The Quirky Ways 7 Other Countries Celebrate Christmas
Noah Rayman @noahrayman 1:00 AM ET
http://time.com/3642523/christmas-japan-kfc-iceland-italy/
Japan Airlines President Yoshiharu Ueki (2nd L) and Masao Watanabe (2nd R), President of Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan pose with a statue of Colonel Sanders (C) wearing a Santa Claus costume during a photo session after a press conference to announce their new "AIR Kentucky Fried Chicken" in-flight fried chicken service, in Tokyo on November 28, 2012.
KAZUHIRO NOGI—AFP/Getty Images
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If you’ve ever considered it odd that U.S. Christmas traditions revolve around indoor trees (real and plastic) and a plump, bearded man sliding down chimneys… you’re not wrong.
In fact, our conception of Santa Claus can largely be attributed to a single 1828 poem, Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which enshrined the nation’s image of Santa–with his “little round belly” and a beard “as white as the snow–and propagated the idea of him coming through chimneys to deliver gifts in stockings, now common knowledge to children across the country. It’s just one of the ways our Christmas traditions can be traced to quirks of history.
But odd and seemingly arbitrary Christmas traditions are not only the purview of the United States. Around the world, in countries that are majority Christian and countries that are majority not, unique practices emerge as the holiday approaches.
Here’s a look at some of the notable and sometimes bizarre Christmas time traditions around the world.
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The curse was said to be placed on the team because of the Colonel's anger over treatment of one of his store-front statues,[1] which was thrown into the Dōtonbori River by celebrating Hanshin fans following their team's victory in the 1985 Japan Championship Series.[2] As is common with sports-related curses, the Curse of the Colonel was used to explain the team's subsequent 18-year losing streak.[2] Some fans believed the team would never win another Japan Series until the statue had been recovered.[3] They have appeared in the Japan Series three times since then, losing in 2003, 2005 and 2014.
Comparisons are often made between the Hanshin Tigers and the Boston Red Sox, who were said to be under the Curse of the Bambino until they won the World Series in 2004[2] and whose fans are also known for celebrating via destruction of property.[4] The "Curse of the Colonel" has also been used as a bogeyman threat to those who would divulge the secret recipe of eleven herbs and spices that comprise the unique taste of his chicken.[5]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_Colonel
Now you've done it. I'm tellin' Mom!
Did you know he wore the same thing in public for the last 20 years of his life?
He thrived on being a caricature.
That Japan hasn't anthropomorphized Santa into an overly sexualized teen anime boy or girl yet!
/googles anime santa
Oh wait, they have! 
Oh Japan. You never disappoint me!
Thanks and happy, happy holidays to you.
This forum needs more light hearted posts 
Happy Holidays!
