Happy Holiday's Around The Globe! 10 Surprising International Holiday Traditions!

Oh yeah, that is totally a demon creature about to eat a little boy who has been a jerk all year. He is on the naughty list! According to Austrian folklore, jolly Saint Nicholas makes the rounds with a sidekick in tow – the devilish Krampus. The hairy creature visits Austrian children annually, but where Saint

Nicholas bestows lavish gifts to all the good little girls and boys, Krampus does the unthinkable – he unleashes punishment to those on the naughty list. If he discovers a particularly bad child, he bundles him into a sack and carts him away, presumably for a midnight snack!

Totally something you should read your kids at bedtime when they're acting up!

Oh yeah, finally starting to see what type of list this will be? Yup, that's a horse skull - there are playing no games in Wales! In late December through to January, a knock at your door might unveil a strange visitor – namely an elaborately decorated horse’s skull attached to a long wood pole and covered by a sheet or blanket. It’s the Mari Lwyd – the Grey Mare – and her party of five or six revelers.

There is nothing to worry about though; the Mari Lwyd and her handlers travel through town singing and engaging residents in rhyming contests. Ideally, the Mari Lwyd and her friends win the impromptu competition, thus gaining entry to the home or pub where their presence is said to bring good luck.

I, however, won't be answering any door that Mari is knocking on.

In Finland, it’s a tradition to visit your buried relatives at sunset on Christmas Eve. Many cemeteries and churches hold brief services complete with hymns and moments of reflection while family members lay lanterns and lit candles on the graves to remember departed loved ones.

Often a special section is created for people who have relatives buried far away, so they can commemorate their family members, too. This touching custom began in the 1920s when candles were placed on the graves of World War I soldiers.

While many other traditions may seem very out of the norm, this one is very sweet and teaches children the importance of understanding who they came from.

Around December 7, Guatemalans sweep their homes, collect trash from around their property and create a massive heap of it in the street. As a final touch, the pile is crowned with an effigy of the devil and set ablaze.

And the Christmas celebrations can begin! No, this event isn’t the inspiration for the 'chestnuts roasting on an open fire’ song lyric. There are no chestnuts, I promise! The smell isn't said to be very pleasant either. This symbolic cleansing ritual is said to expunge evil spirits and negative energy from the upcoming festivities.

And who wants an evil spirit when you're trying to celebrate? Makes sense to me!

Two words, friend chicken - probably one of the food favorites of any person born almost anywhere in the U.S! It's become a staple of American food and has drifted far into the world.

While it’s true that Christmas isn’t really celebrated in Japan, a December 25th tradition centers on KFC. In fact, the Colonel’s special recipe is so popular in Japan at Christmas that KFC suggests that customers place their holiday order two months in advance.

The chicken craze began back in 1974 when KFC bosses unveiled their first Christmas meal for visiting foreigners who wanted something that resembled a traditional holiday dinner. As it turns out, locals embraced the Christmas dinner too, and 40 years later, a unique tradition involving KFC continues in Japan to this day.

Meet the caganer, a male figurine with his pants rolled down mid-squat. Just what is this guy up to? Well, his activity is revealed when you translate his name - the defecator. Yes, this fella is in the midst of delivering a 'number two’ in a far corner of the manger.

I'm sure you can see the little pile of poop there, I apologize to anyone that wasn't ready - but I assure you this picture is the LEAST of the many evils I saw.

Folklore says that farmers would be punished with a poor crop harvest and bad fortune if they didn’t include a caganer within their nativity scene. Today, the tradition continues with Christmas markets selling old school caganers alongside new versions that feature famous faces such as footballers, rock stars and Barack Obama.

Despite a classic holiday song, Santa won't be coming to any town in Italy. Befana probably cast a spell to keep him away!

So don’t waste your time asking Santa Claus for presents on Christmas Eve in Italy. An ugly yet kind old witch named Befana ('giver of gifts’) controls the gift-giving duties instead. As per tradition on the eve of Epiphany – January 5 – obliging parents leave out a plate of regional cuisine (often broccoli with spiced sausage and a glass of wine) for Befana.

Flying around the world by broomstick and entering each house by chimney, the good witch delivers toys, clothing and candy to well-behaved children. Come the morning of January 6, happy faces awake to a bounty of treats tucked into their stockings.

The Maritime province has a long tradition of Mummering – the boisterous practice of visiting neighborhood homes while dressed in elaborate disguises. Mummers often adopt unique speech patterns, gaits and postures, and men will dress as women and vice versa.

Through song, dance and comedic plays, the mummers try to remain unrecognizable to the people they visit. If the homeowners identify the mummers, the unmasked reveler is gifted with food and drink. Each December, Newfoundland throws the fun-filled Mummers Festival with parades, concerts and workshops.

The tradition is pretty cute, I must say. However, just like with ol' Mari - if someone come to my door looking like this they would be met with something a bit less pleasant than Christmas cookies. Just look at them!

For those of us located in the northern hemisphere, the thought of celebrating Christmas amidst searing heat, limitless sun and tanned surfers seems foreign. But in Australia where the holidays fall during summer, it’s completely normal.

Forget a White Christmas, wind chills and sleigh rides – Down Under, Aussies head to the beach where they indulge in picnics, swimming and volleyball.

As a fellow northerner, I have to admit I like my snowy Christmas. What about you, do you like the cold or would you want a Christmas on the beach?

Christmas trees in the Ukraine are often covered in spider webs. An ancient legend tells of a poor family who grew a Christmas tree from a pine cone. The children, so thrilled by the idea of their very own tree, spent months dreaming up ways to decorate it for the holiday.

But the family was penniless, so the children’s tree would remain unadorned. Upon waking, the children discovered that spiders had spun webs of glistening silk around the tree’s branches. Each thread magically turned into silver and gold as the morning’s sun danced upon the tree’s bows. Today, Ukrainians will dress up their trees with spider webs to welcome good luck into the coming year.

Spiders on christmas trees... huh, well - what do you think?