Most American households are familiar with the modern Christmas holiday and the traditions that come with it: decorating the tree, hanging the stockings, and leaving cookies and milk out for Saint Nick. But across the world, traditional celebrations of the holiday can look quite different.

In Europe, South Wales celebrates a folk custom known as the Mari Lwyd, which entails a person under a sheet carrying a colorful decorated skull of a horse on a pole (referred to as a “hobby horse”). A group then take the Mari Lwyd from door to door, entering a sort of caroling “battle” where the escorts sing and ask to be let into houses while the homeowners sing a response back and deny them entry. The song and dance traditionally ends with the homeowners relenting and letting the group in for drinks and food. The celebration’s popularity temporarily declined in the mid 20th century, but the caroling of Mari Lwyd still persists to this day.

While not a historic tradition like the Welsh hobby horse, Japan also has a unique tradition for the Christmas celebration. Like turkey is for Americans’ Thanksgiving, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is for Japan’s Christmas. In 1970, the first KFC in Japan opened just before December’s kickoff. In a hope to boost sales, the store’s manager attempted to tie the finger licking goodness into the holiday season, and advertised KFC with a slogan that translates to “Kentucky is Christmas!” Perhaps the red and white artwork of Colonel Sanders and the fewer set Christian traditions in Japan were the key, because KFC took off, and a shared bucket of fried chicken has been a staple for Japanese Christmas ever since. 

One final holiday celebration that looks quite different from America is from the land down under. Because of the Earth’s rotation, summer and winter are basically flipped in Australia. Santa is surfing, and instead of building snowmen, winter is barbecuing on the beach. 

So, for this Holiday season, perhaps look to try a new tradition from somewhere else in the world. Sit back with a bucket of KFC, and instead of your typical carolling maybe mount a hobby horse.