The Weirdest Holidays Celebrated Around the World

Have you ever heard of a holiday that commemorates the time when people’s hands got stuck in tar? Or the day to celebrate women who guard hairpins? Funny, right? It’s no wonder a wide range of weird holidays are celebrated around the globe by people belonging to various cultures. From Cat Day to Clean Monday, these are some of the strangest holidays from around the world. (Though, it should be noted that most holidays started from strange and unique traditions and have slowly become part of our accepted culture.)

When you look at how other countries celebrate their birthdays, days off, and holidays, it can be a bit confusing for those who are more accustomed to the typical style of traditional celebrations. But there is still something to be learned with almost every holiday on this list. Keep reading to discover about the weirdest holidays celebrated around the world.

Superbowl Sunday

One of the weirdest holidays in America is Super Bowl Sunday. It may seem like a normal tradition to Americans, but the rest of the world just doesn’t seem to get it. This holiday is celebrated by people who watch football on TV. The Super Bowl can actually be seen like a religious day for some people. It’s not just a one-day celebration but lasts all week. And you hear about the commercials for quite a bit of time afterwards, too. Children and adults will watch the game on TV or at a party with friends and family, cheering for their favorite team. While Americans see it as “normal”, pretty much anyone I’ve talked to overseas thinks it’s one of the strangest things they have heard of.

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is a popular holiday that falls on February 2nd each year. But, putting aside the tradition involving a groundhog, it’s a day to celebrate those who guard hairpins in Japan. Why do they guard hairpins? Because it was believed that the shadows cast by the moon would turn into rats and attack women’s long hair in their sleep. So on Groundhog Day, women place a pair of scissors under their pillow to protect themselves against this threat.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is the French translation of “Fat Tuesday.” On this day, people in the Catholic tradition eat rich and decadent foods to celebrate before the start of Lent. During Lent, it is tradition to give up something meaningful to you for 40 days, so, prior to this tradition, “Fat Tuesday” is the day for you to indulge.

Halloween

Halloween is not actually a traditional American holiday. It originated as an ancient Celtic tradition, which the Celts in Ireland and Scotland celebrated. But it eventually spread to America, where it is now celebrated in multiple ways. While Americans think it’s normal to dress up and knock on people’s doors for candy, much of the rest of the world thinks this is quite unusual. There are many comedic tweets out there making fun of the Americanized Halloween, actually.

The Clean Monday

The Clean Monday, which falls on March 1st, is a celebration in Greece and France. This day marks the beginning of Lent – which is the 40 day period that Christians spend in the memory and death of Jesus Christ – and was influenced by Orthodox Christianity. Clean Monday breaks up Lent, with a day of spiritual cleansing before starting days of fasting. On this day, people clean their houses and temples as well as renounce anything materialistic items in exchange for more spiritual thoughts and actions.

Cat Day    

The Japanese Cat Day is on November 1st, and it’s a special day for cat lovers. Cats are believed to bring good luck and happiness, so this day celebrates felines, in general. If you’re looking for any excuse to celebrate our furry friends, this day is the perfect time to do it!

The weirdest holidays celebrated worldwide are all strange and unique but special in their own ways. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how cultural diversity promotes celebrations of such weird occasions? By reading this article, we hope you got a quick glimpse about some of the unique celebrations found around the globe.

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