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11 Fascinating Christmas Traditions Around the World
The Caganer in Catalonia
Your eyes do not deceive you. Someone really is dropping trou in the middle of the nativity scene— his name is the Caganer. Literally meaning the “pooper,” the exact origins of the Caganer are lost to history, but we do know he’s been around since at least the 18th century. In Spanish and Italian nativity scenes, it’s typical to see the set expand out to depict the whole city of Bethlehem versus just the manger itself. Proposed interpretations for what exactly the Caganer is doing are various—a talisman of prosperity into the new year, a symbol of freedom, or simply a fun, mischievous guy that’s fun to spot in Barcelonian nativities. One thing’s for sure—it’s a tradition that keeps up with the times. While the classic representation is a peasant wearing the red barretina cap, you’ll find caganers in the likeness of celebrities and pop culture icons, such as Hello Kitty, in scenes and on sale at Christmas markets.
KFC Christmas Dinner in Japan
In the US, KFC might just be fast food, but head half the world away to Japan, and you’ll find a different story. In 2024, the BBC reported that 3.5 million Japanese households ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken for their Christmas dinners. What caused the popular phenom? A wildly successful marketing campaign from more than 50 years ago. One night in 1970, KFC Japan’s first manager, Takeshi Okawara, was struck with the brilliant epiphany to sell a Christmas dinner. With few other distinctly Japanese Christmas traditions, marketing KFC as the equivalent of a modern-day, affordable Christmas roast was the right idea at the right time. Four years later, the idea made its way up the corporate ladder and into the annals of Japanese Christmas history.
