Storyful1:30Crowds Celebrate End of Year by Dodging Fireworks in El SalvadorStoryfulResidents in the town of Antiguo Cuscatlan, El Salvador, participated in a tradition on December 28, in which they celebrate the end of the year by dodging fireworks shot from wooden figures shaped like bulls.Video recorded by Ivan Manzano shows people jumping about in the street while a person runs around with a wooden bull that shoots fireworks.“It is a dangerous but adrenaline-filled celebration to say goodbye to the year,” Manzano told Storyful. “Some are a little burned, but they can still hug their family and friends at the end of the year,” he added.Manzano told Storyful that the tradition they like to call ‘Toros de Fuego,’ is a celebration that consists of launching little gunpowder explosions from wooden bull figures, as people play together trying to not get burned.The celebration is reminiscent of the ‘Fire Bull’ at Pamplona, Spain’s Running of the Bulls, which features a similar gunpowder-laden bull. Credit: Ivan Manzano via Storyful
Storyful3:03Snake Catcher Tickles Large Carpet Python to Get It Out of Lawn MowerStoryfulA Queensland snake catcher was called out to remove an unusual stowaway in a lawn mower after a man attempted to move the machine but noticed something stuck underneath it.Stuart McKenzie of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 posted the video on Facebook on December 19 showing him “tickling” the python to get it to leave the dangerous underside of the mower.McKenzie, who wrote about the incident on Facebook, speculated that the “nice-sized carpet python” was probably sleeping underneath the mower. McKenzie later let the snake loose in some nearby bushland. Credit: Stuart McKenzie via Storyful
Storyful1:01Deep Snow Proves Purr-fect Fun for Playful FelineStoryfulA couple wondering how their cat would react to heavy snowfall that covered the Muskoka district of Ontario on December 24 was delighted when the feline leapt into the white blanket and chased little snowballs they threw.The adorable video was recorded by Nathan Zantingh and shows two-year-old Freya-Beans jumping in the snow and trying to catch snowballs thrown by Zantingh’s girlfriend, Molly Simson.Simson told Storyful: “Beans has always loved the snow, and every morning she waits by our sliding door to go out on the deck.” Credit: Nathan Zantingh via Storyful
Storyful2:34Gaza Celebrates Christmas With Santa-Themed Surf EventStoryfulPalestinian surfers dressed in Santa Claus outfits enjoyed a day of aquatic fun in Gaza on December 29, to mark end-of-year celebrations and spread a message of unity, according to a statement from the Palestinian Sailing and Rowing Federation.The federation wrote on Facebook that the event aimed to “send a message to the world that Gaza deserves love, coexistence and life,” with the group’s president, Khaldun Abu Salim, stressing that the event was held in honor of the Christian community’s celebration of Christmas.This video, recorded by Mohamed el Saife, shows two of the skurfers, who were towed behind a boat in their Santa outfits. Credit: Mohamed el Saife via Storyful
Storyful1:02Irish Drivers Settle Parking Space Dispute With Game of Rock, Paper, ScissorsStoryfulA pair of Irish drivers settled their dispute over a parking space during Christmas week with an old-fashioned game of rock, paper, scissors.Chloe Lawlor recorded the hilarious moment on December 23, when she was behind two cars battling for a parking space.The video depicts a civilized game between two drivers, after which the winner moves into the space and the loser drives away.Lawlor told Storyful that the video was shot in Tralee, County Kerry, writing in the caption, “Only in Tralee.” Credit: Chloe Lawlor via Storyful
Storyful1:03Brazil Fan Wears Dazzling Pele Costume at World Cup in QatarStoryfulA Brazil fan wearing a dazzling costume resembling Brazilian soccer legend Pele posed for photos outside the Education City Stadium in Qatar ahead of Brazil’s defeatt against Croatia in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals on December 9.Video from Brazilian journalist Carlos Mota shows the fan in a shiny gold-and-blue mosaic-like outfit comprised of numerous small reflective parts. The unidentified fan also held a their own version of the World Cup trophy made with the same materials.Croatia beat Brazil 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, knocking the five-time World Cup winners out of the tournament, but lost to Argentina in the semi-finals. Croatia are scheduled to face Morocco in the third-place play-off on December 17. Credit: Carlos Mota via Storyful