From the quaint to the quirky, Christmas traditions vary widely across the globe. But did you know that some of these traditions are actually enshrined in law? Prepare to have your holiday spirits jolted by this collection of strange Christmas laws from around the world.
Top Rated Law lists 7 laws
DRIVING WITH A CHRISTMAS PARTY OUTFIT CAN RESULT IN A FINE [UK]
Believe us or not, if you’re driving with a Santa or an elf costume on in the UK, you might end up paying a fine of up to £5,000 and inviting a lot of trouble!
The UK’s rule 97 of the Highway Code strictly forbids outfits that can interfere with a driver’s ability to drive responsibly. For instance, if your Christmas costume consists of problematic hats that can obstruct your vision or footwear that can prevent you from feeling the pedals, there are higher chances of you being fined.
DEBT PAYMENTS NOT ALLOWED ON CHRISTMAS DAY [USA]
The State of Arkansas in the USA passed a weirdly fascinating Christmas law about two centuries ago (1838), and you’d be surprised to know that it applies to date!
The law makes debt payments illegal on the day of Christmas and advocates that any debt that would otherwise be payable on Christmas should be paid one day prior (that is, on Christmas Eve). As such, the debtor gets one less day to clear the debt while the creditor is done out of one day’s worth of interest.
CHRISTMAS CRACKERS CANNOT BE SOLD TO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 [UK]
That’s right! Selling Christmas crackers to anyone under the age of 12 is a crime in the United Kingdom.
According to the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015, it’s a punishable offense for economic operators to make “a pyrotechnic article” available in the market to children below 12 years of age. Although the law was made applicable to teenagers below the age of sixteen as well at first, amendments were made to it later on.
CHRISTMAS BONUSES ARE REQUIRED BY LAW [MEXICO]
What if we tell you that living in Mexico automatically makes you eligible for an annual Christmas bonus no matter where you work?
Yes! In Mexico, your employer must pay you a bonus based on your salary (at least 15 days’ worth of wages) by the 20th of December. Or else, you may feel free to drag them into court!
Organizations that fail to provide their employees with their respective bonuses on time or try to do so in installments are liable to be imposed a fine that can be as much as 5000 times the minimum wage.
YOU CAN’T KEEP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS HOWEVER LONG YOU WANT [USA]
In San Diego, USA, there’s a due date when you can continue to use the decorative lights you had put up outside your home during Christmas.
Post 2nd February into the New Year, it becomes illegal to leave your Christmas lights on as it is believed that they can result in conflicts amongst neighbors. Residents who do not take them down past this date are subject to a hefty fine of $250!
MAKING OR USING A SNOW SLIDE IS PROHIBITED IN LONDON [UK]
As fascinating as it may be, it’s not lawfully appropriate to make or use snow slides in the UK capital in case the city is experiencing a white Christmas.
As a part of the Metropolitan police act, this winter law states that anyone involved in making snow slides or found sliding on snow in London is subject to a £500 fine for putting other people in danger!
NATURAL CHRISTMAS TREES ARE NOT ALLOWED [USA]
Retail stores in New York, USA, are strictly prohibited from using natural Christmas trees by law. In Philadelphia, on the other hand, people living in multi-unit or high-rise buildings are also not allowed to use wild Christmas trees, the reason being they are considered a fire hazard and hence make you subject to a $300 fine!
The law further enforces that only places where one or two families reside can have a natural Christmas tree at home.
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.