![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/15843968_1564001553615911_5575559955134238073_o-300x195.jpg\")
Festa Nazionale della Befana Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Italy \u2013 Befana<\/strong><\/h2>\nDespite looking like a witch and riding on a broomstick, this older Italian woman is a really nice lady. She also acts like Santa Claus (or Babbo Natale in Italian) in that she brings candy and toys to Italy\u2019s good children and lumps of coal to bad kids. The difference is she arrives in January on the eve of the religious holiday of the Epiphany. Her legend is also tied to Christ\u2019s birth. One story says she was invited by the Magi to visit the baby Jesus with them, but she turned them down and then later on tried to go on her own but couldn\u2019t find them. Another tale indicates that she did see Jesus and brought him a gift. Nowadays, the Italian municipality of Urbania<\/a> gives this lady much respect with a three-day public festival in January called “Festa Nazionale della Befana” held in her honor.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/23622018_10155202955530888_5450889349229687144_n-300x200.jpg\")
I amsterdam Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
The Netherlands \u2013 Sinterklaas<\/h2>\n
While he looks almost similar to Santa Claus, this Dutchman wears a red papal gown, rides on his white-grey horse named Amerigo, and isn\u2019t carrying around as much weight as his counterpart does (no offense). Plus, he comes to town\u2014or actually Amsterdam<\/a>\u2014a month early. Each year, on a Sunday in mid-November, he arrives in this major city from his home in Spain (history suggests it’s due the country\u2019s past domination over The Netherlands) to start off the holiday season with a massive parade through the city. Children line the route to wave at “Sint” and hopefully catch some raining sweets. In return, Sint drops off a sack full of gifts on the doorstep before heading home to Spain on the evening of December 5, the night before the feast day of Saint Nicolas (December 6).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/11059623_10153341740630897_3381915377399722094_o-300x200.jpg\")
Visit Graz Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Austria: Krampus<\/h2>\n
Krampus easily wins the season for being the most frightening of all the Christmas figures. Just about every place in Austria honors a version of Krampus\u2014and he is as gruff as his name sounds. Being \u201chalf-goat\u201d and \u201chalf-demon,\u201d this horned folkloric character zealously carries out his duty during the Christmas season: punishing misbehaving children with chains or rods, or devouring them for dinner. While he\u2019s quite the contrast in terms of St. Nicholas, Krampus is honored through parades and festivals with people dressing up as him and running through the streets. For example, Salzburg<\/a> holds a number of Krampus runs from late November though early December, while Graz<\/a> features a massive “Krampus and Perchten” procession on December 3.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/15137476_10157737881565392_370738847627931842_o-300x200.jpg\")
Visit Rovaniemi Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Finland\u00a0\u2013 Joulupukki<\/h2>\n
With his name translating to \u201cYule Goat,\u201d this Finish figure originally came from Pagan roots linked to a Nordic practice of people dressing up in animal disguises. This goat was actually scary, too, and he certainly didn’t give out any gifts either.\u00a0Over time, the goat changed in appearance and mannerisms for the better, to become the red-robed, reindeer-pulled sleigh riding gift giver that the Fins knows today. Joulupukki’s home isn’t\u00a0 too different from Santa’s either: His home address in Rovaniemi, a Northern Finland city that\u2019s also the capital of Lapland, resembles the North Pole. Named \u201cthe official hometown of Santa Claus\u201d in 2010,\u00a0Rovaniemi<\/a> has a year-round Santa Claus Village, a touristy venue that ushers in the holiday season with a grand celebration in late November.\u00a0 And Joulupukki probably greets his guests until he has to leave for his delivery route.<\/p>\nALSO:<\/strong> Don’t wait for Santa\u2014get yourself the best rewards in the travelsphere with Orbitz Rewards!<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/15590567_718637691631867_3440334916781413305_n-300x200.jpg\")
Catalunya Experience Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Catalonia \u2013 Ti\u00f3 de Nadal<\/h2>\n
In Spain’s Catalonia region, there\u2019s a wooden Christmas character made of a small, hollow log that\u2019s placed on two legs, sporting a smile and red hat. Tio de Nadal’s name literally means \u201cthe Christmas log\u201d but he has a second nickname: “Caga tio” (or the pooping log)! Starting on the Feast of Immaculate Conception (December 8) and continuing up until Christmas, Catalan families will cater to this log by giving it a small meal consisting of a few morsels of food, plus a blanket to keep it warm. Then on Christmas Eve, the log \u201chands out\u201d small gifts under the blanket\u2014use your imagination! People will sing a special song and hit the log with sticks to help its digestion; in turn, Caga Tio drops out some sweet treats like candies and nuts. When a stinky food falls out, it means all the treats are done. Hold your own celebration by visiting Barcelona<\/a>\u2019s Fira de Santa Ll\u00facia (a Christmas market from late November through December 23) and get a Ti\u00f3 de Nadal to take home.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Ded_Moroz_72-164x300.jpg\")
By Sergeev Pavel via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n
Russia \u2013 Ded Moroz<\/h2>\n
The name of Russia\u2019s version of Santa Claus literally translates as \u201cOld Man Frost\u201d or “Father Frost” and he has facial features similar to those of St. Nick. Yet he\u2019s a pretty different version. He carries a staff and delivers presents to children on New Year\u2019s Eve via a Russian troika, a horse-carriage. He\u2019s also got a helper; his granddaughter, Snegurochka, a female fairy-tale figure also known as \u201cthe Snow Maiden.” It\u2019s also possible to spot this pair at winter events such as the Russian Winter Festival in Moscow<\/a>, happening from mid-December to mid-January. Or trek north to his homebase in the city of Veliky Ustyug, where it’s said that Ded Moroz departs from in late December and comes back in next March to usher in springtime. Meanwhile, his “residence” is open to the public where visitors can shop inside a post office to get souvenir cards and stamps and a specialty postmark.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/773677_1118165804869758_1282166702001665536_o-281x300.jpg\")
Inspired by Iceland Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Iceland – The\u00a0 Yule Lads<\/h2>\n
In total, Iceland\u2019s got not just one Santa but actually 13 of them; collectively they\u2019re known as the Yule Lads. Yet instead of riding around on a sleigh, this holiday brood does a lot of footwork, apparently walking from town to town delivering gifts for good children and supposedly spoiled potatoes for not so good ones. So perhaps it\u2019s fitting that Icelanders celebrate the same amount of days for Christmas (December 24 through January 6).\u00a0 Each of them has his own unique personality, too, in being cheeky imps who play little tricks on people such as slamming doors in private homes or licking bowls clean. While these guys are mostly harmless, their mother, Gr\u00fdla, is downright terrifying. Gr\u00fdla has a long history of hunting for children; naughty kids are her favorite snack. Keep a safe distance while exploring Iceland’s Christmas markets like Yule Town in Reykjavik<\/a>‘s\u00a0Ing\u00f3lfstorg square (from December 2 through 23).
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/15975192_1297744636915188_2176531225884325159_o-300x213.jpg\")
Appenzellerland Tourismus AR Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
Switzerland – Silvesterchl\u00e4use <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nThis set of seasonal visitors can seem like something from another realm or planet, yet they’re actually part of a New Year’s tradition dating back over 200 years. There are three types of Silvesterchl\u00e4use: the Sch\u00f6ne<\/i> (Beautiful), the Sch\u00f6-W\u00fceschte<\/i> (Pretty-Ugly) and the W\u00fceschte<\/i> (Ugly). Taking place on both New Year’s Eve and Old New Year’s (according to the old Julian calendar but on January 13), various types of Silvesterchl\u00e4use <\/span><\/span> don handmade costumes, and masks and walk around communities within Switzerland’s canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. One happening within Urn\u00e4sch<\/a> is called\u00a0<\/span>Urn\u00e4sch Silvesterkl\u00e4use, in which small groups proceed from house to house as carolers and sing and ring their bells. In turn, they receive small monetary gifts to help cover the cost of their costumes and refreshments.<\/p>\n
I amsterdam Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n
The Netherlands \u2013 Sinterklaas<\/h2>\n
While he looks almost similar to Santa Claus, this Dutchman wears a red papal gown, rides on his white-grey horse named Amerigo, and isn\u2019t carrying around as much weight as his counterpart does (no offense). Plus, he comes to town\u2014or actually Amsterdam<\/a>\u2014a month early. Each year, on a Sunday in mid-November, he arrives in this major city from his home in Spain (history suggests it’s due the country\u2019s past domination over The Netherlands) to start off the holiday season with a massive parade through the city. Children line the route to wave at “Sint” and hopefully catch some raining sweets. In return, Sint drops off a sack full of gifts on the doorstep before heading home to Spain on the evening of December 5, the night before the feast day of Saint Nicolas (December 6).<\/p>\n Visit Graz Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n Krampus easily wins the season for being the most frightening of all the Christmas figures. Just about every place in Austria honors a version of Krampus\u2014and he is as gruff as his name sounds. Being \u201chalf-goat\u201d and \u201chalf-demon,\u201d this horned folkloric character zealously carries out his duty during the Christmas season: punishing misbehaving children with chains or rods, or devouring them for dinner. While he\u2019s quite the contrast in terms of St. Nicholas, Krampus is honored through parades and festivals with people dressing up as him and running through the streets. For example, Salzburg<\/a> holds a number of Krampus runs from late November though early December, while Graz<\/a> features a massive “Krampus and Perchten” procession on December 3.<\/p>\n Visit Rovaniemi Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n With his name translating to \u201cYule Goat,\u201d this Finish figure originally came from Pagan roots linked to a Nordic practice of people dressing up in animal disguises. This goat was actually scary, too, and he certainly didn’t give out any gifts either.\u00a0Over time, the goat changed in appearance and mannerisms for the better, to become the red-robed, reindeer-pulled sleigh riding gift giver that the Fins knows today. Joulupukki’s home isn’t\u00a0 too different from Santa’s either: His home address in Rovaniemi, a Northern Finland city that\u2019s also the capital of Lapland, resembles the North Pole. Named \u201cthe official hometown of Santa Claus\u201d in 2010,\u00a0Rovaniemi<\/a> has a year-round Santa Claus Village, a touristy venue that ushers in the holiday season with a grand celebration in late November.\u00a0 And Joulupukki probably greets his guests until he has to leave for his delivery route.<\/p>\n ALSO:<\/strong> Don’t wait for Santa\u2014get yourself the best rewards in the travelsphere with Orbitz Rewards!<\/a><\/p>\n Catalunya Experience Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n In Spain’s Catalonia region, there\u2019s a wooden Christmas character made of a small, hollow log that\u2019s placed on two legs, sporting a smile and red hat. Tio de Nadal’s name literally means \u201cthe Christmas log\u201d but he has a second nickname: “Caga tio” (or the pooping log)! Starting on the Feast of Immaculate Conception (December 8) and continuing up until Christmas, Catalan families will cater to this log by giving it a small meal consisting of a few morsels of food, plus a blanket to keep it warm. Then on Christmas Eve, the log \u201chands out\u201d small gifts under the blanket\u2014use your imagination! People will sing a special song and hit the log with sticks to help its digestion; in turn, Caga Tio drops out some sweet treats like candies and nuts. When a stinky food falls out, it means all the treats are done. Hold your own celebration by visiting Barcelona<\/a>\u2019s Fira de Santa Ll\u00facia (a Christmas market from late November through December 23) and get a Ti\u00f3 de Nadal to take home.<\/p>\n By Sergeev Pavel via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n The name of Russia\u2019s version of Santa Claus literally translates as \u201cOld Man Frost\u201d or “Father Frost” and he has facial features similar to those of St. Nick. Yet he\u2019s a pretty different version. He carries a staff and delivers presents to children on New Year\u2019s Eve via a Russian troika, a horse-carriage. He\u2019s also got a helper; his granddaughter, Snegurochka, a female fairy-tale figure also known as \u201cthe Snow Maiden.” It\u2019s also possible to spot this pair at winter events such as the Russian Winter Festival in Moscow<\/a>, happening from mid-December to mid-January. Or trek north to his homebase in the city of Veliky Ustyug, where it’s said that Ded Moroz departs from in late December and comes back in next March to usher in springtime. Meanwhile, his “residence” is open to the public where visitors can shop inside a post office to get souvenir cards and stamps and a specialty postmark.<\/p>\n Inspired by Iceland Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n In total, Iceland\u2019s got not just one Santa but actually 13 of them; collectively they\u2019re known as the Yule Lads. Yet instead of riding around on a sleigh, this holiday brood does a lot of footwork, apparently walking from town to town delivering gifts for good children and supposedly spoiled potatoes for not so good ones. So perhaps it\u2019s fitting that Icelanders celebrate the same amount of days for Christmas (December 24 through January 6).\u00a0 Each of them has his own unique personality, too, in being cheeky imps who play little tricks on people such as slamming doors in private homes or licking bowls clean. While these guys are mostly harmless, their mother, Gr\u00fdla, is downright terrifying. Gr\u00fdla has a long history of hunting for children; naughty kids are her favorite snack. Keep a safe distance while exploring Iceland’s Christmas markets like Yule Town in Reykjavik<\/a>‘s\u00a0Ing\u00f3lfstorg square (from December 2 through 23). Appenzellerland Tourismus AR Facebook page<\/p><\/div>\n This set of seasonal visitors can seem like something from another realm or planet, yet they’re actually part of a New Year’s tradition dating back over 200 years. There are three types of Silvesterchl\u00e4use: the Sch\u00f6ne<\/i> (Beautiful), the Sch\u00f6-W\u00fceschte<\/i> (Pretty-Ugly) and the W\u00fceschte<\/i> (Ugly). Taking place on both New Year’s Eve and Old New Year’s (according to the old Julian calendar but on January 13), various types of Silvesterchl\u00e4use <\/span><\/span> don handmade costumes, and masks and walk around communities within Switzerland’s canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. One happening within Urn\u00e4sch<\/a> is called\u00a0<\/span>Urn\u00e4sch Silvesterkl\u00e4use, in which small groups proceed from house to house as carolers and sing and ring their bells. In turn, they receive small monetary gifts to help cover the cost of their costumes and refreshments.<\/p>\nAustria: Krampus<\/h2>\n
Finland\u00a0\u2013 Joulupukki<\/h2>\n
Catalonia \u2013 Ti\u00f3 de Nadal<\/h2>\n
Russia \u2013 Ded Moroz<\/h2>\n
Iceland – The\u00a0 Yule Lads<\/h2>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nSwitzerland – Silvesterchl\u00e4use <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Pic-1-Knecht-Ruprecht-244x300.jpg\")
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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"