written by Steve Vickers
updated 16.12.2021
Find inspiration and
information for your next trip.
Get a local travel agent to
plan your personalized trip.
Book & travel securely with our money-back
guarantee and local expert assistance.
written by Steve Vickers
updated 16.12.2021
How long the legendary goat survives is now a national news story in Sweden. Yet its infamy never deters the arsonists, and Julbocken always burns. If you want to go see, Gävle is north of Stockholm and you should think about staying at Järnvägshotellet.
The giant straw Julbocken Yule Goat in Gävle Sweden © Studio Bankvalvet/Shutterstock
Back in the 1970s some tourists to Japan missed Christmas turkey so much they looked around for a substitute and landed on KFC. When KFC heard about this, of course they saw an opportunity, and set about marketing the trend.
For some reason KFC for Christmas really appealed to the Japanese, and today KFC sales all over Japan rocket on 25 December. Families even book their seasonal feasts in advance and KFC drive-thru are packed on Christmas Day.
Prefer to leave planning and booking to experts? Have a look at some sample itineraries. All Tailor Made Trips can be modified together with your local expert, then booked for a stress-free holiday. Click 'Modify this itinerary' to contact a local expert.
Loosely translated as, the crapper, 'el caganer' is a ceramic model of a pooing Catalan peasant. The figure is usually squatting and hard to miss, because without a prominent caganer, no true Spanish nativity is complete.
El caganer have been about for centuries and now there are even celebrity versions - everyone from Trump to Lady Gaga has been immortalised as a pooing peasant. The origin is uncertain, but one theory is that el caganer is "fertilising" the nativity to guarantee a prosperous year ahead.
Visit Barcelona at Christmas. It's Spain's el caganer capital and where to see nativities in abundance at La Fira de Santa Llúcia. This is the city's best loved and biggest Christmas market and held each year in front of the cathedral in Barri Gòtic. If you want to stay close to the market, book Barcelona House.
Pooing peasants are Catalan Christmas traditions © nito/Shutterstock
Hiding brooms from witches is one of the Christmas traditions in Norway /CC0
All the Yule Lads are brothers, and the sons of a cruel giant known for eating stew made out of naughty children. Despite their dark origin story, a few of the lads are friendly. But others go by sinister names like Doorway Sniffer and Window Peeper.
If the thought of Yule Lads and cold potatoes doesn't deter you and you're still tempted by Christmas in Iceland, then treat yourself to a stay at the glamorous Exeter Hotel in Reykjavik. And for conventional festive traditions take a look at Is Saxony home to the best German Christmas markets?
We may earn commission when you click on links in this article, but this does not influence our editorial standards - we only recommend services that we genuinely believe will enhance your travel experiences.
written by Steve Vickers
updated 16.12.2021
Plan your tailor-made trip with a local expert
Book securely with money-back guarantee
Travel stress-free with local assistance and 24/7 support