Hang Up the Ice Skates Here

Fiction can rarely match truth for inspiring awe. Two Christmas customs may even convince readers like yourself.
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Yes, we have corroborated our linked sources. Secondly, you will see that no ice skates are involved with either custom.
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Skate Custom #1 - Caracas, Venezuela -

In Venezuela, it is traditional for people to attend early morning church services for the nine days leading up to Christmas Eve. But in Caracas, they like to add a little fun to their worship and rather than drive or walk to church, they strap on roller skates. Roller skating to church is such a popular tradition that many of the streets are closed to cars until 8a.m. so that skaters have the right-of-way.

Skate Custom #2 -Iceland -

...[on] the last day before Christmas, known as Thorláksmessa (“The Mass of St. Thorlákur,” Iceland’s patron saint)...celebrated by eating putrefied skate and buying the last Christmas presents.... The tradition of eating putrefied skate originates in the West Fjords, but is now common in all parts of the country. The fish delicacy is usually served boiled with potatoes, turnips and hamsatólg, melted sheep fat. People who want to avoid bringing the stench of skate to their homes—it smells strongly of ammonia—order the fish at restaurants instead. Serving skate on December 23 is becoming increasingly popular at restaurants in Iceland.

Submarines are always silent and strange.