While many would use culture as something that bonds them together, Traditions amidst the culture becomes another interrelating aspect.  With the changing race, attitudes and beliefs at every other corner, a specific set of practices that holds them together also take many different forms.  Below are a set of traditions that various sects carry out and are more dangerous than fun and games.

1. New Years Dive:

On the day of the New Year, countless divers gather around and take a dip into the Baikal lake. As if this isn’t dangerous enough, one specified diver carries the new year’s tree to plant it at the bottom of the lake.

2. Polar Bear Plunge:

The event aims to gather donations for the Special Olympics and welcomes a huge number of participants every year. The participants have to jump in cold water during the winter season, and the dodgy part is, that it may cause paralysis, hypothermia, and even death but fortunately, nothing of that sort has happened as of yet.

3. Firework Battle:

This is a battle between two churches on an Easter Sunday in Chios, Greece. While the service session carries on, these churches aim at each other’s bell with the help of 150 people. The crowd’s fires over 24,000 rockets and have caused damages to homes and even deaths in the past.

4. Baby Dropping Ritual:

This is a ritual where countless Muslim children are dropped down from a 13 meter tower into white sheets. The babies have been dropping in at Solapur, India for over 300 years with the faithful claim that no baby is ever harmed. They believe that the children grow up strong and healthy.

5. Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling:

In Gloucester, England, a Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down a steep hill and a bunch of daring people chases it down.   Read the full story

The Cardrona Bra Fence of Central Otago, New Zealand, began in 1999 some time between Christmas and New Year 1999, when four women’s bras were found attached to the wire fence alongside the road. It’s unknown who did it and why. The news spread and soon more bras began to appear. By the end of February 2000 there were some 60 bras on the fence. At this time somebody took offence to it and removed them. The local press reported this and soon more bras began to come in.

By October 2000, the number of bras had reached around 200, and again some unknown persons cleared the fence of bras. By this time, the fence had become a tourist attraction and the media gave the story of the second attack a wider coverage. This resulted in even more inflow of garments. By early 2006, the number of bras attached to the fence stood at close to 800.

Although some locals welcomed the fence, others viewed it as an eyesore and embarrassment and also as a potential hazard to drivers using the road. Frequent attempts were made to remove the bras and some 200 bras were removed in early 2006 and another 1500 in September the same year. But that didn’t stop people from adding bras. Later that year, an attempt to make the world’s longest bra chain was made. The world record fell woefully short by more than 100,000 bras but managed to raised over $10,000 for charity.

This is very interesting time of the year. Another year will pass. I still have many a things to do on my list. here is a few things I would like to do before the new year night. It would be very interesting if you can share your plans with me in comments.

December 1
Blanch carcass from Thanksgiving turkey. Spray paint gold, turn upside down and use as a sleigh to hold Christmas cards.

December 2
Have Mormon Tabernacle Choir record outgoing Christmas message for answering machine.

December 3
Using candlewick and hand-gilded miniature pine cones, fashion a cat-o-nine-tails. Flog gardener.

December 4
Repaint Sistine Chapel ceiling in ecru, with mocha trim.

December 5
Get new eyeglasses. Grind lenses myself.