In this blog, you will explore the most fascinating 20 traditions around the world.
Every culture in the world has some unique traditions. These traditions identify our heritage.
Cultural traditions and customs are learned from childhood. These include practices and beliefs a person learns from birth.
Cultural practices mean your facial expression, polite behavior, hand gestures, or cultural practices can have completely different meanings across countries.
That’s why we have compiled this list of different cultural traditions examples.
Let’s go through 20 unique traditions & cultural customs of the world so that you won’t be considered disrespectful or rude in another country.
Table of Contents
1. Select Flowers Properly While Giving Them to a Russian
If you have any Russian friends or associates, be careful while giving them flowers. Avoid yellow flowers as they represent a break-up of a relationship or deceit.
Red flowers are considered taboo as well. In Russia, red flowers are presented to those who have survived the wars and put on graves. Wish to learn about notarization translation services? Please visit our page on notarization translation.
2. Be Careful While Giving a Gift to the Chinese
Chinese have a rich heritage and traditions, and most of their cultures are often unimaginable. Avoid giving the following gifts to your Chinese colleagues:
White flowers: The Chinese associate white color with death or ghosts. Also, avoid flowers with thorny stings.
Clock: Gifting a clock, in Chinese, means “sòng zhōng,” which, in English, means attending a funeral. It also implies that life or time is running out, and the relationship can end.
Handkerchief: In Chinese, it suggests a farewell greeting.
Umbrella: Giving an umbrella to a Chinese subtly means the end of a relationship.
Gifts in sets of four: The number four is associated with death in China.
Straw sandals and shoes: Giving straws and sandals means you want to part ways.
Green hat: For the Chinese, green means their wife is unfaithful.
3. Don’t Ask For Salt While Dining in Egypt
In many different cultures around the world, it’s perfectly alright to ask for salt. But if you have food in Egypt, avoid asking for salt.
Doing so is deemed an insult to the host, as Egyptians think the taste of the food repulses you.
4. Being Punctual or Not?
The value of being on time is different in various countries, cultures, and traditions. In Venezuela, arriving ten to fifteen minutes late for dinner is a norm. Being early is considered either overly eager or greedy.
Countries like America, Japan, Germany, and South Korea appreciate punctuality. In Malaysia, being five minutes late is acceptable.
Being ten minutes late is fine with the Chinese, being ten minutes late is absolutely fine, while Moroccans will excuse you if you are even thirty minutes late.
5. Mind Table Manners in Norway
In various traditions, it’s alright to eat food with your bare hands.
But because of etiquette, we use utensils, a knife, fork, chopstick or spoon, etc., while having a meal.
However, you must brush up on your dining habits when visiting Norway. In Norway, even sandwiches are eaten using a knife and fork.
6. “No” Sharp Gifts
The cultural traditions of China and the Netherlands are entirely different. But one thing is similar while receiving gifts in both countries.
The Dutch and the Chinese don’t appreciate receiving sharp objects like knives or scissors.
Always remember this! Presenting pointed or sharp objects to friends from the Netherlands or China is a big NO.
For the Dutch, sharp objects are considered unlucky. And for the Chinese, giving sharp objects means you want to break ties with them.
7. Losing a Tooth in Greece
In various cultural customs around the world, babies are asked to keep their baby teeth below the pillow, and the tooth fairy will give them money for their teeth.
However, Greek children are asked to toss their teeth from the roof. Doing so means the baby will have healthier teeth and bring good luck to the family.
8. Say Cheers But Don’t Clink Glasses
It’s one of the prime customary cultural practices of saying cheers and clinking glasses while sharing a drink during a celebration.
But this practice is not done in Hungary.
Hungarian forces were severely defeated by Austria in 1849. And the Hungarians witnessed Austrian generals celebrate the occasion by drinking beers and clinking their glasses.
The Hungarians swore not to clink their glasses for 150 years. This vow ended in 1999, but many Hungarians still continue the traditional practice.
9. Select the Right Occasion to Discuss Business in Bolivia
It will be considered rude if you are in Bolivia and discuss business at a dinner party or any social occasion.
For Bolivians, dinners improve personal relationships. Discussing business at the table is unnecessary if you are invited for lunch or dinner.
However, if the Bolivian host brings up a business discussion first, it’s okay. Otherwise, simply enjoy the meal to foster the relationship.
10. Don’t Split the Meal Bill
In a few cultures, it is fine to split a meal bill even if the party is given in your honor. But this is not okay when you are in Turkey.
Offering to pay for half of the meal is okay, but your host will be offended if you insist. Inviting your host for the follow-up meal is the best way to reciprocate.
This way, you can have your turn to pay for lunch or dinner.
11. Avoid Using Red Ink in South Korea
For many people, writing the name in any color doesn’t matter if the spelling is correct. But for South Koreans, you can’t write a friend’s name with red ink.
In South Korea, red ink means death.
12. A Trip to the Sauna
Many people visit the sauna for personal things. A trip to the sauna is an excellent way to relieve stress and get relaxation. It’s also the best way to socialize.
The Finns also enjoy being in a sauna.
However, if your business counterpart or client invites you to a sauna after a meeting, your business meeting is successful.
13. Where to Sit in a Taxi?
In many parts of the world, people sit at the rear while hiring a taxi. You must have witnessed the same in various movies and pictures.
But in Australia, sitting at the rear in a taxi is considered snobbish. Australians often sit at the front with the driver in a taxi.
14. Greeting a Magpie in the UK
In various parts of the United Kingdom, greeting lone magpies avoids bad luck.
15. Birthday Greetings in the Netherlands
You will never feel lonely while celebrating your birthday in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, it’s a tradition to greet any person, family, and relative celebrating a birthday.
16. Greeting People in Japan & Germany
If invited to a gathering in Germany, it’s a tradition to shake hands with everyone in the room. You even need to shake hands with the children present in the room.
However, greeting and thanking in Japan involves bowing.
17. Finger-Pulling in Austria
You might wonder if you see Austrians busy finger-pulling. In fact, it is a sport in Austria known as Fingerhakeln in German.
A mini version of a Tug of War, the objective is to drag the opponent by finger across a table.
18. Danger Involved Remaining Single After 25
In various cultures, it’s a tradition to marry their children at a young age. In Germany, a single person after twenty-five is showered with cinnamon powder by friends throughout the day.
In France, people buy funny hats for a friend who is single after twenty-five on November 25. November 25 is Saint Catherine’s Day, commemorating the martyrdom of St Catherine of Alexandria.
19. Shoving Your Face on a Birthday Cake
Shoving someone’s face on the birthday cake can be funny. Some do it just for fun, while some do it out of anger.
However, in Mexico, it’s a cultural tradition. So the birthday celebrant doesn’t have any reason to get angry.
20. Wife-Carrying Sport in Finland
Can you believe carrying a wife is considered a sport in Finland? In Finland, wife-carrying or eukonkanto is an endorsed sport.
Couples from around the world travel to Finland to participate in the game. This sport started in the late 19th century, and since 1992 it has been known as the Wife Carrying World Championship.
Conclusion
Cultural traditions around the world differ, and visitors from other countries sometimes find native cultural traditions fascinating or weird. It’s always a good idea to read about the cultural traditions of the country you visit. We hope you liked the 20 traditions around the world given in this blog.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are some traditions in Mexico?
hat dance, and the Feast of Lady Guadalupe.
Q2. What are examples of cultural traditions in the Philippines?
Filipinos love to be with their families. They spend daily life with their close and extended family.
Q3. Which country is famous for its culture and tradition?
It is unnecessary to overstate France’s influence on the world. France is one of the world’s oldest countries, and its reach extends around the globe through science, politics, economics, and, above all, culture.
Q4. Is India famous for its culture?
India is one of the world’s most ethnically and religiously diverse countries. Some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures belong to India. Religion plays a central role in the life of many people in the country.
Q5. What is the meaning of cultural traditions?
It can be defined as the practices, belief systems, customs, and habits passed down from one generation to another within a particular society.
Q6. What is an example of cultural tradition?
The tradition of removing shoes while entering a room in Japan is passed from parents to children. Bowing down to greet is another example of a cultural tradition in Japan.
Q7. What is the difference between culture and tradition?
Tradition can be defined as the beliefs and behavior of groups of people within populations passed down through generations. In contrast, culture is the accumulated shared characteristics of such groups of people gathered over the ages.
