The holiday path less trodden: Are you sick of the same old holiday season traditions? We have some ideas to mix it up and introduce new ways to celebrate with your family and friends.

Go rollerskating: Ice skating is for cooler climes and pre-climate disaster times. Already a booming pastime here in Cairo, putting on a pair of roller blades (or skates) and going out for a glide with family and friends could be an exhilarating new way to celebrate the holidays this year. And it’s not exactly unheard of: In Caracas, Venezuela, people make their way to the Christmas morning mass on roller skates. The tradition is so popular that roads are closed so that people on rollerskates can safely make it there.

Some early spring-cleaning, anyone? How about ringing in the season by purging your home of unnecessary junk? In Guatemala, cleaning out homes in the weeks before Christmas is fairly common practice. The ritual is called La Quema del Diablo, which means the ‘Burning of the Devil.’ The impetus behind this frankly practical annual tradition is to clear the stage for the coming new year by setting fire to all the junk, dirt and detritus (where the devil hides) from the year past. Get the whole family involved — and who knows, maybe it'll be a chance to dig out an old photo album and enjoy some memories.

A less wholesome — but more delicious — option: Take a cue from the Japanese and order a bucket of wings to ease into the holidays this year. What started off as a promotional campaign devised by KFC in the 1970s to drum up interest in its first Japanese branch has become a national frenzy come the holiday season. The fast-food chain’s explosive popularity at this time of year owes mainly to a fascination with the “Americanness” of it all, some say. So if you’re thinking of ditching a home cooked meal or an elaborate dinner in place of something greasier and more, well, American, you’ll be in good company.

Go for something a little more athletic: In the UK, catching a football match on Boxing Day — 26 December — is a key fixture in the holiday schedule. If you’re looking to shake things up this year, get on the pitch yourself for a friends and family football match. Whether you’re looking to settle some long-standing differences or get your heart rate going before indulging in some delicious food, there’s no better place to duke it out than on the field. If competitive sport isn't your thing, get your friends together for a group yoga class.

Jump headfirst into a movie marathon: Getting together to share meals with loved ones is the best part of any holiday — but we all have a limit when it comes to conversation. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, you can always sit everyone down for a movie (or several) instead — and sidestep those tricky debates that leave everyone wondering why they came together in the first place.

Get your gears turning with some trivia: There’s nothing quite like a game of trivia to help fan familial rivalries and find out who your nerdiest friends are. Check out local game developer Makouk’s Baladna for an Egypt-focused board game that quizzes your knowledge of local geography, culture and biodiversity. For the TV aficionados, 2ool Ameme puts your pop-culture knowledge to the test. If your crowd is more international, head over to Random Trivia Generator for a classic (and free) game of trivia.