If you plan to visit Brazil on December 31, make sure to pack a white outfit! Wearing white on New Year’s Eve symbolizes good luck and peace, and although this tradition has roots in Afro-Brazilian religions, the Catholic Church has also adopted it.

In December, naughty children in Central Europe — Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic — face more severe consequences than coal in their stockings. That’s because St. Nicholas (Santa Klaus in the United States) brings along a far less jolly companion when visiting their homes.