The race for the Holy Cross in Romania. Photo: Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press1. Pickled ram testicles to get through winter in Iceland
From mid-January to mid-February. What better way to endure the Icelandic winter than a dish of pickled ram testicles, fermented shark, and boiled sheep's head? Would Sir or Madam care for a bit of lamb meat smoked with sheep dung? These hearty dishes are on the menu for the celebration of Thorrablot, a tradition dating back to pre-Christian times in Iceland. It is all washed down with Brennivin, a herb-flavored schnapps affectionately known as "Black Death." Cheers!
2. Diving into icy waters in Eastern Europe
January 19th. We are in the heart of winter, and the mercury is near freezing. Fancy a quick swim in cold water? From Serbia to the former Soviet Union, from the Black Sea to the Bosphorus, to celebrate the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River, Orthodox Christians of Eastern Europe do not hesitate to dive into icy waters. When the patriarch, in full regalia, throws a wooden cross into the water, swimmers encouraged by the crowd rush to seize it. It is said that the lucky winner will have a prosperous year. Such is the tradition.
3. Haggis galore in Scotland
January 25th. Regarding traditions, the Scots are not to be outdone; they commemorate the birth of their national poet, Robert Burns, by devouring a sort of giant sausage made of minced sheep's heart, liver, and lungs stuffed into a lamb's stomach. This is the famous haggis, the centerpiece of Burns Night. When the dish arrives at the table, a guest recites Burns' poem "Address to a Haggis," before the knife plunges into its "noble entrails," as the poet so aptly wrote (illustration).
According to tradition, a man makes a toast while humorously discussing the role of the "fairer sex." A woman then responds by presenting her point of view on men.
"I have given the reply twice and you have to be thick-skinned because it's an opportunity for everyone to mock each other's weaknesses," explains Jennie Landels, a Burns Night regular. "Since women have the last word, they know how to find biting retorts!"
4. A red thread bracelet to celebrate the arrival of spring in Greece
March 1st. On the last day of February, Greeks have the custom of making or buying a small bracelet of twisted red and white threads that they wear in March to celebrate the coming arrival of spring and—in theory—to protect their cheeks from sunburn. The Martis, from the Greek word for the month of March, is a tradition also practiced in the Balkans.
"This simple bracelet had a magical power over my mood," confides Angelica Papastamati, who grew up in Athens and remembers weaving them as a child. "Wearing it signaled the end of the depressing winter period."
In some rural areas, tradition dictates that you tie your bracelet to the first blossoming tree, or to a rosebush if you have seen a swallow.
5. Mimosa bouquets for gender equality in Italy
March 8th. Celebrated worldwide for over a century and a public holiday in some countries, International Women's Day commemorates gender equality.
In Italy, the Festa della Donna is more reminiscent of Valentine's Day or Mother's Day, and women are given bouquets of mimosa by the men in their lives. Dishes prepared for the occasion are tinted yellow on the mimosa theme, such as mimosa linguine seasoned with curry powder. In the evening, women go out in groups to relax. If there were a patron saint for male strippers, this would certainly be his day.
6. April Fools' in France
April 1st. As elsewhere in the world, April 1st in France gives pride of place to jokes and hoaxes. For French schoolchildren, it also takes the form of the "poisson d’avril" (April fish). According to historians, this practice dates back at least to the 16th century.
"My parents, my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, everyone fell for it, even my teachers, and it amused me a lot," recalls Mathieu Doyen, who grew up in northeastern France. "It's still just as funny. My eight-year-old son, Martin, loves it!"
7. Reading a thriller at Easter in Norway
April 2nd. Two young Norwegian authors had no idea they were going to start a new tradition in 1923. That year, to drum up sales for their latest detective novel a week before Easter, they published an advertisement in the Aftenposten newspaper that looked exactly like an article. "The Bergen train was robbed last night," read the front page, and many readers believed it. Since then, Norwegians have cherished their Påskekrim ("Easter Thriller") during the Easter holiday, which they usually spend in a cabin far from the city.
"When I was young, there was no electricity in these rustic dwellings and, during this long weekend, we listened to detective series every evening on a battery-powered radio," recalls Katrina Swift, originally from Oslo. "The program still exists on the radio and a TV series has enriched the tradition."
Furthermore, during the period leading up to Easter, Tine, the country's largest dairy cooperative, prints a påskekrim comic strip on its milk cartons with a prize for those who manage to solve the crime!
8. Bringing out the whip in the Czech Republic
April 5th. On Easter Monday, the whip comes out in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and parts of Hungary. This ancient tradition encourages the making of whips from several willow branches with a ribbon tied at the end. This is the pomlázka in the Czech Republic, a popular rite during which young women are whipped to (supposedly) ensure beauty, fertility, and health all year round.
Fortunately, it is only a symbolic whipping of the thighs or buttocks.
"I live in Prague where the pomlázka is considered by many to be a tacky custom, but in the countryside where I have celebrated Easter several times, it remains a popular tradition," admits Petra Kostalka. "My grandparents, aunts, and cousins who still live there do the full ritual: the pomlázka whip, painted eggs, and festive cakes. Me, I stick to painting eggs!"
9. White caps in Finland and frog songs in Sweden
May 1st. For Finnish students, the Vappu festival marks not only the beginning of summer but also the end of the school year. This is the tradition. Dressed in bright colors and wearing a white cap, they engage in the kind of festive activities at which students excel.
"When I was young, it was primarily an excuse to get drunk with friends and enjoy the warm days," explains Peter Granfors, who grew up in the city of Vaasa, Finland. Vappu is not just for students; the carnival atmosphere takes over the whole country. "I still have vivid childhood memories of people outside, the smell of food. There were waffles with whipped cream and all sorts of products were sold at stalls," recalls Peter Granfors with melancholy.
The ribboned pole of May 1st—the Maypole—is a familiar image in Europe. In Sweden, however, it is in June, on the Friday falling between the 19th and 26th, that you may catch strange frog-like sounds belched out by participants parading around the Maypole. Små Grodorna ("Small Frogs") is the song of a traditional dance that imitates the body parts that frogs lack; a chorus of amphibians accompanies the whole thing. The melody supposedly originated in France; it was reportedly a military march sung during the Revolution. No one knows how it was exported to Sweden and transformed into a frog song.
In the Czech Republic, May 1st is instead dedicated to love. In accordance with a centuries-old tradition, lovers kiss under a blossoming tree. Failing to do so can be costly: if a woman is not kissed, it is said she will wither and die within 12 months.
10. Bonfires in Latvia and witch burning in Denmark
June 23rd. Strange things happen around the summer solstice. In many countries, it is traditional to light a bonfire to celebrate Saint John's Night, the presumed birth date of Saint John the Baptist.
In Denmark, Sankt Hans Aften goes further and adds a witch effigy to its traditional bonfire. While it burns, participants sing patriotic songs. The witch symbolizes the misfortunes the Danish nation wants to avoid; the songs celebrate the hope that peace prevails.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Baltic, Latvians celebrate Saint John in their own way. On the night of Ligo, they gather around a bonfire and wait for daybreak. Women gather flowers and weave wreaths to adorn themselves, and men are supposed to strip naked and jump into the nearest stream.
11. Fireworks on Bonfire Night in the United Kingdom
November 5th. Most British people are unaware that Guy Fawkes Night was originally fueled by anti-Catholic sentiment. While they all know that Fawkes had planned to blow up the House of Lords during the state opening of Parliament in 1605, few are aware that Fawkes and his fellow conspirators planned to assassinate King James I to place his nine-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, on the throne as a Catholic head of state. Fortunately for the King, Guy Fawkes was arrested before lighting the fuse. Subsequently, effigies of the Pope were regularly burned on Gunpowder Plot Day in the 17th century. Today, the symbolism has been practically forgotten and Bonfire Night, as it is generally called, is a social event marked by spectacular fireworks.
12. Black Pete in the Netherlands
December 5th. There is no traditional character more controversial than Zwarte Piet ("Black Pete," the Dutch equivalent of Father Whipper), who appears in the days preceding Saint Nicholas. A Moor of Spanish origin, Pete is the servant of Saint Nicholas who distributes sweets to children during parades.
The character, played by an actor in blackface and wearing a curly wig, now polarizes opinion in the Netherlands and Belgium. The famous Kim Kardashian, with her 62 million subscribers, even sent out a tweet in 2019 judging the Zwarte Piet tradition as "disturbing."
13. The log that poops in Spain
December 8th. In parts of Catalonia and Aragon, walk into a house on the Immaculate Conception and you will find a strange creature with a smiling face and a log body covered with a blanket. This is Caga Tió, which literally means the "pooping log."
As Christmas approaches, children "feed" their log bread, orange peels, and beans; on Christmas Eve, they beat it with a stick, praying for it to "poop" gifts. To their surprise, these appear under Caga Tió's blanket (as one might guess, the parents are hard at work).
14. Celebrating Lucy in Scandinavia
December 13th. Saint Lucy was a 4th-century Christian martyr. According to legend, her torturers gouged out her eyes, making her the patron saint of the blind (among others). And since lux, the Latin root of her name, means light, she is considered the guardian of light in winter.
In Sweden, Denmark, and parts of Finland, on Saint Lucy's Day, young women parade wearing a crown of candles on their heads, along with boys dressed in loose costumes. They all perform traditional songs. At home, the eldest daughter serves coffee and saffron buns to her family. Elsewhere, in Hungary, wheat is sprouted in a dish, and every green shoot that appears before Christmas is a sign that life triumphs over death.
15. Death of the wren in Ireland
December 26th. Until the middle of the last century, across almost the entire island, the Irish celebrated December 26th in a boisterous manner. Young boys painted their faces and, after putting on old clothes, went door to door singing, dancing, and playing instruments. They used to carry a dead wren with them and ask for money to "bury the wren."
For the good of the wrens, this practice no longer occurs and is most often replaced by a colorful street parade, sometimes with participants dressed in straw. No bird deaths are to be deplored.
16. Grapes in Spain and a short film in Germany
December 31st. "Same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?" "Same procedure as every year, James." These are the repeated dialogues in this 1963 German television short film adapted from a 1920s British sketch titled Dinner for One, where a butler becomes progressively intoxicated while serving dinner to his aristocratic mistress. For nearly 50 years, the film has been broadcast on national television in Germany (and other European countries) on New Year's Eve.
A commemorative stamp was even issued in 2018 to mark this institution. The film is practically unknown in the United Kingdom.
In Spain, families gather around 12 grapes for the 12 strokes of midnight marking the New Year.
The tradition was popularized at the beginning of the 20th century by winegrowers from the Alicante region eager to sell an abundant harvest. Today, supermarkets in Spain sell special boxes containing 12 grapes for the occasion.