is showered, baby is bathed. Following the shower, friends and family are invited for a special lunch, called Valimeh (traditionally lamb). Guests bring gifts such as clothes and blankets while close relatives often bring something made of gold.

Australia

Rebecca is a nurse from Australia who has two little ones. Her first was delivered by emergency cesarean and the second by VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean). Yay for VBAC options! Rebecca shared that in Australia it is common for family and friends to fill the new parents' freezer with pre-made meals such as soups, casseroles, and lasagna. It gives the new sleep-deprived parents the precious time needed to rest between feedings and allows for more bonding time. She also shared a tradition new fathers share with their friends after the baby arrives. "Wetting the baby's head," means having a drink in honor of the new member of the family. It is a common tradition in England as well.

Italy

Amina, a postdoctoral researcher, comes from Parma, Italy. Yes, Parma where they make the most delicious cheese on the planet! She delivered her baby girl naturally. Amina shared the tradition known as "camicino della fortuna" in Italy. It is a jacket for the baby given to the mother to be after her third month of pregnancy. It is made of either silk or cotton and most commonly is white. It is worn right after birth as it is thought to bring good luck. It is usually passed on by a friend of family member whose baby wore it. Once worn, it is put away unwashed until it is time to pass it on to the next lucky mom.

Spain

One more stop in Southern Europe. We meet Astrid from Spain, mother of Sebastian. Astrid is a researcher at Ericsson, Sweden. She delivered Sebastian naturally. In Spain, it is traditional to pierce a newborn baby girl's ears soon after birth, thus distinguishing that she is, in fact, a girl. It is very common for random strangers to approach new moms and babies in the streets to exclaim over the sweet little baby. It shouldn't come as a surprise that these complete strangers will move in and give your baby a little peck.

Germany

Emma, a consultant, delivered her baby boy, Finn, naturally. She shared a common birth tradition after the baby arrives called Babypinkeln, which literally translates to baby pee, but is actually a party to welcome the baby. Historically, th e naked baby was passed around and it was considered eternal luck to be the person that the baby peed on. It eventually became a party that occurred while mom and baby were still in the hospital to allow the mother to recover after birth. The father would get together with friends, family, and neighbors to eat, drink, and celebrate the new baby. Sometimes even cigars were passed around. These days, the party is usually planned when the mom and baby come home to join in the celebration.

Sweden

We move onward to Northern Europe to Sweden. Saga, a doula, preschool teacher, and artist, was part of a reemerging birth model in Sweden and the world for that matter, when she gave birth to both her children at home. While most Swedes give birth in the hospital with assistance of a midwife, a growing number opt to birth at home. Saga shared that it is frowned upon to bring flowers received in the hospital home after a baby is born because it is thought to be bad luck. A tradition I find most interesting and have witnessed in the years since moving to Sweden is the culture of leaving babies outside to nap. Even in the dead of winter, as far north as the Arctic Circle here in Sweden, and in minus degree temperatures, babies are bundled (Swedes know how to bundle) and their stroller is pushed outside for a nap. It is not unusual on any given day to be strolling downtown and see a line of strollers with sleeping babies outside a cafe while their moms have lunch or coffee (fika) together inside. It is thought the fresh air keeps the babies healthy and it seems to work.

U.S.

We end our tour in the U.S., my home country. Mandy (massage therapist and mother of two) recently gave birth to her baby girl, Mollie via repeat cesarean. Two traditions come to mind when it comes to having a baby in the U.S. including preparing a nursery (the baby's room) and having a baby shower. American baby shower culture gained popularity towards the end of World War II. Women are "showered" with gifts and essentials needed in preparation for their baby. The host is usually a sister or best friend and the shower traditionally invites women only though more and more women are opting for a coed shower.

As we sum up our tour of birth models and culture, we can see that traditions vary widely. It is fascinating to hear about and share these women's stories and learn a little about their country's birth customs. Thank you to all who shared their special ways of celebrating mothers and babies.!! Merci! Cheers! Grazie! Gracias! Danke! Tack så mycket! Thank you!
Lori is a NICU Staff Nurse at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. After becoming a nurse, Lori traveled across the country to work a three-month travel contract in San Francisco, California. Nearly five years later her journey continued to Gothenburg, Sweden, where she now lives and works

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by, Lori Boggan There are few things more memorable in life than the birth of a baby. No matter where in the world, what socioeconomic background she comes from, or how many times she has given birth, a woman can probably tell you every single detail surrounding her birth and the early days thereafter.

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Baby 1st Birthday Party, Baby Showers & Christenings | Party Supplies, Decorations & Gifts | Party Pieces

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Whether you're planning to throw your little one a 1st birthday party or planning a baby shower for an expectant mum, we've got plenty of blue, pink and neutral party themes, decorations, supplies and more for every occasion. Shop our range of party supplies for birthday, christenings, baby showers, 1st holy communions and baby arrivals!

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Cultures and traditions vary in different parts of the world but almost all of them are meant to bring happiness, prosperity and good luck in the New Year. So if you think you can be a little more traditional this New Year, you can try any of the above.

If you do a little research you will come to know that be it the western or the eastern part of the world, New Year is celebrated with equal enthusiasm everywhere.

However, as the year in the calendar marks a transition, the various New Year Traditions and Customs followed during the period remain as it is. Here are some of the interesting ways to celebrate the New Year across the globe.

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123 New Year - New Year's Eve traditions and customs around the world

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Cultures and traditions vary in different parts of the world but almost all of them are meant to bring happiness, prosperity and good luck in the New Year. So if you think you can be a little more traditional this New Year, you can try any of the above.

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new year's 2018 celebrations around the world

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New Year's 2018 celebrations around the world

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From Australia to the Vatican, here's a look at New Year's celebrations around the world.

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When Is Halloween 2023?

Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31. Halloween 2023 will take place on Tuesday, October 31.

Ancient History of Halloween

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes.

When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

Did you know? One quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween.

By A.D. 43, the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the 400 years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of bobbing for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

All Saints' Day

On May 13, A.D. 609, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III later expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1.

By the 9th century, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older Celtic rites. In A.D. 1000, the church made November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It's widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, church-sanctioned holiday.

All Souls' Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints' Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

How Did Halloween Start in America?

The celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. Halloween was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies.

As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups and the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," which were public events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance and sing.

Did you know? More people are buying costumes for their pets. Americans spent nearly $500 million on costumes for their pets in 2021-more than double what they spent in 2010.

Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the 19th century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.

In the second half of the 19th century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing the Irish Potato Famine, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally.

History of Trick-or-Treating

Borrowing from European traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings or mirrors.

In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season and festive costumes.

Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of these efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Halloween Parties

By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide Halloween parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague some celebrations in many communities during this time.

By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated.

Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats.

Thus, a new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.

Halloween Movies

Speaking of commercial success, scary Halloween movies have a long history of being box office hits. Classic Halloween movies include the "Halloween" franchise, based on the 1978 original film directed by John Carpenter and starring Donald Pleasance, Nick Castle, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tony Moran. In "Halloween," a young boy named Michael Myers murders his 17-year-old sister and is committed to jail, only to escape as a teen on Halloween night and seek out his old home, and a new target. A direct sequel to the original "Halloween" was released in 2018, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle. A sequel to that, "Halloween Kills," was released in 2021; and a sequel to that, "Halloween Ends," was released in 2022.

Considered a classic horror film down to its spooky soundtrack, "Halloween" inspired other iconic "slasher films" like "Scream," "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Friday the 13." More family-friendly Halloween movies include "Hocus Pocus," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Beetlejuice" and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

All Souls Day and Soul Cakes

The American Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives.

The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling," was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food and money.

The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry.

On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.

On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.

Black Cats and Ghosts on Halloween

Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival during which people felt especially close to deceased relatives and friends. For these friendly spirits, they set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road and lit candles to help loved ones find their way back to the spirit world.

Today's Halloween ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into black cats.

We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred (it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe). And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt.

Halloween Matchmaking and Lesser-Known Rituals

But what about the Halloween traditions and beliefs that today's trick-or-treaters have forgotten all about? Many of these obsolete rituals focused on the future instead of the past and the living instead of the dead.

In particular, many had to do with helping young women identify their future husbands and reassuring them that they would someday-with luck, by next Halloween-be married. In 18th-century Ireland, a matchmaking cook might bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who found it.

In Scotland, fortune-tellers recommended that an eligible young woman name a hazelnut for each of her suitors and then toss the nuts into the fireplace. The nut that burned to ashes rather than popping or exploding, the story went, represented the girl's future husband. (In some versions of this legend, the opposite was true: The nut that burned away symbolized a love that would not last.)

Another tale had it that if a young woman ate a sugary concoction made out of walnuts, hazelnuts and nutmeg before bed on Halloween night she would dream about her future husband.

Young women tossed apple-peels over their shoulders, hoping that the peels would fall on the floor in the shape of their future husbands' initials; tried to learn about their futures by peering at egg yolks floating in a bowl of water and stood in front of mirrors in darkened rooms, holding candles and looking over their shoulders for their husbands' faces.

Other rituals were more competitive. At some Halloween parties, the first guest to find a burr on a chestnut-hunt would be the first to marry. At others, the first successful apple-bobber would be the first down the aisle.

Of course, whether we're asking for romantic advice or trying to avoid seven years of bad luck, each one of these Halloween superstitions relies on the goodwill of the very same "spirits" whose presence the early Celts felt so keenly.

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Halloween: Origins, Meaning & Traditions

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Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and is now a worldwide event. Learn more about Halloween's origins, traditions, interesting facts, scary movies and more.

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Giant selection of holiday décor! Traditions is a family-owned business open for over 28 years. You've found the best selection, and highest quality décor available!

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Christmas around the World on whychristmas?com

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Find out how Christmas is celebrated Around the World in lots of different Countries, Traditions and Cultures.

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http://www.familyholiday.net/birthday-traditions-from-around-the-world

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http://www.savvymom.ca/index.php/partysavvy/blog/7-interesting-birthday-traditions-from-around-the-world

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http://www.buzzfeed.com/adamellis/surprising-food-etiquette-rules-from-around-the-world#.niEKmWlEw