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In this wonder-filled world, with so many cultures and religions to learn about, it is no wonder that some normal things to us may seem a bit too weird for others. With the invention of the internet and the ability to see what people celebrate at the smallest corners of the world, weird traditions get discovered and even adopted with much ease. The perfect example is American traditions, which are, thanks to its long history of migration, the result of cultures and religions mixing in with each other. Halloween? One of the many national traditions that were adopted by the American people. One might even wonder - what traditions which might seem to be weird are important to the people celebrating them?

The traditions that we see as weird usually come into existence from a backstory-rich background from two sources - culture or religion. That is what cultural traditions and customs are - processes and aspects passed down to people by their parents, relatives, and friends. However weird they may seem, weird customs are the foundation of a culture's history. A reminder of the beautiful past and what makes them unique. Sometimes, a new tradition can be started and become a national custom when its significance is recognized by the wider part of the public. 

With one of the major traditions of the year, Christmas, approaching us on the calendar, it might be important to catch up on some of the weird traditions around the world. With the list below, take a look at the world around you and see what people celebrate due to their interest in those traditions. Upvote the ones that you think are cool in weirdness and meaning, and comment down below on the ones that maybe you celebrate too!

#1

There’s An International Hair Freezing Contest In Yukon, Canada

There’s An International Hair Freezing Contest In Yukon, Canada

While others despise the winter season and drive it away, people from Yukon, Canada, celebrate this season in a freezing way: dunking their heads into hot springs and waiting for their hair to freeze over, and icicles to form. With temperatures reaching -30 Celsius, it is one of the weirdest, but coolest, traditions.

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#2

In Gloucestershire, England, People Gather To Roll Cheese Down A Hill

In Gloucestershire, England, People Gather To Roll Cheese Down A Hill

With Spring being the season of rebirth, when nature begins to show itself once more, it’s normal for people to celebrate. In Gloucestershire, England, locals and visitors gather around to roll cheese down a steep and grass-field-covered hill and chase them. While dangerous to the participants, it still attracts plenty of people each May.

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Pat Bond
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Coopers Hill to be precise, I went a few years ago, that pic doesn't really do justice to how steep it really is. A day of laughing and wincing in equal measure

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#3

Castrillo De Murcia In Spain Has A Baby Jumping Festival

Castrillo De Murcia In Spain Has A Baby Jumping Festival

Some cultures view a child's birth as a gift not only to the nation but also to the culture overall, a new member to celebrate. To prepare them for the future, in Castrillo De Murcia, Spain, local people bless the babies born the previous year by allowing a “devil” to jump over them. With no injuries reported, it is a tradition that dates back to the 1600s.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They wisely put the babies in pairs. If a jumper falls short his foot just stomps harmlessly between the two delighted infants.

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#4

In Lopburi, Thailand, The Residents Prepare An Annual Feast For The Local Monkeys

In Lopburi, Thailand, The Residents Prepare An Annual Feast For The Local Monkeys

Humans are part of nature so it is important to include a bit of the natural aspect into your tradition. Lopburi, Thailand has the tradition of preparing some food for the local monkeys that surround the town. From watermelons to lettuce and more, it is done to bring good luck not only to the people but also to gain favor from the monkeys who bring that luck to the region.

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#5

Polterabend In Germany

Polterabend In Germany

To add to the previously mentioned wedding traditions, Germany added a little bit of spice to the traditional way weddings are conducted. The day before the wedding is to happen, friends and family gather to smash different things on the floor of the happy couple. From plates to flowerpots, there are few things that are safe from destruction. After the mess is made, the soon-to-be newlywed couple clean everything up, setting a strong foundation for their future.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like exactly what an engaged couple needs THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING. (I bet the good friends stay to help clean up 👍🙂)

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#6

Boot Tossing, Finland

Boot Tossing, Finland

No one can debate that shoes have to be worn on the feet, but the Finnish have a unique way of using their shoes for the sake of tradition. The title of oddest sport belongs to Finland. Boot tossing has been practiced for generations, just like wife carrying.

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Chocolate llama
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With that shirt it really gives the impression he's yeeting that boot right towards an unsuspecting person

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#7

The Mari Lwyd, Wales

The Mari Lwyd, Wales

Welsh Christmas customs like the Mari Lwyd date back to the first half of the nineteenth century. A horse's skull is embellished, and it is then mounted on a broomstick. The skull seems like the head of some scary horse because the person holding the stick is draped in a sheet. The horse will stop and knock on every door before moving on. When a door is opened, the people who have gathered around the horse start singing and requesting admittance inside the house.

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and then they have to have sort of a classical rap battle, with the homeowners responding to Mari Lwyd telling it why they can’t let it in. if the people can’t respond to Mari Lwyd with a rhyme quick enough, it raids your pantry & drinks your beer

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#8

“Partita A Scacchi”, Marostica, Italy

“Partita A Scacchi”, Marostica, Italy

Chess is a game of strategy and thinking, making it quite boring to some people. The northern Italian town of Marostica is extremely delighted to host a human chess game every two years in September. The custom has its roots in a narrative from the fifteenth century. A product of a love triangle, it is one of the most fun traditions to partake in.

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#9

Oaxaca, Mexico, Has A Massive Radish-Carving Festival During The Holiday Season

Oaxaca, Mexico, Has A Massive Radish-Carving Festival During The Holiday Season

Radishes - we grow them in our gardens and most often buy them at the store when the appetite arises. In Oaxaca, Mexico, the radish-carving tradition dates back more than 120 years. Local people carve out figures and statues from the radishes they grow and display them to other locals and visitors of the region.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have friends from Oaxaca, but this is my first time hearing about this. (Also, check out those giant mutant radishes!)

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#10

Midsummer Day, Lithuania

Midsummer Day, Lithuania

Lithuanians celebrate the warm season of summer with the day of Midsummer. During this day,  young women must only wash their cheeks with fresh dew in the morning. Later in the evening, people gather around bonfires in the countryside and around the cities to make wishes and cast spell bags into the water to bring their desires to pass. Young couples also visit rural areas to look for fern blooms.

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Hugh Cookson
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

' Young couples also visit rural areas to look for fern blooms ' I'm reading between those very broad lines !!! Also, I'd take a bet that the birth rate goes up 9 months after the Midsummer festival ...

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#11

A Groundhog Predicts How Long Winter Will Last In The United States

A Groundhog Predicts How Long Winter Will Last In The United States

Predicting the future is hard for people, no one can do it with 100 percent accuracy, but animals are more predictable. In the United States, groundhogs are said to predict the future of the winter season's end - if it’s going to stay a bit longer, most often six weeks, or if it’s going to give way for the upcoming spring. If the ceremonial hog sees a shadow, you're going to have to wait a bit longer for the warm weather.

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RagDollLali
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Punxsutawney Phil is the groundhog's name. There's a really funny comedy called Groundhog's Day starring Bill Murray, for anyone who's never seen it I recommend you check it out!

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#12

The Battle Of Rockets (Rouketopolemos), Greece

The Battle Of Rockets (Rouketopolemos), Greece

In a little hamlet called Vrontados on the Greek island of Chios, two churches stand across from one another in a ravine. Then on Easter, opposing members try to use rockets to ring the bell of the rival church. The winner is reportedly determined by counting direct hits on each belfry the following day, yet each parish consistently asserts victory.

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DetriMentaL
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why am I sniggering at the thought of how alarmed an unaware tourist would be to see this !?

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#13

Festival Of Scrambled Eggs In Bosnia

Festival Of Scrambled Eggs In Bosnia

Eggs are one of the most popular foods to eat in the world. It’s a universal food which perfectly combines with many other foods. But Zenica, Bosnia has taken it a step further. To welcome the spring season, local people cook scrambled eggs in the morning and spend the rest of the day on leisure activities, relaxing and partying all around.

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#14

Stonehaven, Scotland Celebrates New Year’s With Literal Balls Of Fire

Stonehaven, Scotland Celebrates New Year’s With Literal Balls Of Fire

While firework shooting has become the main tradition that everyone partakes in around the world, Stonehaven, Scotland has also integrated literal balls of fire into their celebrations. People gather around and swing blazing fireballs around to celebrate the occasion. It is said that this tradition dates back to the old age of the Vikings.

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#15

Bathtub Regatta, Belgium

Bathtub Regatta, Belgium

Water is a vital part of our existence. It keeps us clean, away from thirst, and sometimes even entertained. The beginnings of this one-kilometer-long race along the River Meuse in Dinant, Belgium, can be traced back to 1982. The floating device's use of a bathtub is one of the requirements for succeeding against up to 49 other competitors. It is encouraged to decorate the bathtubs.

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#16

Caber Toss, Scotland, UK

Caber Toss, Scotland, UK

With sports being a way of improving oneself, it is not so uncommon to celebrate strength by showcasing it to other people. The traditional Scottish athletic contest involves men wearing kilts tossing a big pole called a caber, and it is practiced at the Scottish Highland Games. In contrast to modern sports, tossing is more about the position the pole lands in than it is about how far it travels. The pole must be thrown with its thinner end facing away from the tosser and land flat on the ground with its larger end.

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#17

If You’re Not Married On Your 25th Birthday, In Denmark You Might Be Doused In Cinnamon

If You’re Not Married On Your 25th Birthday, In Denmark You Might Be Doused In Cinnamon

With Denmark being on the straits separating the Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic sea, it was only normal that some amenities from the west would come there. The Danish adopted the spices into their tradition as a way to play a funny joke on the people. If you are not married by the time you're 25, expect some cinnamon to be thrown at you. If you are over 30, be ready for some black pepper to be thrown too.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And heaven help you if you turn 40 and are still single. That’s when the rocks and the pepper spray come out.

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Melene Majlovic
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But you seem to be missing the whole explanation of this tradition. In the old days, an unmarried man over the age of 30 was called a pepper merchant. Later you started giving them pepper grinders and now you pour pepper over them - it's a gimmick for your birthday

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Pernille.
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Huh? I'm Danish, and have never known anyone this has happened to, but it might be a new tradition, it has been ten years since I last lived there.

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John Barber
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Throw cinnamon on me, and you will learn the true meaning of the word "regret".

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Luna Crow
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No disrespect to the tradition, but what's up with societal pressure to be married?

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Charlie
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's an older tradition, we don't have the same societal pressure for marriage anymore. Some people, often mostly of male persuasion just seem to like to do stuff like dousing a person with cinnamon and the likes for shits and giggles. The Cinnamon tradition is a later development than the Pepper one, problably because people couldnt wait another 5 years to douse their friends with something.. Anyway it varies how People implements the Pepper or Cinnamon in the celebration, if they do anything of the sort at all. When my (now) significant other turned 30, he just got a Pepper Mill.

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Happy Panda
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, for me that would be in 2 years' time. I better not set foot in Denmark LOL

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Charlie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are totally safe now, being 34. It's Cinnamon when turning 25 years old, and Pepper when turning 30, after that age, no more spice tossing.. ;)

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#18

The Frog Dance (Små Grodorna), Sweden

The Frog Dance (Små Grodorna), Sweden

Don't worry if you've seen Midsommar, the scary horror movie with a Swedish setting. If you decide to visit Sweden during their midsummer solstice events, there won't be anything similar. To the pace of upbeat music, players dance around a maypole while hopping like frogs and using motions that depict body regions that frogs lack.

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Pat Bond
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

♫♫In the woods there grew a tree, A fine, fine tree was he, On that tree there was a limb, And on that limb there was a branch, On that branch there was a nest, And in that nest there was an egg, In that egg there was a bird, And from that bird a feather came, Of that feather was a bed.................♫♫ wickerman1...5afd4d.jpg wickerman1-637f7f85afd4d.jpg

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#19

The Sausage Tossing (Eis-Zwei-Geissebei), Switzerland

The Sausage Tossing (Eis-Zwei-Geissebei), Switzerland

On Shrove Tuesday at precisely 3:15 pm, a large crowd of kids and adults congregate in front of Rapperswil's city hall. When the mayor asks, "Are all my guys here?" the children yell out, "One, two, goat leg!" loudly and clearly. The mayor and council members then throw sausages, loaves of bread, and pastries into the throng after opening the windows.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“The very first year they threw all that food BEFORE opening the windows. The tradition was adjusted accordingly the next year.”

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#20

The Wife Carrying Race (Eukonkanto), Finland

The Wife Carrying Race (Eukonkanto), Finland

To test their strength, Finnish men participate in the sport contest known as “wife-carrying”. The history of this contest in Finland is a little murky, originating in the 19th century, when a thief was alleged to have carried all he stole on his back, including the women.

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B.Nelson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I kept on not seeing it and started to get worried. Don't worry guys, the winner gets an amount of beer equal to the wife's weight.

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#21

Buñol, Spain, Hosts A Massive Food Fight Where Overripe Tomatoes Are Used

Buñol, Spain, Hosts A Massive Food Fight Where Overripe Tomatoes Are Used

Tomatoes have become a staple of many cuisines around the world, but the Spanish people have taken it to further levels. In the city of Buñol, there is an event where a fight about food happens, and the ammunition? Overripe tomatoes. A friendly fight, trucks are brought in with tomatoes and the ensuing chaos covers the people and the city overall in tomatoes.

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Turnip and a Frog
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

40 thousand people in a crowd that was all about fun and joy, but no one stepped on my foot or hit me accidentally with an elbow while taking a swing. I remember the tomatoes being quite sour, but I was indeed literally covered from head to toe plus all the places you don't want any food to reach. And I couldn't even say later that "I just fell on it..."

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#22

Battle Of The Oranges In Italy

Battle Of The Oranges In Italy

In Ivrea, Italy, every year, something very odd happens during the three days before Mardi Gras. The locals split into nine distinct squads, wear war gear, and over the course of several days, throw oranges at one another in an effort to eliminate the other teams. This game's ancestry is unknown.

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#23

The Danube Race For The Cross (Plivanje Za Casni Krst), Romania

The Danube Race For The Cross (Plivanje Za Casni Krst), Romania

One of the strangest customs in Europe is practiced by the Romanians: a young guy swims in the icy river while a hundred or more spectators watch an Orthodox priest toss a cross into the water. It probably helps that everyone drinks homemade vodka before the occasion. If you can return the cross to safety, you will experience luck for a full year.

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#24

Presidential Turkey Pardons

Presidential Turkey Pardons

While Thanksgiving is celebrated by a few in Europe, it is a vital celebration in the United States. Since the 1940s, US presidents have received a Thanksgiving turkey at a formal ceremony and, on rare occasions, have formally pardoned the bird to save its life. And if you're asking whether this ceremony has a deeper significance or symbolic meaning, the answer is no.

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#25

The Giant Omelette (Omelette Géante), France

The Giant Omelette (Omelette Géante), France

The inhabitants of the Southern French city of Bessières have a unique tradition to welcome spring: one day after Easter festivities, they prepare a massive omelet composed of more than 4,500 eggs that can feed up to 1,000 people in the town's central plaza. Existing since Napoleon's times, according to legend, Napoleon did the most to make this festival come to reality by ordering a large omelet to be made.

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#26

The Russ Celebrations (Russefeiring), Norway

The Russ Celebrations (Russefeiring), Norway

Norwegian high school students regularly observe Russefeiring during their last spring semester. Participants in this celebration drive similar cars, vans, and buses, wear colored overalls  often red  and party nonstop for two weeks. Authorities prepare themselves every year for ongoing public intoxication and unrest during the holiday.

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Nilsen
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Normally about a month, from mid April to the Constitution Day on May 17th. And after that they sit for the exams that decide if they get into colleges or universities or not.

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#27

The National Hollerin’ Contest, North Carolina

The National Hollerin’ Contest, North Carolina

Phones are rather a new invention, so hollerin’ is still not a forgotten art in our society, especially in the USA. Hollerin' was a highly developed method of communication over great distances that was particularly well-liked in the American Southeast. It is a combination between a yodel and a hunting cry. The National Hollerin' Contest was established in 1969 in Spivey's Corner, North Carolina, to carry on this fun custom, and it has continued every year since.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m from the USA and this is literally my first time hearing of this. Publicly acceptable screaming sounds great! 😂

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#28

Nenana Ice Classic, Alaska

Nenana Ice Classic, Alaska

The last frontier and the icebox of the USA, Alaska is probably one of the coldest places on earth. So there will most certainly be a tradition relating to Alaska's coldness. In one town in this state, people bet on when the river ice will break and a tripod is placed on the ice to track the time. When the ice eventually breaks, the winner gets quite a pool of prize money.

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#29

Congratulating The Entire Family On One Person’s Birthday, Netherlands

Congratulating The Entire Family On One Person’s Birthday, Netherlands

Sometimes, the birthday is a celebration not of the person who is turning a year older, but of the entire family, who support the birthday boy or girl. It's customary in the Netherlands to celebrate birthdays by giving well wishes to the celebrant's family members as well as the actual birthday boy or girl.

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Debbie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To clarify, this indeed is just a wish/greeting - you enter the house, and while greeting everyone (shaking hands) you congratulate the person with his/her verjaardag and give a present, and you greet/congratulate the family members with also. I never really thought about it. I used the dutch word verjaardag, which means one year has passed. So we congratulate everyone with the birthay boy/girl having become one year older.

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#30

Every Year, The Czechs Have A Witch-Burning Festival To Ward Off The Evils Of Winter

Every Year, The Czechs Have A Witch-Burning Festival To Ward Off The Evils Of Winter

While some during the winter season build snowmen and such to celebrate it, the Czechs seem to hate this season with a burning passion. Literally. They construct straw and hay witches, which represent the winter season, and burn them to ward off winter and the cold weather. And some would say that it works every time!

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Chocolate llama
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean, regarding what we're doing to the climate of our planet, they can probably stop at this point...

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#31

Famadihana

Famadihana

Funerals are a sad occasion, but sometimes, there can be happiness seen in it. A tribe in Madagascar known as the Malagasy practices a burial custom called famadihana. To honor the deceased's life, this tradition entails dancing with their bodies. People dance with their bodies as they are removed from the grave, rewrapped in new fabric, and then carried. One of these ceremonies is carried out every seven years.

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#32

Coal Walking In China

Coal Walking In China

Throughout the world, babies are born, but China places a unique emphasis on this event. The arrival of a newborn is surrounded by numerous customs and rules. The strangest custom involves the husband carrying the pregnant woman over hot coal before they enter their home. Naturally, he must perform it without shoes.

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I'm.Just.A.Girl
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this something that is encouraged enough to bring on disappointment if not completed? I just can't imagine being super willing to do that with a pregnant woman in my arms... If I wére a man. As a woman, (because I am) I would fear being dropped onto the coals 😧.

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#33

The Thaipusam Festival

The Thaipusam Festival

This Hindu holiday is celebrated at the start of each year by people from the Tamil community. It is held on full moon nights and is devoted to Lord Murugan, the god of war. They carry out other physically demanding procedures, such as piercing body parts with long silver pins. Anything for the good of the gods.

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Headless Roach
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The person in the picture seems to be struggling with the "anything" aspect 🙃

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#34

The Maypole (Maibaum), Austria

The Maypole (Maibaum), Austria

Austria, like Germany, is not a stranger to weird traditions. On May 1st, Austrians typically erect and protect their maypoles, while the nearby rival village, as part of the tradition, try to steal them overnight. The rivals will usually steal only the decently portable ones, even though most of the maypoles will be protected against such possibilities.

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kitten levels tokyo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Giving rise to the popular saying, “You steal my maypole, I punch your cake-hole.”

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#35

Ostrich Racing, Arizona

Ostrich Racing, Arizona

Ostriches are interesting animals, sometimes thought of as being horses with wings and attitudes. When ostriches were originally introduced to the US in the 1880s, ostrich-riding competitions erupted in several states across the nation. The largest current race was held in 2019 at the Chandler Ostrich Festival in Arizona.

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#36

Cherry Pit Spitting, Michigan

Cherry Pit Spitting, Michigan

The International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship, hosted at the Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm in Michigan, celebrated its 46th anniversary in 2019. Eat the cherry and spit the pit as far as you can is all there is to it. It is not permitted for contestants to "pop" their cheeks with their hands, and no props or other items are permitted.

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Surfing Panda
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Definitely NOT Michigan housing style. I'm thinking France (see also the name of the Gallery in the back) Found it: Cèret, France. https://www.leblogdejielka.com/2016/07/ceret-galerie-miliou-cats.html

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#37

Flag Throwing In Tuscany, Italy

Flag Throwing In Tuscany, Italy

Although the Tuscan region is known for its wine, olives, pasta, and Tuscan sun, flag-throwing is a particularly significant custom. Young men and women conduct synchronized flag tossing and catching acrobatic displays during festivals today, continuing this ancient tradition  a stunning sight to behold while visiting Tuscany!

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#38

Baby Tossing In India

Baby Tossing In India

The child's safety must be secured every second, but in India, it is customary to toss infants off the sides of temples as part of a rite. It is customary to bring your newborn back to the 50-foot-tall Sri Santeswar temple in India after getting married there and toss your child onto a cloth that is being held by both Muslims and Hindus below.

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#39

The Puck Fair, Ireland

The Puck Fair, Ireland

The small town of Killorglin, which hosts Ireland's oldest and oddest festival, is located deep within one of the country's most renowned landscapes. A wild male goat called a "puck", who is crowned monarch of the town for three days during this ancient festival, becomes King Puck. He is positioned in a tall cage in the town square where he can observe everyone.

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#40

Shoving Faces In Cake In Mexico

Shoving Faces In Cake In Mexico

While celebrating a birthday with a cake is normal every year, due to the importance of the occasion, smashing a face into the cake is quite weird. In Mexico, as a way of marking the celebration, the celebrating person has their hands tied behind them and as they go for the first bite, they get pushed into the cake while hearing “Mordida! Mordida! Mordida!” being yelled at them. One can’t forget, Mexico produces quite creamy cakes.

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Audra Sisler
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would so open my mouth as wide as I could to get a BIG bite of that cake!! 😆

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