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In Australia, Christmas comes at the beginning of the summer holidays!

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This festive South African delicacy is not for the faint-hearted - on Christmas Day, locals tuck into the deep-fried caterpillars of the Emperor Moth.

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In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas and his servants, the Black Peters, come ashore from a steam boat and ride a white horse through the town to deliver presents.

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In Iceland, legend says that the ogress named Gryla sends her sons, the Yule Lads, into town to snatch unruly children to snatch unruly children and bring them back to be cooked in her stew.

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In Denmark, children believe that their presents are brought by the 'Julemanden' (which means 'Christmas Man'). He lives in Greenland, likes rice pudding and is helped by 'nisser' which are like elves.

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Yule is celebrated in Pagan communities on December 21st a celebration of the rebirth of the sun.

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Kwanzaa is a 7-day festival that celebrates African and African American culture and history.

The seven days represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self Determination), Ujima (Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).

This celebration takes place from December 26th to January 1st and is mostly celebrated in America.

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Finnish people mark Christmas by lighting candles at the graves of their departed loved ones.

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In Slovakia, the most senior man of the house takes a spoonful of pudding and throws it at the ceiling - the more that sticks, the better.

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The Killikantzaroi, a race of evil goblins, lurk underground according to Greek legend. During the 12 days of Christmas, they supposedly surface and wreak havoc.

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In Bavaria, a noisy Christmas tradition has taken hold. Wearing the national costume of lederhosen, Bavarian highlanders fire mortars into the air.

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Every December, Cuban city Remedios plays host to the Parrandas festival. The city divides into two halves, each building a themed sculpture from light bulbs, in preparation for Christmas Eve.

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Guatemalans sweep out their houses before Christmas. Each neighborhood will then create a large pile of dirt, before placing an effigy of the devil on top and burning it.

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In Latvia, a group of "mummers", dressed in a variety of costumes, travel from house to house. Each household must give them a treat for a blessing.

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Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on January 7th. People wear white clothes and the men play ganna - a fast-paced game with sticks and wooden balls.

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Rather than Santa Claus, Italian children await the arrival of Befana, a friendly witch who delivers sweets and toys on the fifth of January.

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An age-old tradition dictates that each member of the family stir the Christmas pudding mix in a clockwise direction before it's cooked, making a wish as they do so.

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Since 1966, authorities in Gavle have installed a straw Swedish Yule Goat. However, almost every other year, vandals have succeeded in burning it down. It is an unofficial yearly competition to burn the Yule Goat before Christmas.

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The Yule Cat is said to stalk the Icelandic hills. Those who don't receive new clothes before Christmas Eve are said to be devoured by this mythical beast.

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Mari Lwyd is performed in some Welsh villages on Christmas Eve. A villager is chosen to parade through the streets, bearing the skull of a mare on the end of a stick.

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On Christmas Eve, Estonian families traditionally head to the sauna together.

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In the Czech Republic, unmarried women stand by a door and throw a shoe over their shoulder - if the toe is pointing towards the door when it lands, they will get married within the next year.

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Ukrainians forego tinsel and baubles, instead decorating their Christmas trees with artificial spider webs.

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Consoada is a traditional Christmas morning feast in Portugal. This is a time for remembering the dead, and families lay places for the souls of their late loved ones.

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Rather than using the traditional conifer, New Zealanders decorate Pohutukawa trees at Christmas.

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The glass Christmas pickle ornament is supposed to be a long tradition in Germany. However, the Christmas pickle tradition is virtually unknown in this country. Woolworth began importing them from Germany and for that reason, people believe that the tradition originated there.

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Greenland has some unusual Christmas recipes. Mattak is raw whale skin, served with blubber. Kiviak is 500 dead auk birds, stuffed into a seal skin, and left to ferment for 7 months.

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Venezuelans attend Mass in the run-up to Christmas. However, Caracas residents have developed a strange tradition - journeying to Mass on roller skates.

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Advertising can be incredibly powerful. Thanks to a campaign in 1974, many Japanese families eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on Christmas.

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There's no cleaning on Christmas Eve in Norway - all brooms are safely hidden away, in case they're stolen by witches and evil spirits.

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Austrian children live in fear of Krampus - a Christmas devil who's said to beat naughty children with branches.