Christmas is here and with it comes a number of annual traditions. From decorating the tree and eating turkey to caroling and writing letters to Santa Claus up at the North Pole. Of course each family has their own personal traditions too. These may include opening one gift the day before Christmas to attending Midnight Mass at Church on Christmas Eve and watching the movie It’s A Wonderful Life. However, these are all common North American traditions. Much of the world outside the U.S. and Canada celebrate Christmas in a very different way. And many of the traditions taking place in foreign lands are both exotic and downright weird. Check out this list of the 10 weirdest Christmas traditions taking place around the world each December 25th.
10. The Family Sauna Bath – Estonian Tradition
Rather than gather around the Christmas tree in the living room to open presents, families in Estonia get naked together and head for the family sauna where they engage in a ‘cleansing’ sweat together. This is said to help purify bad blood and remove evil spirits from the family home. These Christmas saunas often involve the extended family too, made up of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. And while people can take saunas with each other anytime of the year, the sauna at Christmas is particularly special. Nothing like getting into the buff with your grandparents in a sauna. I guess the family that sweats together stays together. In Estonia, anyway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauna Source: En.wikipedia.org