Since early pagan rituals, the Yule Goat has been a Swedish Christmas symbol. The tradition was given a new lease on life in 1966 when someone came up with the concept of making a large straw goat, now known as the Gävle Goat.

Gävle Goat was created with the intention of attracting customers to the city's southern stores and eateries. The massive goat was erected in Castle Square on the first Sunday of Advent in 1966. The Gävle Goat has become a Christmas emblem in the same spot every year since then and is now well-known all around the world. The goat is the world's largest straw goat and was initially inducted into the Guinness Book of Records in 1985.

Although Christmas isn't a national holiday in Japan (according to Smithsonian Magazine, just about 1% of the population is Christian), its residents find an intriguing and delicious way to celebrate. Families go to their local Kentucky Fried Chicken instead of gathering around the table for a turkey feast.

After a hugely successful marketing campaign named "Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!" or "Kentucky for Christmas!" in 1974, the tradition began. The fast-food company has retained its holiday popularity, prompting some customers to place orders months in advance or wait in two-hour lines for its "finger lickin' excellent" meals.

The 13 Yule Lads visit Icelandic children every night before Christmas. The kids will go upstairs to bed after putting their shoes by the window. If they've been good, they'll have received sweets, but if they've been naughty, they'll be greeted with shoes full of rotten potatoes.

Almost every Icelander is guaranteed to receive new clothing and a book as a gift. Some Icelanders visit the graveyard after supper and unpacking to light a candle for loved ones. Some people pay visits to their closest relatives, sit down with them, and share desserts such as homemade ice cream, cookies, and chocolate candies. Some people choose to stay at home and read all of their Christmas cards, read their new book, or play cards.

Finish families traditionally eat rice and milk porridge with cinnamon, milk, or butter on Christmas morning. The person who finds the almond hidden within one of the puddings "wins," but some families cheat by hiding a few almonds to keep the kids from becoming upset.

Visits to the Christmas sauna and church, as well as visits to the cemetery on Christmas Eve, listening to Christmas carols, opening the Christmas calendar, lighting Advent candles, searching for a Christmas tree, decorating the home, and enjoying traditional food with family and loved ones, are all long-standing Finnish traditions.

Before Christianity came to the Danes, Christmas Day was a celebration of brighter days, jól, as it occurred just before the winter solstice. Today, dwellings are adorned with nisser - superstitious characters, who are thought to bring protection. Danish families put their Christmas tree in the centre of the room and dance around it while singing carols on December 24th.

The advent wreath symbolizes the start of the Danish Christmas season. One candle is lit every Sunday in December leading up to Christmas Eve on the wreath, which has four candles. The calendar candle is another custom. This candle has 24 lines on it, which are usually ornamented with Christmas designs.

Food is a crucial component of any Barbados celebration, and Christmas is no exception. A Christmas meal in Barbados isn't complete without a baked ham with pineapple and sorrel glazes, rum cake, and Jug Jug, a dish made with pigeon peas, guinea corn flour, herbs, and salt meat influenced by the Scottish heritage.

In Barbados, Christmas is all about gathering with family and friends to celebrate the season. House parties are conducted in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas, with invites made to family, friends, and neighbors.

On Christmas in South Africa, most families gather for a holiday cookout, known as braaing. The main course consists of marinated steaks and boerewors sausages, with a traditional dessert of malva pudding served with custard. Hand-beaded African decorations are among the baubles used to decorate traditional fir Christmas trees.

In towns and cities, going carol singing on Christmas Eve is highly common. On Christmas Eve, Carols by Candlelight services are very popular. A large number of people also attend a Christmas morning church service.

Orthodox Christians account for about half of Ukraine's population, and they celebrate Christmas Day on January 7 by donning traditional garb and singing hymns as they stroll across town.

A typical Christmas Eve dessert is kutya, which is comprised of cooked wheat combined with honey, powdered poppy seeds, and sometimes almonds. Some households throw a spoonful of kutya at the ceiling, hoping that it will stick and bring a good harvest the next year.

Pastorelas (Shepherd's Plays) are performed all over Mexico by church people to recount the Christmas story. The Mexican Christmas season kicks off in early December with Las Posadas, a religious procession that re-enacts Mary and Joseph's journey. Poinsettia flowers, which are bright red, are also utilized in holiday arrangements all throughout the country.

Candle-lit processions, ornate nativity scenes, Spanish Christmas carols, dancing, and fireworks are all part of the festivities. While Christmas trees and Santa Claus have made an appearance in Mexican celebrations, the holidays are deeply entrenched in Spanish and indigenous cultures.

On December 24 and 25, Central American countries such as El Salvador celebrate Christmas with fireworks displays. Smaller firecrackers called volcancitos (little volcanos) and estrellitas (little stars) are used by children, while larger firecrackers and Roman candles are preferred by adults.

In El Salvador, the entire family celebrates the holiday by attending church together on Christmas Eve and returning home to a lavish feast. At the dinner table, roasted turkey, potato salad, rice, chicken, and alcohol are served, along with beverages such as Coke, rum, or wine, known as gaseosas.