Beyond Elf on the Shelf: Hidden Christmas Traditions Around the World
- Tanya Gambhir
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
December has a funny way of turning the ordinary into something festive.
The year slows down, and suddenly everyone around you seems to be either travelling, planning to travel, or posting throwbacks pretending they’re travelling. Meanwhile, your meta-algorithm is working overtime, pushing Elf on the Shelf ideas, matching pajamas, hot chocolate by the sparkly tree, etc.
This blog exists for the rest of us!
For the ones who aren’t packing bags but still feel that familiar itch- the thrill of discovery, the curiosity of how the world celebrates, the quiet joy of learning something new without boarding a plane. Because travel isn’t always about movement. Sometimes, it’s about perspective.
So, while the internet inspires you, consider this your invitation to travel differently this season with just a passport made of curiosity.
Let’s go...
1. Georgia Chichilaki: The tree that gets burned on purpose
In Georgia, families craft a chichilaki, from shaved, dried hazelnut or walnut branches, decorated with fruits and sweets. The shavings curl into white, bear-like strands. Decorations traditionally included tangerines, Churchkhela, apples, and sweets, and some decorate them with dollars. After the season, chichilakis are burned to let go of the past year’s troubles, and the tree has also become a symbol of Georgian pride.
Once a craft known to nearly every household, making chichilakis is now a dying art, preserved by only a few skilled artisans. Unlike pine trees, chichilakis don’t require cutting live trees, making their sourcing sustainable.
If we could burn one thing from this year, a worry, a habit, or a fear, what would you let go of?
2. Ukraine: The Christmas spider
Children decorate trees with spider ornaments, inspired by a folktale where a poor family whose bare tree was transformed overnight when a spider spun webs that shimmered like silver and gold in the morning light. This story turned spiders into symbols of luck, hope, and prosperity, inspiring families to decorate their trees with delicate spider or web ornaments, a tradition representing hidden blessings and hope.
This tradition has evolved from folklore into fun. Families no longer expect real spiders to appear on their trees; instead, they hang sparkly spiders or web ornaments, often made of tinsel, glass, or beads. The focus has shifted from superstition to imagination, family creativity, and the joy of small blessings in the festive season.
Do you think luck comes from objects, or from actions? Why?
3. Iceland - The yule lads: Thirteen Santas in one
In Iceland, Christmas arrives not with one Santa, but with 13 Yule Lads, each visiting on the nights leading up to Christmas. Rooted in old folklore, these mischievous characters leave small gifts in shoes placed by the window or a potato if children haven’t behaved. Each Yule Lad has a quirky name inspired by their antics, from Door Slammer to Spoon Licker, making them as funny as they are memorable. You can meet all 13 and their personalities through this beautifully explained guide.
Today, they appear in school activities, storybooks, shop displays, and festive parades, used less as a warning for bad behavior and more as a fun way to build excitement in the days leading up to Christmas. The focus has shifted from fear to humor, imagination, and shared storytelling.
If a magical visitor came to your house every night before Christmas, what kind of mischief would you do with them?
4. Wales- Mari Lwyd: The Singing Christmas Horse
In Wales, people celebrate Christmas with a fun tradition called Mari Lwyd. A horse’s skull is decorated with ribbons and cloth, and a group of singers carry it from house to house. They sing rhymes and challenge the homeowners to a playful “battle of words” to be invited inside, bringing good luck, health, and prosperity for the new year. The tradition is believed to chase away evil spirits and welcome blessings, blending fun, music, and community together.
Today, the Mari Lwyd is mostly a fun, community event rather than a serious ritual. Schools, villages, and local groups often stage performances and parades, keeping the singing, rhymes, and horse costume alive as a way to celebrate Welsh culture and heritage.
If you made a costume or a character to bring luck to your family, what would it look like?
5. Venezuela-Roller: Skating to Church
In Caracas, families glide on roller skates to early-morning Christmas Mass (Misas de Aguinaldo), weaving through streets closed to traffic. This lively tradition, dating back to the 1950s, fills the streets with carols, laughter, and festive cheer, turning a simple trip to church into a joyful community celebration.
While participation has shifted in recent years due to economic and social changes, many families still cherish las patinatas as a way to share time together, celebrate faith, and keep the season lively. In some neighborhoods, skating events, music, and holiday gatherings continue to strengthen community bonds, making it both a festive and social event today.
If you could glide anywhere with your family on Christmas morning, where would you go and who would be with you?
6. Czech Republic - Carp: More Than Just Christmas Dinner
In the Czech Republic, Christmas Eve dinner wouldn’t feel complete without carp, a freshwater fish traditionally served with potato salad. For many families, the holiday begins days earlier when huge tubs of live carp appear in town squares and people even keep their live fish in a bathtub until it’s time to prepare it for the festive meal. This tradition dates back centuries and is linked to Catholic fasting, where meat was avoided during Advent, making fish an appropriate choice for Christmas Eve. Carp became especially popular as fish farming grew in regions like Třeboň, and over time it became the most beloved symbol of Czech Christmas feasting.
While carp remains a Christmas staple in the Czech Republic, awareness around animal welfare has grown. Several major supermarkets, including Lidl, Tesco and Billa, have stopped selling live carp in outdoor tubs, choosing instead to offer pre-cleaned or packaged fish. Cities like Prague have also run campaigns encouraging humane handling, reflecting a shift toward more conscious, responsible traditions without letting go of cultural roots.
If you were redesigning this tradition today, what would you keep and what would you change?
7. Finland - Pikkujoulu: Little Christmas
In Finland, the Christmas season doesn’t wait until December 24. It starts with pikkujoulot, or “little Christmas” parties that often begin as early as November and continue through December. These festive gatherings bring friends, coworkers, and neighbor's together to enjoy food, music, and glögi (spiced mulled drink), blending cozy traditions with lively celebration. Originally rooted in older Advent customs, pikkujoulot have become a beloved way to break up the long, dark winter and build excitement before the main holiday arrives. These pre-Christmas parties are so central to Finnish culture that they contribute to Finland’s reputation as one of the most joyous places to celebrate the season.
Today pikkujoulot range from quiet family gatherings to spirited office and community parties, offering a chance to reconnect socially and usher in the festive spirit long before Christmas Eve.
If you threw your own ‘Little Christmas’ party, what food and music would you include?
What we carry forward
Traditions bind a community, a circle, a unit, but they are not meant to stand still.
They are meant to breathe, shaped by the hands that hold them, and the time they live in. And sometimes, honoring them means letting them evolve - gently, thoughtfully, so they continue to bring joy without taking more than they give.
A Little Pause for Big Intentions
Before the year asks for more, it helps to notice where your time already goes. This reflection reminds us that intentions don’t fail because we dream too small, but because we skip the honest pause.
The most meaningful intentions begin by looking closely at our days- how we spend our hours, what quietly drains us, and what deserves more room.
So, try this: track your time, even briefly. Sit with it. Let clarity, not pressure, shape what you carry into the new year. Small pauses, when taken seriously, have a way of changing everything.
With Christmas joy and imagination
Tanya Gambhir
xx
About the author:
Tanya is a girl mum to a spirited nine-year-old and a toddler tornado, a storyteller, and a free spirit who lives for her family and her ideas. She’s tackled design, digital marketing campaigns, and multiple creative projects, with a side note of great books, catchy music and family movies to binge on. Passionate about sustainability, she runs annual turtle-saving campaigns with her daughter and somehow keeps her coffee cup full, and piping hot!
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