Whilst Australian children check under their eucalyptus trees for presents and families prepare seafood barbecues on sweltering beaches, the rest of the world celebrates Christmas in ways that reflect their unique cultures, climates, and histories, creating a fascinating global tapestry of traditions that would surprise many who think their own Christmas is the "normal" one.

In Japan, Christmas isn't a public holiday and only about one per cent of the population is Christian, yet the country has embraced Christmas as a romantic occasion for couples rather than a family affair. The most peculiar tradition is the wildly popular custom of eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas Eve, a marketing triumph that began in the 1970s and now requires families to order their Christmas KFC weeks in advance or queue for hours.

Christmas Eve in Japan resembles Valentine's Day in other countries, with couples exchanging gifts and going on romantic dates, whilst Christmas Day is just another working day for most people. The illuminations and decorations in Japanese cities are spectacular, transforming places like Tokyo and Osaka into glittering wonderlands, but they're more about creating a romantic atmosphere than any religious observance.

Ethiopia celebrates Christmas on 7th January according to the Julian calendar, and the celebration, known as Ganna, is deeply religious and quite different from Western traditions. Ethiopians attend church services that can last for three hours or more, standing throughout as Ethiopian Orthodox churches traditionally have no seats. The day before Ganna, people fast, and then on Christmas morning they dress in traditional white clothing called netela and attend the church service. After church, they return home to break their fast with a feast that includes doro wat, a spicy chicken stew, and injera, the spongy sourdough flatbread that's central to Ethiopian cuisine. There's no gift-giving tradition, and the day is more about spiritual reflection and community than commercial celebration.

In Venezuela, the capital city of Caracas has one of the world's most unusual Christmas traditions, with residents roller-skating to early morning church services on Christmas Day. The tradition is so popular that streets are closed to traffic in many neighbourhoods, allowing families to skate safely to church. Children go to bed with one end of a string tied to their toe and the other end hanging out the window, so their friends can tug on it as they skate past in the morning, waking them up to join the journey to church. After the service, families return home for a breakfast that includes hallacas, a traditional dish similar to tamales, made with cornmeal dough stuffed with a mixture of beef, pork, chicken, olives, and raisins, all wrapped in plantain leaves.

Norway's Christmas traditions stretch from 23rd December to 6th January, with Little Christmas Eve on the 23rd marking the beginning of festivities. Families hide their brooms on Christmas Eve because, according to Norwegian folklore, witches and evil spirits come out on Christmas Eve to steal brooms for riding. Many Norwegians still leave a bowl of porridge in the barn for the nisse, a mischievous but generally benevolent gnome-like creature who watches over the farm. Christmas dinner typically features pinnekjøtt (salted and dried lamb ribs) or lutefisk (dried whitefish soaked in lye), both acquired tastes for outsiders. On Boxing Day, people attend church again, and the celebration continues with visits to friends and family throughout the season.

In India, where Christians make up only about two per cent of the population, Christmas is nonetheless a public holiday and widely celebrated across the country, with each region adding its own flavour. In Goa, formerly a Portuguese colony, Christmas is the biggest celebration of the year, with elaborate nativity scenes and midnight masses attended by thousands. Kerala Christians celebrate with a tradition called "stars and carols," making elaborately decorated star-shaped lanterns that are carried from house to house whilst singing carols. The Christmas feast in Indian Christian homes might include biryani, curry, and rice dishes alongside or instead of traditional Western Christmas fare, reflecting the beautiful fusion of Christian tradition and Indian culture.

Iceland's Christmas season features thirteen mischievous characters called the Yule Lads, who are the sons of the trolls Grýla and Leppalúði. Beginning on 12th December, one Yule Lad comes to town each night, leaving gifts in shoes that children place on windowsills, but only for children who've been good. Naughty children get rotting potatoes instead. Each Yule Lad has a descriptive name like Spoon-Licker, Door-Slammer, or Sausage-Swiper, and they're known for playing pranks and causing mischief. The Yule Cat is a more sinister creature that eats people who don't receive new clothes for Christmas, which historically encouraged people to finish their weaving and knitting before winter, and to reward workers with new garments.

In the Philippines, Christmas celebrations begin as early as September, making it the longest Christmas season in the world. The country, being predominantly Catholic due to Spanish colonisation, takes Christmas extremely seriously. The most distinctive tradition is Simbang Gabi, a series of nine dawn masses starting on 16th December and ending on Christmas Eve, which many Filipinos attend at 4am every morning. Giant parol, star-shaped lanterns made of bamboo and paper, illuminate houses and streets. On Christmas Eve, families gather for Noche Buena, a midnight feast after attending the final Simbang Gabi mass, featuring dishes like lechon (roast pig), queso de bola (Edam cheese), and various kakanin (rice cakes). Filipino Christmas is all about family, with overseas workers making every effort to return home, and the celebration continuing until the Feast of the Three Kings in January.

In Germany, Christmas markets or Christkindlmarkts transform city centres into enchanting winter wonderlands, some dating back to the Late Middle Ages. The Dresden Striezelmarkt, first held in 1434, is one of the oldest. Germans celebrate primarily on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day, with many families attending church before returning home to exchange gifts under the Christmas tree. The traditional Christmas dinner varies by region but might include roast goose, carp, or wiener schnitzel. The Advent tradition of counting down to Christmas with a wreath of four candles and a calendar is German in origin, and the careful craftsmanship of German Christmas decorations, particularly wooden nutcrackers and smoking men from the Erzgebirge region, is world-renowned.

In Mexico, Christmas celebrations centre around a series of traditions that blend indigenous and Catholic elements. Las Posadas, celebrated from 16th to 24th December, re-enacts Mary and Joseph's search for shelter in Bethlehem, with neighbours going from house to house singing, eventually being welcomed in for a party. Children take turns hitting a piñata, traditionally star-shaped with seven points representing the seven deadly sins. Christmas Eve culminates in a late-night feast after midnight mass, featuring traditional dishes like bacalao (salt cod), romeritos (a herb dish), tamales, and ponche (a hot fruit punch). Radish carving competitions on 23rd December in Oaxaca showcase incredibly intricate sculptures made from radishes, a tradition dating back to the colonial period.

In Australia, where Christmas 2025 will once again fall in the height of summer, the celebration takes on a distinctly outdoor character that bemuses visitors expecting snow and fireplaces. Carols by Candlelight events across the country see families gathering in parks as evening falls, lighting candles and singing traditional carols under warm skies. Christmas Day often involves a morning swim at the beach, a seafood lunch or barbecue, and perhaps a game of backyard cricket. Some families maintain traditional British-style roast dinners with turkey and pudding despite the heat, whilst others embrace prawns, cold ham, and pavlova. The unique Australian Christmas, with its blend of imported traditions and homegrown adaptations, creates something that feels both familiar and distinctly different, proving that Christmas can successfully adapt to any climate or culture whilst maintaining its essential spirit of gathering, giving, and celebration.