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<\/a><\/p>\nEnglish families delight in the annual trip to the Father Christmas<\/a> grotto. This specially designed room — or hut — is appropriately decorated for the holiday season, providing a festive backdrop for children to visit Father Christmas in order to take unforgettable pictures among many other fun activities for the whole family. It’s also traditional for children to leave Father Christmas a minced pie and sherry in exchange for the gifts that they receive.<\/p>\n German holiday traditions stretch far beyond the iconic Christmas markets. If you’re spending the holidays in Germany, you will definitely hear the legend of Weihnachtsmann, the person who brings gifts to all of the children. Of course, it’s customary to open these gifts on Christmas Eve as families enjoy tons of festive food and drink. All German children know that they need to write letters to the Weihnachtsmann during the Advent season requesting their specific gifts.<\/p>\n Although the Japanese don’t typically celebrate Christmas, that doesn’t stop them from enjoying a few Western holiday traditions!\u00a0 This Japanese version of Santa Claus is a Buddhist monk named Hoteiosho. Like the Americanized version of this Christmas classic, Hoteiosho is a jovial man with a large belly and a sack full of toys. One difference that distinguishes Hoteiosho is the presence of eyes on the back of his head. Why? Well, legend has it that this is how he sees if children are behaving properly! Hoteiosho is also known for being one of the seven gods of fortune in the Japanese culture, by the way.<\/p>\n You May Also Like: The Best Apps for Tech-Savvy Travelers<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Native Hawaiians enjoy the same Christmas traditions that most Americans participate in during this special time of the year! One slight difference though is that the Hawaiian version of Santa Claus has swapped the classic red suit and hat for a more authentic Hawaiian wardrobe, featuring a floral shirt paired with a lei. That alone sounds like an awesome excuse to start looking for cheap flights to Hawaii<\/a> for Christmas! This Hawaiian Santa is also known to flash the iconic “hang loose” sign when delivering presents and visiting with children.<\/p>\n The word Joulupukki translates to “old goat,” explaining the Finnish tradition of a person dressed up as a goat performing for families in exchange for leftover food. The best place to immerse yourself in this peculiar tradition is to visit the Santa Claus Village<\/a> located near the city of Rovaniemi. Here you will find the Joulupukki hard at work in his office with his elves making toys. Visitors will get to see the North Pole, Santa’s reminder, and more. The spirit of the holidays comes alive in this quintessential Christmas village that delights people of all ages!<\/p>\nWeihnachtsmann, Germany<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHoteiosho, Japan<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nKanakaloka, Hawaii<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nJoulupukki, Finland<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nP\u00e8re No\u00ebl, France<\/h1>\n