Everybody believes in something, especially at this time of year. Whether you’re an excited child sleeping with half an eye open, just waiting for a glimpse of Father Christmas — or a world-weary adult, keeping the promise of spring alive through the long days of winter — traditional faiths and beliefs are held fast and close at this time of year, particularly in Europe.
And so, with a rich tapestry of folklore to explore, we set off around the continent for a whistlestop tour of local Christmas traditions and — even better — visit the places where eager travellers can see them come to life.
A Season of Magic, Sprites and Spirits
During the festive season, visitors to the island of Ireland will find a land where belief and lore are woven into the fabric of everyday life. Decorations of holly and ivy — the former believed to protect the home from evil, the latter thought to aid resilience and renewal — grace houses everywhere. In this part of the world, cutting down a holly bush is always a bad thing, but never more so than at this time of year. In fact — whether you’re headed to County Antrim’s Enchanted Winter Garden or the Glenbeigh Fairy Forest in County Kerry — it’s clear that this is a place where magic (and especially the belief in fairies) is still strong, with householders taking special care to leave food and drink out on Christmas Eve for luck-bringing sprites and spirits.
Skimming across the Irish Sea to England, we find that mistletoe has been used in winter celebrations since the time of the druids, who associated the plant with fertility and protection. During the Victorian Era, it became the custom for couples to kiss under a bunch of mistletoe suspended from above, a tradition that’s continued to this day. But if puckering up isn’t your style and you’d rather get back to the world of the spirits (both kinds!), wassailing is the thing for you. In the cider-producing regions of England, crowds gather at the turn of the year to toast, wake and feed cider to apple orchards, all with a view to frightening away any evil spirits who may harm the local apple harvest.
Spanning wider across Europe, the cleaning, scrubbing and tidying of homes is a common occurrence at this time of year, a way of not simply preparing houses for the festive season, but a strategy that’s intended to rid these domestic spaces of any lingering bad luck ahead of the new year. But if you’re in Norway and can’t find a broom, there’s a reason why: here, it’s customary to hide brooms on Christmas Eve to prevent witches or evil spirits from stealing them for nighttime rides. And while you’re hunting around for said broom, don’t forget to put some nissegrøt or rice porridge out for Fjøsnissen, a small gnome-like creature who lives in barns. Feed him well and he’ll reward you by taking care of your animals, but if you forget his porridge, watch out: you may find yourself the victim of nasty pranks and mishaps.
Traditions Come to Life
Superstitions and spirits are all well and good, but for those seeking a more tangible experience, Europe also offers plenty of places where travellers can see annual traditions — acts fuelled by faith and belief — come vividly to life.
As a festive tradition shared throughout the continent, it’s hard to beat carol singing — except maybe with a good old wassail. So, if you find yourself in Devon on the 5th of January 2025, grab your pots and pans and head for Buckland Abbey to join in the ancient tradition of scaring away any bad spirits — via noise, song and general revelry — from the local apple orchard ahead of the new year’s harvest. The date of 5th of January, of course, coincides with the wider celebrations of Twelfth Night, which in turn signifies the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and the imminent arrival of the Epiphany. On that fitting note, we head to Spain's Andalucia region, where live nativity scenes are a fixture of the December calendar and a vibrant reminder to visitors of the poignancy that this season still holds for so many in this part of the country.
But if you’re ready to wrap up the season on a sweet note, there’s no better place to end our trip than in Norway. Here, Christmas — or Jul, as it's known — is absolutely unthinkable without copious amounts of gingerbread and nowhere is the sweet more celebrated than in the southwestern city of Bergen. Indeed, every year, the residents of Bergen come together to build what’s been hailed as the world’s largest gingerbread town — complete with homes, trains, cars and even a boat or two. And while you’re here, don’t forget to pay a visit to Fjøsnissen (he does exist!) at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History in Oslo.
Whether local traditions or widely shared celebrations, Europe offers something for everyone this time of year. From folklore to faith — to beliefs held firm across the generations — the continent is the perfect place to feel and see the festive season in action.
