Shake up your holiday celebration with a different tradition from Christmas around the globe.

Santa Clause and the accompanying reindeer and elves are very familiar December characters to us here in the US. They are traditional, they are unmistakable, they are commercial, they are magical, they are old school.

One of the rad things about being an American, is we live in this country made up of people from all over the world. Yet most of us are far too comfortable sticking with the basics, and we don’t branch out much, to try new traditions from other countries for the winter holidays. This is a mistake because there are some really fun, wacky, cool, sweet and different ways to celebrate we can learn from cultures of people who live all over our country.

This December, we’d like to acknowledge some great ones.

• First order of business, look up photos of La Noche de Rabanos, really cool intricate carvings of characters and scenes made of radishes. In Mexico, on December 23, it’s a festival where the radish art is sold as Christmas centerpieces.
• While you're at it, look up La Befana. She's the Italian version of Santa Clause who is actually a witch. Like Santa Clause, she too delivers toys to children. Unlike Santa, instead of milk and cookies, this lady likes sausage, wine and broccoli, left out for on Christmas eve.
• This one is SUPER awesome. In Wales, instead of your run of the mill, basic, vanilla, Christmas caroling,  they’ve got dead horse caroling. A horse skull with ribbons is held on a stake. And after the singing is done, the carolers challenge you a rhyming insult battle! When the lyrical dissing is over, one would invite the dead horse head toting visitors inside for hot tea. I mean really, we should probably try this here in the Bay Area right?
• Maybe dead horse heads aren't your thing. How about burning effigies of the devil? In Guatemala on December 6, folks set bonfires outside their homes and burn likenesses of Satan. It symbolizes a triumph of good over evil, it sounds empowering.
• In Iceland people give their family members books on Christmas eve, and they spend the night together reading.
• Due to a Ukrainian legend in which a poor family grows a Christmas tree from a pinecone, its customary to decorate Christmas trees with spiderwebs.
• In Catalonia, a log filled with candy and gifts, is beaten on Christmas eve, until it “poops” the treats out.

These are all so cool, and fun or meaningful and artistic. There are so many great things out there to try for winter holidays!

The Monday Team has some really excellent alternative holiday activities you might consider enjoying;

• Try organizing a winter coat/blanket drive for folks in need. We can always benefit from remembering the importance of reconnecting with our humanity through giving. Its vital to help people stay warm in the winter.
• Pay respect through remembrance, by making a favorite recipe of a loved one who is no longer with us.
• Organize a Christmas dinner with music at a local retirement center, seniors love to party.
• Try incorporating something from one of the other countries you’ve read about (possibly from our list above, you know you want to try the pooping log thing)

There are a plethora of ways to usher in the joy during December, get adventurous and get excited, and go find a dead horse skull!