In Guatemala the people clean everything in their house during the week before Christmas. Then they burn it, along with a figure of the devil on top of the rubbish.
True
In Scotland, normally the men wear kilts. However, on Christmas Eve, the women wear kilts and the men wear normal trousers.
False. (this is a total invention. Scotsman don’t actually wear kilts anymore, except at very formal events.)
In England on Christmas Eve, young adults do 12 shots of different alcoholic drinks. Supposedly, this is for the twelve apostles. One of them is actually vinegar. This is called the ‘Judas shot.’
False. Despite England’s drinking habits, this tradition does not exist.
In Turkey, the Christian minority never put up Christmas trees. Why not? Because they love cats, and cats attack Christmas trees.
False, but Turks do love cats and cats do attack Christmas trees.
In Australia, the Prime Minister traditionally throws the first snowball on Christmas day. No one may throw a snowball before the Prime Minister.
False. Christmas takes place in the Australian Summer, so there’s never any snowballs to throw. Aussies normally spend Christmas at the beach.
In Japan, the traditional christmas meal is kentucky fried chicken. KFC is so popular that people have to book a table weeks in advance.
True (this is the result of a marketing campaign to promote fried chicken as the ‘Western Christmas.’ Obviously in America they actually eat turkey.)
Portugal, people set a place for dead relatives. They believe that this will bring them luck.
True.
In Austria men dress up as Krampus, the evil demon. They chase naughty children and drag them (supposedly) to Hell.
True.
In Russia, Santa wears green clothes instead of red.
False. He actually wears blue.
In Greenland, the traditional Christmas food is raw whale skin with blubber and a dead bird wrapped in seal skin that has been left to rot.
True. The food is called mattak and kiviak.
In Caracas, Venezuela, they travel to their traditional christmas mass (‘misa de aguinaldo’) on roller skates.
True
In Norway, people hide their brooms before they go to bed. They believe that if they don’t do this, a witch will steal it and use it to fly.
True