Looking to liven things up this Christmas? Why not swap your traditions for #untraditions?

No, not the way you talk after too many sherries. Mummers, from Labrador and Newfoundland, are people who come to your house wearing pillowcases and other clever disguises. They sing at you in distorted voices and dance around while you try to guess who they are. Great Aunt Sheila? Is that you?

Source: www.liveruralnl.files.wordpress.com

Every year the town of Gävle in Sweden puts up a giant straw goat to mark the start of Advent. Unfortunately some of the locals have made it their tradition to sabotage the giant straw creature, with some dressing up as Santa and firing flaming arrows. There’s just no pleasing some people.

Source: www.http:tripfreakz.com

The locals of Guatemala believe that the devil lurks among rubbish that accumulates in their homes. So every year around Christmas, they collect it all up and burn it in the streets, complete with an effigy of old Nick on top. It's like spring-cleaning, except in the winter, and terrifying.

Source: www.lapatria.com

For many Japanese, Christmas dinner consists of champagne, cake and fried chicken. Yes, that's right, chicken, of the Kentucky Fried variety. Why? It's all down to the success of a marketing campaign in 1974 spearheaded by one famously bearded Colonel. Other fried chicken recipes are available, obviously.

Source: www.giphy.com

Don't ask us to pronounce that. All you need to know is that it's a giant cat from Icelandic folklore, which will tear you to bits and eat you unless you get a new piece of clothing for Christmas. We understand being fashion conscious, but come on, Yule Cat. Harsh.

Source: www.grapevine.is

Who's that coming down the street? Oh, it's Mari Lwyd, the horse skull on a stick accompanied by men dressed up like puppets. Big in South Wales apparently. Sometimes the horse bites people, and you have to give them food or money to make them leave. How fun and festive and not at all disturbing.

Source: www.wikiwand.com

In place of Santa, a friendly witch named Befana visits children in Italy. They have nothing to fear however as she delivers toys and sweets. If, however, they've been naughty the kids get a lump of coal instead. That'll teach 'em.

Source: www.giphy.com

In Germany, they're not content with holly, baubles and tinsel; instead they hide a pickle in the Christmas tree. If you're fortunate enough to find it, you'll be rewarded with good luck. But if you can't locate it your tree is going to get a bit pongy by the end of the holidays.

Source: www.giphy.com

Meet Krampus - Santa's evil, hairy, chain-brandishing colleague. If you've been naughty, he'll appear to give you a good thrashing with a branch. If you've been really naughty, he might cart you off in his sack or even gobble you up like the last mince pie. But you've been good this year. Right? Right??

Source: www.middleofbeyond.com

In Ukraine people often decorate Christmas trees with fake spiders or spider's webs. A folk tale describes how a poor family woke up on Christmas morning to find their once bare tree decorated with spider webs that shined silver and gold in the morning sun. It's a bit like the Elves and the Shoe Maker, but with spiders (and no elves or shoes).

Source: www.giphy.com