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With the twinkle of lights in homes
and on the streets,
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heartwarming stories, festive treats,
and wonderful presents,
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Christmas seems like something
straight out of a child's imagination.
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No wonder it’s celebrated
all over the world.
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But not everywhere the same way.
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Let's explore three unique
Christmas traditions from all over.
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While Christmas in Germany stands for
Christmas trees, meals and presents,
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other countries
have their own special customs.
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From unique culinary delights
and extraordinary decorations
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to fascinating legends,
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Christmas traditions around the world
are diverse and quite surprising.
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Let’s start our journey in Norway.
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Cleaning up and sweeping the floors
after Christmas is impossible.
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You won’t find a single broom or mop
in the house.
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And there’s a good explanation.
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In Norway, there is an old superstition
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that witches come out of hiding
on Christmas Eve
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in order to wreak havoc.
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Legend has it
that they search houses for brooms
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to fly through the night
and spread chaos.
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To avoid it, people hide their brooms
before Christmas Eve.
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Let’s hop on our broomsticks
and head for Italy.
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Here, too, there's a tradition
involving witches
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but is far from being scary.
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On January 6th,
Italians celebrate the Befana.
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Legend has it that the witch Befana
was searching for Baby Jesus
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to bring him gifts
in celebration of his birth.
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But missed the Star of Bethlehem
and set out too late.
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To this day, the Befana is celebrated
on the night of January 5th.
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The friendly witch flies
from house to house,
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bringing presents to nice children
and cinder or coal to naughty ones.
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After two enchanting traditions,
let’s now go over to Spain.
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On December 22, nearly all Spaniards
are glued to their TVs.
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But not to watch Christmas movies,
they’re waiting for El Gordo.
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which literally means “the Fat One”,
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not to be associated with Santa Claus
or the like.
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El Gordo is Spain’s
traditional Christmas lottery,
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in which any participants can win big.
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About 75% of all Spaniards
take part every year.
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The Lotería de Navidad is
one of the most popular lotteries.
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Close to two billion euros
are up for grabs.
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The grand prize awaits
one lucky person.
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Two billion euros, wow.
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Now that’s what I’d call
a Christmas present!
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Do you know of
any other Christmas traditions?
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Share them in the comments below.
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For more interesting facts,
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don’t forget to like this video
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Thanks for watching!
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Merry Christmas
and until next time!
