Festive traditions across the globe: How other countries celebrate Christmas outside the U.S.

Christmas traditions are what make the festive season so magical in the U.S. From leaving out cookies and milk for Santa Claus to tucking into a Christmas ham or turkey, or meticulously opening each advent calendar door as we count down to the 25th, these familiar rituals are at the heart of how we celebrate. And because these traditions mean so much to us, discovering different ones from around the world just adds to the fun.

That’s why global car rental comparison site DiscoverCars.com has explored how Christmas is celebrated around the world, highlighting festive traditions that look very different from the ones we know at home.

France
France’s festive traditions have some notable differences. Instead of leaving milk and cookies for the man himself, French children traditionally leave out carrots for his donkey, Gui. Also, while here in the U.S. we leave stockings out, in France it’s likely to be shoes. Both traditions might come from the same story about Saint Nicholas throwing gold coins through a poor man’s window to help his family, which landed inside either shoes or stockings, depending on who you ask!

Christmas in France also follows a slightly different schedule. The main celebrations take place on Christmas Eve, with families enjoying a lavish evening meal featuring Le Réveillon, Dinde aux marrons (turkey stuffed with chestnuts), foie gras, and Bûche de Noël (Yule Log cake), often followed by the first round of gift-opening that night.

Italy
Christmas in Italy comes with a unique tradition: children receive gifts from Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) on Christmas Day, but the celebrations continue with La Befana, a broomstick-riding witch who delivers sweets and small gifts on  Jan. 6, the Epiphany. This means the Italian festive season stretches from Dec. 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) all the way to the Epiphany, creating nearly a full month of celebrations.

Music and folklore add to the charm. While the U.S. traditionally has carol singers, in parts of central and southern Italy – especially around Naples – zampognari (bagpipe players dressed as shepherds) wander the streets, giving the season a rustic, festive feel.

Food is central to the holiday. Italians traditionally abstain from meat on Christmas Eve (La Vigilia), enjoying fish and seafood dishes, before indulging in a rich, opulent feast on Christmas Day, often starting at lunch and featuring a variety of regional specialities.

Czech Republic 
In the Czech Republic, one interesting difference in Christmas customs is that it’s not Santa Claus who brings the presents – it’s Jezisek, which translates to the Baby Jesus. Some versions of the tradition say that he’s invisible, which makes sneaking into homes a little easier, we suspect!

Christmas dinner (served on Dec. 24) also comes with a unique tradition: families traditionally serve pan-fried carp with potato salad, rather than turkey. Some people even keep a scale in their wallet as a lucky charm to bring good luck for the year ahead. Historically, the fish was even kept alive in the bathtub for a few days before being cooked – but now it’s much less common to share your bathroom with your dinner!

Another Czech tradition is waiting for the golden pig – this vision is said to only appear to those who have fasted all day long on Christmas Eve, before the evening meal is served! It’s said to represent good luck and prosperity for the new year.

Romania
Christmas decorations. While in the U.S. many of us put Christmas decorations up just after Thanksgiving, Romanian families traditionally don’t decorate until Christmas Eve, turning what Americans see as a long build-up into a one-day festive sprint.

Gift-giving also comes with a unique tradition. On the night of Dec. 5 children polish their boots and leave them out for Moș Nicolae (Saint Nicholas). Well-behaved children wake to find sweets, fruit and small gifts, and those who’ve misbehaved may find a wooden stick!

Food is central to the celebrations, with Christmas dinner eaten on Dec. 24. Instead of roast turkey and mashed potatoes, Romanian Christmas tables are centered around sarmale – cabbage rolls filled with minced meat, rice and herbs, slow-cooked in a tangy tomato sauce – and baked pork steak. For something sweet, there’s cozonac, a brioche-style bread swirled with walnut and cocoa. Preparations often start days in advance, with families pickling cabbage, grinding walnuts, and making huge pots of sarmale, creating a multi-day festive feast full of tradition, warmth, and generosity.

Poland
Polish Christmas celebrations are full of rich, meaningful traditions. The season begins Dec. 6 (Mikołajki), when Święty Mikołaj (St. Nicholas) leaves small gifts for children, but the main celebration and gift exchange take place on Christmas Eve (Wigilia).

All across Poland, there are lots of different figures who appear in local folklore to bring the children presents. In central and eastern Poland, Święty Mikołaj often performs double duty. But the former Prussian regions get visits from Gwiazdor, whose name in English means Starman – a character from Polish Christmas caroling traditions, he carries a star on a long stick to represent the Star of Bethlehem. In the Silesian region in the South, it’s Dzieciątko, which translates to Little Child, the baby Jesus himself.

The Wigilia Supper, eaten on Dec. 24 is a feast of 12 symbolic courses, representing the 12 Apostles and the 12 months of the year. Key dishes include Barszcz (beetroot soup with uszka), pierogi, and fried carp. Before the meal, families share the Opłatek (unleavened Christmas wafer), breaking off pieces while exchanging personal wishes for the year ahead – a ritual symbolizing forgiveness and love. An extra, empty place at the table is reserved for unexpected guests or as a remembrance of deceased loved ones. Tasting all twelve dishes is believed to ensure good fortune for the year ahead.

Aleksandrs Buraks, Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com, said, “Christmas is celebrated in so many fascinating ways around the world, with each country bringing its own customs, flavors, and festive spirit. From unique gift-giving traditions to special meals, decorations, and seasonal music, these celebrations reflect the history and culture of each place.

“Exploring these differences offers a wonderful glimpse into how people mark the holiday season and shows just how diverse and imaginative festive traditions can be. If you’re traveling internationally this Christmas, keep an eye out for some of these traditions!”

About DiscoverCars.com
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