Global holiday traditions to terrify and delight you + an unconventional holiday recipe

By Molly Mitchell

December 20, 2019

A straw goat under a Christmas tree, surrounded by presents.

The holiday season is famously both the most wonderful and most difficult time of the year, and the season’s traditions reflect the both the bright and dark side of the holiday coin. In the spirit of the most intense time of the year, we present for your entertainment a selection of the most delightful and terrifying holiday traditions around.  

Holiday Happiness

It’s not all snow globes and Santa Claus making the season joyful and bright. Read about, and maybe try for yourself, these fun and funny holiday traditions. Featuring:

  • Christmas pickles
  • Radish sculptures
  • Straw goats
  • Scatalogical humor
  • …And more!

Holiday Horrors

An illustration of Saint Nicholas and Krampus grinning at each other.
Saint Nicholas and Krampus. Art from Wikimedia Commons.

Holidays in the United States are pretty warm and fuzzy. Elsewhere ghouls and goblins lurk at every turn and the consequences of not being on your best behavior are severe. Here are a handful of the terrible creatures to make you thankful Santa’s such a softy, such as:

  • Caroling zombie horses
  • Christmas bigfoot
  • The Yule Cat
  • Krampus and other Bad Santas

 Christmas Curry

 Nothing rings in the holidays like ... chicken curry? At least that holds true at Heifer Ranch, where staff and volunteers chilled from the outdoor chores of caring for animals and fields will line up early for Ranch chef Bobbie Hawkins’ rib-sticking feast fit for three kings.

Looking Forward

Thinking about resolutions? One key to keeping resolutions is keeping them realistic. We’ve got suggestions for totally doable resolutions for helping the environment.