In Austria, men dress like creatures with long horns, a pointed tongue and a tail, terrorise naughty children who have misbehaved on 5 December, the night before St. Nicholas Day.
Christmas Goblins (Greece)
People in Greece believe that goblins come out during the 12 days of Christmas and play pranks on people. They burn a log in their fireplace throughout the festive days to keep them away.
The Yule Cat (Iceland)
In Iceland, a large and ferocious cat is believed to roam the countryside during the Christmas season to eat anyone who hasn't gotten new clothes to wear on Christmas Eve.
Beer and Mince Pie for Santa (Ireland)
On Christmas Eve, it is customary in Ireland to leave a pint of Guinness and a mince pie out for Santa Claus. The Guinness will relieve Santa's thirst after a long night of delivering presents, while the mince pie will serve as a snack.
The Christmas Witch (Italy)
In Italy, a witch named Befana is said to deliver gifts to children on Epiphany Eve (5 January) hoping that one of them is the baby Jesus.
Eating KFC (Japan)
It is customary in Japan to eat KFC on Christmas Eve. It began in the 1970s, when KFC introduced the "Kentucky for Christmas" marketing campaign. The campaign was so effective that it has since become a national tradition.
Hiding Brooms and Not Cleaning (Norway)
On Christmas Eve, Norwegians hide all brooms in the house to prevent witches and evil spirits from stealing and using them to fly. They also avoid cleaning on Christmas Eve because they believe it will wash away good luck.
A Crappy Nativity Figure (Spain)
It is usual in Spain to include a figure known as "El Caganer" in nativity displays. El Caganer is a defecating figurine that is thought to bring good luck and wealth for the following year.
Spider webs (Ukraine)
Ukrainians decorate for Christmas in a unique way, substituting spider webs for fairy lights. Trees in Ukraine are now decorated with small spider ornaments known as 'pavuchky' and imitation spider webs.