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Quiz: How much do you know about Christmas traditions from around the world?

From pickles to lanterns to spiders, there are lots of quirky traditions.
9.01pm, 25 Dec 2025
19.4k

EVERYONE HAS THEIR own way of celebrating Christmas.

Some eat duck instead of turkey, others give presents on Christmas Eve rather than on the 25th.

Further afield, you might find the festivities get even quirkier.

Take the quiz to test your knowledge of traditions abroad!

In Japan, which unusual dinner has become a Christmas tradition for many families?
Alamy
Sushi
KFC

Turkey and ham
Spaghetti bolognese
What does the German-American Christmas pickle tradition involve?
Alamy
Eating pickles for breakfast
Leaving pickles out for Santa

Hiding a pickle ornament in the tree
Gifting a pickle to a neighbour
La Befana, the Christmas gift-bringer in Italy, is traditionally depicted as what?
Alamy
A witch on a broom
A fairy with a lantern

A snowman with a sack
A gnome on a bicycle
During Iceland’s “Jólabókaflóðið,” what do people traditionally exchange on Christmas Eve?
Alamy
Books
Socks

Pencils
Gold
The Giant Lantern Festival in the Philippines features lanterns traditionally made from what material?
Alamy
Silver and gold
Glass and aluminium

Fur and leather
Bamboo and paper
Children in the Netherlands leave out shoes on the evening of 5 December. What are they hoping to find inside the next morning?
Alamy
An elf
Sweets

Money
Fruit
In Venezuela’s capital, how do people traditionally travel to early morning mass in December?
Alamy
By jogging
By plane

By boat
By rollerskating
The Scandinavian Christmas figure “Julenisse” is believed to live where?
Alamy
In a cave
In a forest

In a barn
In a mansion
In Mexico, which decoration is made by carving radishes?
Alamy
Santa
Nativity figures

Elves
A snowman
In Ukraine, why do some families decorate their Christmas trees with spider webs?
Shutterstock
For luck and prosperity
To scare away spirits

To mimic Halloween, which they prefer
They can't be bothered cleaning it
Answer all the questions to see your result!
You scored out of !
Xpert on Xmas
You know loads about Christmas traditions from around the world
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Educated Elf
You know quite a bit about Christmas traditions from around the world
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Non-Traditionalist
You need to brush up on your knowledge of foreign Christmas traditions
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Grinch
You know next to nothing about Christmas traditions from around the world
Share your result:

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