20 Strange Customs & Traditions Around the World – Part 2

1The Thing

The Thing

The South Pole experiences a 6-month period of darkness, during which scientists at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station have a tradition of watching The Thing, a movie about a humanoid alien who attacks an Arctic research outpost.


2Rocket War

Rocket War

Two rival churches in Vrontados, Greece shoot tens of thousands of fireworks at each other every Easter in a “Rocket War”. Both churches then claim victory and agree to settle the score next year. The tradition dates back to the Ottoman era when real cannons were used instead.


3Telling The Bees

Telling The Bees

"Telling The Bees" is a traditional European custom where bees were told of important household events, lest they might leave the hive or die off. The newly married couples had to introduce themselves to the bees before entering their new home to avoid an unfortunate marriage.


4Blood donation

Blood donation

It was a tradition in Ireland that if you donated a pint of blood, they'd give you a pint of Guinness to replace the iron.


5Scottish bagpipe

Scottish bagpipe

Oman has a strong tradition of Scottish bagpipe music, owing to their Sultan having served in a Scottish regiment of the British Army.


6Gunfire

Gunfire

There is a traditional British army drink called gunfire made of black tea and rum. Officers serve it to lower ranks on Christmas. During the Korean War, British soldiers once gave gunfire to some American MPs, causing them to drive an ARV and some Jeeps into a fence.


7Birthday tradition

Birthday tradition

It is an Australian birthday tradition for the birthday boy/girl to kiss the nearest person of the opposite sex after cutting the cake.


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8Yukiusagi

Yukiusagi

It is a tradition in Japan to create rabbits out of snow called Yukiusagi using berries or red food dye for the eyes and bamboo leaves for their ears.


9The Custom of the Sea

The Custom of the Sea

The Custom of the Sea was an old tradition among sailors where in dire circumstances, such as being stranded at sea and on the verge of starvation, the remaining sailors would all draw straws and whoever drew the shortest would then be killed and eaten to ensure the survival of the others.


10Mongolian tradition

Mongolian tradition

Mongolians have a tradition of giving unpleasant names to children born to couples whose previous children have died, to confuse evil spirits. Examples are Nekhii 'Sheepskin', Nergüi 'No Name', Medekhgüi, 'I Don't Know', Khünbish 'Not A Human Being', Khenbish 'Nobody', Ogtbish 'Not At All', Enebish 'Not This One', Terbish 'Not That One'.

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