Christmas is a time for family and friends,

But maybe it is the close confinement with each other that brings out more of our quirks.

While our addiction to Christmas crackers, hiding money in puddings and pantomimes leave many parts of the world bemused, there are plenty of others that may leave British people boggled.

Here is our low down of some of the unique and wonderful traditions from across the globe.

A romantic meal at KFC - Japan

Colonel Sanders dressed as Santa in Japan by Robert Sanzalone on Flickr

Think turkey is sacred on Christmas Day? Not so in Japan, where it is common practice for people to queue round the block to get a seat at a KFC restaurant.

Treated by some in the same way as Valentine's Day, a bumper box of chicken drummers can be the romantics' dish of choice.

It has been a popular tradition for the last few decades, since KFC re-branded its food as festive food to eat on the big day in 1974.

Krampus- Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia and Slovenia

krampus by Rowena on Flickr

Are your kids refusing to behave themselves for Santa? Well perhaps introducing them to the terrifying Krampus may do the trick instead.

The stuff of nightmares, the half goat, half demon, appears throughout December in communities with a chain, bells and a bunch of birch sticks to scare children into being nice.

It has its roots in Germany from as early as the 11th century.

Tiós de nadal and caganers- Spain

A Tió de Nadal taken by Valerie Hinojosa on Flickr

While toilet talk is banned from dinner tables in Britain, for some families in Catalonia it is practically celebrated through this crazy and controversial tradition.

A Tió de nadal, or caga tió, a festive favourite for children, is basically a pooing log.

It is hollowed out and decorated with a cute painted face and two or four legs to make it look like a creature, then is filled by parents every night with sweets from December 8.

Kids must look after the log and keep it warm until either Christmas Eve or Day, when they get to beat it with sticks to make it 'poo' out the treats.

Caganers taken by Ajuntament Barcelona

The fecal theme continues with figure caganers, which is a polite term for defecator.

Innocuous looking at the front, turn them around and you will find a bare bottom with a small brown pile underneath.

The most popular are effigies of celebrities, with models even designed to look like Queen Elizabeth, The Duchess of Cambridge and David Cameron.

Bizarrely, they are symbols of good fortune and fertility.

Roller skating to church - Caracas, Venezuela

Roller skates used by some people in Caracas, Venezuela, to get to an early morning mass before Christmas. Taken by Les Stockton

Why walk or take the car to church when you could skate en masse to it through the streets?

That is exactly what happens in Caracas from December 16 to 24, when people attending early morning masses roll through streets closed to traffic before 8am.

As they go they tug on rope hung out of windows by children, which according to modern folklore are attached to the big toes of children.

Shoe throwing women- Czech Republic

Shoes are thrown by some unmarried women at front doors at Christmas in the Czech Republic as a lighthearted tradition

Do not enter through the front door of someone's home on Christmas Day without checking that someone is not about to throw a shoe at it.

Some unmarried young women perform the strange, lighthearted tradition while having their back turned to the door to see if they will get married in the following year.

Inviting the dead for dinner- Portugal

A set dinner table in Portugal

If you will be struggling to fit all the guests around the table on Christmas Day, just look to Portugal, where it is common to lay a place for some who will hopefully never arrive.

The extra spaces are for deceased relatives or friends, "alminhas a penar", usually during a meal on Christmas eve to bring prosperity for the coming year.

Some even leave crumbs out to ensure the spirits will not go hungry.

Unusual meats - Greenland

Mattak, a Greenland delicacy eaten during the festive period and winter months. Taken by Lisa Risager.

Now here is an alternative to turkey that will certainly make for a memorable meal.

In Greenland people eat a fermented meat called kiviak, which is created over several months and eaten during the festive season and winter.

It is made from small birds called auks, which are packed into seal skin that is then sealed with fat and a large rock is placed on the top to aid fermentation.

Meanwhile, muktuk is made from the skin and blubber of bowhead, narwhal and beluga whales and is usually eaten raw but can also be deep-fried and served with soy sauce.

What are your unusual festive traditions?

Email samatharobinson@trinitymirror.com