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Foto: Alberto Saiz/ AP

Europe's Weird Ways

Greek goblins, Italian witches, camel wrestling, baby jumping in Spain and a Bavarian town that turns Chinese. Oh, and have you heard about the duck races, beard championship and the Mud Olympics? These are just a few of Europe's odd creatures and centuries-old customs and festivals.

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What Conchita Wurst Tells Us About EU Identity - REUTERS/ Scanpix Denmark

A Continent in Motion What Conchita Wurst Tells Us About EU Identity

Europe has struggled for decades to forge a common identity -- and now the Continent's response to Putin, its battle against Google and the victory of drag queen Conchita Wurst at the Eurovision Song Contest all suggest that shared values are finally emerging. Von Georg Diez

Goth Festival Draws Thousands to Leipzig - AP/ DPA

Bring on the Freaks Goth Festival Draws Thousands to Leipzig

Every Pentecostal weekend, when the Wave Gothic Festival, a legendary annual gathering for "dark" music and arts, kicks off in the eastern German city of Leipzig, the world is reminded that nobody does goth quite like the Germans.

Father's Day Lightning Strike Injures 40 - Andreas Lander/ dpa

Debauchery Disrupted Father's Day Lightning Strike Injures 40

Father's Day in Germany is traditionally an occasion for massive alcohol intake and a bit of quality time with the guys. One such gathering on Thursday, however, was disrupted by a lightning strike, sending dozens of revellers to the hospital.

Appenzellers Offer Unique Twist on New Year - REGINA KUEHNE/ ASSOCIATED PRESS

Swiss Miss Appenzellers Offer Unique Twist on New Year

When the sound of singing men echoes through the Alpine valley and the trees appear to have legs, it's time to celebrate the New Year again in the Swiss region of Appenzell. The mountain tradition hearkens back to medieval times, and brightens up the dark winter with spectacular costume and song. Von Wolfgang Nowak

Ghastly Winter Demons Run Wild in the Alps - Carsten Peter/ National Geographic Deutschland

Terrifying Traditions Ghastly Winter Demons Run Wild in the Alps

Halloween spooks are for wimps compared to the grisly Christmastime traditions of Europe's Alps, where demonic creatures come out to punish naughty children or to drive winter away each year. A gorgeous new photography book explores the many guises of these wild monsters, whose traditional rumpus harkens back to pagan rites. Von Stephan Orth

Germany's Drenched Veggie Regatta - Bernd Weißbrod/ dpa

Pumpkins Ahoy! Germany's Drenched Veggie Regatta

One of Germany's most unusual aquatic sports competitions features dozens of paddlers in non-conventional vessels. Vying for gourd glory, they splash their way to the finish line in enormous pumpkins. The Ludwigsburg Palace regatta has become one of the country's most photogenic sporting events.

Spain Keeps Smiling with Ugly Face Competition - VINCENT WEST/ Reuters

Grimacing Against the Crisis Spain Keeps Smiling with Ugly Face Competition

Times are tough in Spain, and people have little to smile about these days. But the annual battle of ugly faces in the Basque city of Bilbao proves that the country has lost none of its sense of humor.

Father's Day in Germany Is One Big Booze Fest - Andreas Lander/ dpa

Pints for Papa Father's Day in Germany Is One Big Booze Fest

Most people consider Oktoberfest to be the biggest drinking celebration in Germany. Often overlooked are the country's Father's Day celebrations, which involve oddly dressed men pulling wagons filled with beer into parks and drinking until they pass out.

Valencia Burns Giant Sculptures at Annual Fallas Festival - Manuel Bruque/ dpa

Blazing Art Valencia Burns Giant Sculptures at Annual Fallas Festival

The annual Fallas festival is taking place this week in Valencia on the Spanish coast. During the street parties and parades, giant sculptures are exhibited, judged in a competition and then ceremoniously burnt.

Long Live the Emperor of Dietfurt - DDP

Bavaria's Chinese Carnival Long Live the Emperor of Dietfurt

The traditional Carnival parades held around Germany are famous for strange costumes and wild parties. But the small town of Dietfurt in Bavaria is becoming known for something a little more odd: During the festive season, the whole town turns Chinese.

Epiphany's Kings, Witches and Goblins - Juan Herrero/ dpa

Europe Celebrates End of Christmas Epiphany's Kings, Witches and Goblins

The Christmas season only really ends in Europe on Jan. 6. Traditions across the continent vary wildly -- from processions of kings and gift-bearing witches to brave souls diving into icy waters.

Summer Fun, Teutonic Style - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Germany's Weirdest Festivals Summer Fun, Teutonic Style

Duck races, a beard championship and the Mud Olympics: Germany hosts a wealth of quirky festivals and competitions each year. While some tournaments are a question of brute force, others are all about looking as silly as possible. SPIEGEL ONLINE provides an overview of Germany's strangest competitions. Von Stephan Orth

Pamplona's Fearsome Festival Gets Underway - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Running with the Bulls Pamplona's Fearsome Festival Gets Underway

Spain is renowned for its bull fights and Pamplona's San Fermin Festival capitalizes on this tradition. With nine days and nights of bull runs, it's not surprising that there have been some nasty injuries in the festival's history. There was a collective sigh of relief then as proceedings got off to a relatively a safe start this year.

Greek Goblins Run Riot Over Christmas - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Beware the Kallikantzaroi Greek Goblins Run Riot Over Christmas

Who says Santa Claus is the only one trying to come down your chimney during the festive season? According to Greek mythology, a gaggle of goblin-like spirits are trying to slide into homes -- and instead of presents they are intent on leaving a trail of destruction. Von Danylo Hawaleshka

Taking Flight with Italy's Holiday Witch - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Presents on a Broomstick Taking Flight with Italy's Holiday Witch

In Babbo Natale, Italy has its own Father Christmas. But it's La Befana, the ugly, broom-flying and present-wielding witch who keeps children on their toes in many parts of the country. Like St. Nick, Befana knows who's been naughty and nice. Von Michael Giglio

Santa's Little (Slave) Helper - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Holland's Politically Incorrect Christmas Santa's Little (Slave) Helper

Few European Christmas traditions elicit as many diverse and divergent opinions as Black Pete of the Netherlands. Santa's former slave may have been whitewashed in recent years, but many still view him as a racist caricature from the country's colonial past. Von Daryl Lindsey

Run, Kris Kringle, Krampus Is Coming! - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Goat-Headed Christmas Cheer Run, Kris Kringle, Krampus Is Coming!

In Austria, Santa keeps track of who's been naughty and nice -- and unleases a 7-foot-tall horned devil on the naughty. He's called the Krampus, and he's unlike any Christmas tradition you've ever seen.

(S)catalonia's Fecal Christmas Festivities - SPIEGEL ONLINE

El Caganer (S)catalonia's Fecal Christmas Festivities

Some of the world's most curious Christmas traditions can be found in Catalonia, where the idea of holiday cheer seems to involve some of life's more basic bodily functions. Von Josh Ward

Circumcision-By-Bulk in the Balkans - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Collective Cuts Circumcision-By-Bulk in the Balkans

In the southern Balkans, a small Muslim ethnic group maintains its collective identity by means of mass circumcision. Once every five years, villagers gather to ordain their boys. And to party for four straight days.

Foam, Fondling and Malfeasance at St. Andrews - SPIEGEL ONLINE

Raisin Weekend Foam, Fondling and Malfeasance at St. Andrews

Booze, shaving cream, and shockingly intimate familial relations make University of St. Andrews's "Raisin Weekend" one of the most reliably amusing events of British higher education.

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