10 Funny & Really Weird Holidays Around The World

1. Peeing Day

Who would have thought that such a routine bodily function would wind up having its very own holiday? Before you can say, defamation of public property, you’ll want to know that New Jersey’s Pissing Day, which is the holiday’s other name, is actually held as a recollection of the Revolutionary War.

History (or was it rumors) has it that American Revolutionary soldiers peed all over the troops of British general Charles Mawhood after driving them out of the Princeton town. Today, every second Saturday of March, Princetonians choose to relive the glory and victory by reenacting the battle, including the post-battle pissing and all.

2. Tinku “Punch Your Neighbor” Festival

This festival has got to be a recipe for neighbor trouble! Every month of May in Bolivia, specifically in Macha and Potosi, people swarm to the tiny town of Macha in order to celebrate this festival. The word “Tinku” means a meeting or an encounter between people, but if you had the chance to get a glimpse the events at this festival, you’d conclude that that translation should really be changed to “beat someone to death.”

In actuality, though, the festival isn’t held for the purpose of hurting people, but for ensuring a good harvest. This is based on the belief that the Goddess Pachamama will grant the people a great harvest as long as there’s a lot of blood, and what better way to get some blood than to beat it out of the next person? Thankfully, the festival today isn’t as great a bloodbath as in past times.

3. Bermuda Day

Another weird holiday is the Bermuda Day held every 24^th of May in the tropical island. This day marks the first day that locals accepted and declared Bermuda shorts as perfectly appropriate attire for business meetings. Weirdness aside, aren’t you green with envy? Who wouldn’t love to be dressed casually and comfortably in shorts while closing enormous business deals? Who said Casual Friday was so exciting?! Being able to wear Bermuda shorts every day of the week is loads better!

4. Kanamara Matsuri or Penis Festival

Every time the first Sunday of April comes around, the locals of Komaki celebrate the greatness of the mighty penis. The genital is hailed as the ultimate symbol of fertility in this Japanese town, and during this festival, everywhere you look (or pretend not to look), you’ll see mammoth illustrations of a penis. There are penis-shaped decorations, penis-shaped candy, penis-shaped candles, and penis-shaped everything. If that cracks you up, wait until the penis-worshipping begins!

5. Korean Alphabet Day(s)

You may have loved singing the alphabet song when you were little, but you probably think it’s too much to have a holiday for the alphabet. Well, the South Koreans don’t think so. In fact, they think it’s only fair that the alphabet get TWO holidays in its honor. They have the Hangul Day, which is held every 9^th of October, and the Chosen gul Day, which is held every 15^th of January.

6. La Tomatina

Visiting Spain during August is sure to be a fun trip for anyone who wishes to engage in the largest food fight to be held annually in the entire planet. You’d also get a kick out of La Tomatina if your favorite food to fight with is an overripe tomato.

Yes, you read that right, an overripe tomato. This is what people will be tossing, smacking, or throwing at each other during this week-long holiday. If food fights aren’t your thing, then you’d better take cover. Watching people pelt each other with rotten tomatoes should be a fun (and funny) thing to behold.

7. Monkey Buffet Festival

Okay, so far you’ve read about beatings, penises, and tomatoes. The next entry on this list of weirdholidays is one that’s held in Thailand every last Sunday of the month November and involves giving honor to monkeys! Based on Thai legends, the mighty hero Rama gave the province of Lopburi to the monkey king Hanuman, and that may be the reason why the Thais have followed suit in giving tribute to that particular animal species.

So if you find yourself in the area during the Monkey Buffet Festival, don’t be so shocked to see a bunch of monkeys feasting on pounds and pounds of vegetables and fresh fruits. If only you could join the feast, right?

8. Bolas de Fuego

Just the sound of that would delight any self-professed pyromaniac, but throwing fuel-soaked flaming rags at other people, which is what happens during this holiday, is definitely a little on the strange side. In other places, other than the town of Nejapa in ElSalvador , this act would land you behind bars. However, since this is an age-old tradition held every 21^st of August that could be traced to as far as 1685, the authorities prefer to turn a blind eye.

9. Gai Jatra or Procession of Cows

On a random day in August in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, you might bear witness to one weirdholiday – the Gai Jatra or Procession of Cows. The way it works is that each household that has had a death in the family in the past year leads a cow through the streets in order to help the dead get to heaven. Contrary to what you may think, this event isn’t as dismal as a funeral. There are plenty of things at this festival that should cheer you up such as upbeat music, colorful parades, and more. Once you get past the weirdness of the occasion, you’re likely to enjoy yourself.

10. Straw Bear Day

This is sort of like Halloween, only instead of kids in costume going door to door for candy and chocolate, it involves a grown man attired in a costume created of straw dancing for beer and food. After completing his rounds, the burning of the bear commences. Luckily, they take the guy out of the costume before setting the straw aflame. This holiday is held every first Monday after Twelfth Night in a British town called Whittlesea.

There are plenty of funny and weird holidays around the world being held throughout the year. If you’re looking to engage in some clean (or not) fun and add a little spice to your life, then you should definitely witness and join these celebrations.