10 Strange Holidays from Around the World

Maslenitsa

Leave it to the Eastern Europeans to create a holiday that includes massive fistfights on purpose. The week-long celebration of Maslenitsa, held in late February or early March, is a joint celebration that marks the end of winter as well as the last week before Great Lent. People in this region have to abstain from a bunch of stuff during Lent, so it’s kind of like a last chance to go wild. And indeed they do, as Maslenitsa celebrations include eating tons of pancakes and singing around a bonfire. But the most notorious aspect of the holiday is the bare-knuckle street brawls, where men get together and box each other as a sign of respect and friendship.