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We’ve all heard of odd customs from around the globe, such as unorthodox methods of calling for good fortune or tomato battles. Some of these customs are so bizarre that they will actually startle you.
The truth is, though, that unusual events are frequently the ones that people remember the most. Experiencing many cultures and customs—some of which may seem too strange to be real—is one of the pleasures of travel.
These nine customs are as distinctive as they are peculiar:
1. Spending Christmas in Central Europe with Krampus While Christmas is typically thought of as a time of happiness and celebration, it has a darker side in nations like Romania, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Presenting Krampus, a terrifying creature that prowls the streets alongside Saint Nicholas. A peculiar and frightening Christmas custom, Krampus punishes mischievous youngsters rather than rewarding good ones.
2. Japan’s Job Security, But There’s a Catch Just picture not having to worry about losing your job. It’s kind of a reality in Japan. Layoffs are quite expensive for companies since they have to pay out large compensation packages to departing employees. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? Not totally. Some businesses use room isolation as an alternative to firing staff members and giving them boring assignments to do until they resign on their own volition.
3. Polterabend: Germany’s Breaking of the Good China In Germany, the bride and groom’s relatives and friends get together shortly before the wedding to smash dishes—except glass! Known as Polterabend, this peculiar tradition is intended to represent the highs and lows of marriage. The couple is then assigned to pick up the mess jointly, which serves to emphasize that they will always need to cooperate in order to maintain order.
4. In Greece, Spitting for Luck In most cultures, it is considered impolite to spit on someone, but in Greece, it is lucky charm! Guests “spit” on the bride in a symbolic manner at weddings to ward off evil spirits. Thankfully, mimicking the sound has replaced genuine spitting as a common practice.
5. Venezuelan Bone Soup While there are cultural differences in how people grieve, the Yanomami tribe of Venezuela and Brazil has a habit that many people may find unsettling. They use the bones and ashes of their loved ones to make soup in remembrance of them, thinking that the spirit can only find peace through ingesting this soup. Although it’s undoubtedly one of the more eerie customs, for them it serves as a means of communication with the dead.
6. India: Throwing Babies Off Rooftops One peculiar custom in the Indian state of Karnataka is tossing children from the top of a temple! This custom is followed by parents who have vowed their allegiance to the Sri Santeswar temple in the hopes that it may benefit their child’s luck.
7.The rest of the world may find this strange, but South Koreans take a lot of superstitions very seriously.
8. Brazilian Dentist Cleaning Teeth at Work You should wait until you visit Brazil if you think it’s weird to brush your teeth at work. Brazilians typically bring their toothbrush and toothpaste to work and brush after lunch. In fact, mouthwash is often provided by eateries! Although it may seem strange, dental hygiene is very important in Brazil, where this peculiar custom is ingrained in daily life.
9. Spending Time at Danish Cemeteries Although most of us avoid cemeteries unless absolutely essential, Danes have made them into well-liked hangouts.
In Denmark, cemeteries are frequently adorned with picturesque gardens and lakes that double as meeting places where people may unwind and even have picnics. What used to be a scary place is now a tranquil haven in this region of the world.
Great explaination on cultural awarness .That really helped me