Christmas lights in Tokyo , Japan Courtesy photo
mimic that of the Star of Bethlehem . The festival ’ s origins date back to Bacolor , once the capital of Pampanga , when devout Catholics brought lanterns during procession of the images of patron saints .
The festival and competition is held Dec . 17 through Jan . 1 .
Japan
What do Americans and Japanese have in common ? Apparently a fondness for fried chicken .
Christmas isn ’ t as predominant a holiday in Japan , where only an estimated 1 % are Christian , according to Smithsonian Magazine . But those that do celebrate do so over a bucket of the Colonel ’ s famous Kentucky Fried Chicken .
KFC came to Japan in the 1970s and launched its Kentucky for Christmas campaign in 1974 , selling a bucket of chicken along with a bottle of wine .
Since then , the campaign has continued to evolve over the years to include Colonel statues dressed in Santa attire and Christmas-exclusive menu items like a roast chicken stuffed with cheese and mushrooms and baked fresh in the restaurant .
The famous party bucket also changes each year , featuring different sides and a new festive design .
Iceland
Children in Iceland celebrate 13 days of Christmas compared to our 12 .
The number comes for each of 13 Yule Lads , one of whom visits the home each night .
Children will put a shoe on their window sill , and a new Yule Lad will visit and place a small gift in the shoe .
As folklore goes , children are either greeted with candy , for good behavior , or a rotten potato .
New Zealand
If we ’ re lucky , we might get to see a snow-white Christmas .
Flowers of the Pohutukawa tree , also called the New Zealand Christmas tree Courtesy | Bojan Jankuloski
In New Zealand , however , Christmas time falls in the summer for the Kiwis .
Likewise , their Christmas festivities center around our July 4th activities …. barbecues and cookouts .
The Kiwis do , however , have their own Christmas tree , in the form the pohutukawa , a coastal plant that blooms bright red in December .
Denmark
What may resemble a garden gnome to us is a symbol of protection in Denmark .
Homes around Christmastime are decorated with superstitious characters known as nissers , which are believed to provide protection for the household .
Some traditions include leaving rice porridge with butter and cinnamon for the nisser at the door of the attic , as a sign of respect and effort to keep them in good spirits .
Norway
The Christmas season begins a little earlier in Norway — Dec . 3 , to be exact .
Families celebrate Little Christmas Eve , Lille Julaften , on Dec . 23 , when families begin to decorate their trees , tidy the house and bake gingerbread men .
Ireland
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