Old Town Square, Prague
It feels like Christmas comes to life in the city of Prague. The painted facades of the stone buildings look like opulent gingerbread houses and the church towers twinkle with lights. And in Old Town Square the effect is even more magical as the brightly decorated wooden huts surround the Christmas Tree, a 70-foot fir that stands out against the gothic skyline. Schoolchildren dressed in traditional costumes travel to Prague from across the country to sing Christmas Carols. And you can't miss the elaborate nativity scene! The Czech Republic is known for its intricately detailed nativity scenes, carved by hand and often installed with mechanical puppets. You can find miniature crèches and other handmade ornaments in the market, along with exotic goods like frankincense, handcrafted linens, and Christmas potpourri called "purpura." Try some Czech treats like large hams roasted on spits, barbecued sausages called "klobása," and cakes and pastries like "trdelnínk," baked right in front of you and covered in sugar. You feel like you've stepped into a fairy tale in Prague.
Galeries de Lafayette, Paris
Christmas is a season of splendor and romance in the City of Lights and nowhere more so than the Galleries de Lafayette. This prestigious store is one of the ritziest in the world, located on the beautiful Boulevard Haussmann in Paris. Seasonal splendors are on display in the windows of the luxury store Le Printemps, but the Galeries de Lafayette is home to the most spectacular Christmas decorations. The Art Nouveau mall has five floors of balconies circling a gilded atrium capped with a glass dome. And hanging from the center of the dome is a large Christmas tree! The tree is suspended above the shoppers below like a Christmas chandelier. Crystals and presents can also hang from the dome as well, creating a magical, airy feeling in the mall. We recommend going earlier in the day to avoid the crowds, purchase some Parisian designer goods, and experience Christmas in Paris.
Christkindlmarkt, Vienna
The oldest Christmas Market in Europe is in the imperial city of Vienna. The capital of Austria has held a market for small traders in December since 1294, and it slowly evolved over time into the "Christkinldmarkt." Today, charming wooden stalls and cozy pavilions fill the Rathauspark in front of the stately town hall. The Chriskindlmarkt is very traditional and walking among the little stalls is like walking into a romantic Christmas movie. Little red hearts, lights, and candy canes hang from the skeletal trees. The aromas of candied fruits, cotton candy, hot chestnuts, and mulled wine drift through the sharp night air. Children can ride ponies and visit the Christkindl's workshop for arts and crafts. In Austria and Germany, presents are delivered not by Santa Claus but by the Christkindl, a beautiful young angel who performs vignettes on the Celestial Stage. Don't forget to ask for an autograph and take a picture, because you won't want to forget the enchantments of Christkindlmarkt.
Trafalgar Square, London
It's a wonderful time of year to be in London. The elegant streets are full of lights and seasonal markets, but the centerpiece of the city's Christmas decorations is the great tree in Trafalgar Square right next to Nelson's Column and the National Gallery. The tree is a gift from the people of Oslo, Norway, to the people of Great Britain, thanking them for their help during World War II. In November, the Mayor of Westminster travels to Norway and selects the tree alongside the Mayor of Oslo. At the beginning of December the tree shines with hundreds of lights strung in Norwegian fashion, draped in vertical lines from top to bottom. For many Londoners, the tree lighting in Trafalgar Square marks the traditional start of the Christmas season. But it's not just about shopping! Carolers gather at the base of the tree almost every day before Christmas to raise money for charities, honoring the true spirit of the season.
Rockefeller Center, New York
Christmas at the Rockefeller Center is an annual tradition in New York City. The Center carefully selects the perfect Norway spruce and bring it into the city on a custom 125-foot truck. The tree is raised in front of 30 Rockefeller on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. This year, the tree will be 78 feet high topped with a 9 and ½ foot Swarovski crystal star and 45,000 lights. The lighting of the tree is a huge party broadcast live on NBC. The famous Rockettes dance the night away and afterwards you can head on down to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Now this is Christmas in New York, New York! Of course, it's come a long way since the tradition began during the great Depression in 1933, the year 30 Rockefeller Center opened. Workers erected a small fir and decorated it with cranberries, paper garlands, and a few tin cans.
Cantagalo Park, Rio de Janeiro
It might not snow in Brazil but the spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Rio de Janeiro! Since 1995, the city has raised a gigantic floating Christmas tree on barges in Cantagalo Park in the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Last year the artificial tree was 280 feet high and weighed over 550 tons, floating on 11 massive barges on the water. Thousands of people gather on the shore of the lagoon to watch the tree lighting, and it's the third largest party in Rio (after Carnival and New Year's Eve). The insurance company Bradesco Seguro puts on a fantastic show every year, including music provided by famous singers and a symphony orchestra, fireworks, actors, and, of course, 3.1 million individual lights that display a series of colorful images on the tree itself. Enjoy Christmas on the beach in Brazil.
The picturesque city of Brussels truly shines during the cold winter months. The heart of the city, the Grand Place, is transformed into a magical market for the festival of the Plaisirs d'Hiver, also known as Winterpret in German or Winter Wonders in English. Hundreds of thousands of people attend the Christmas Market, which expands further down the grand concourse every year. The Place de la Monnaie is covered in ice and transformed into a skating rink for young and old while delighted children dangle from the hand-carved merry-go-round. Riding the Ferris Wheel provides the best views of the whole market, just bring a blanket and a cup of hot cocoas in case a lucky malfunction provides a romantic interlude! Beautiful palaces and halls surround the central square and, every night, the carved facades are covered in state-of-the-art light shows.
Shiodome, Tokyo
Christmas is surprisingly popular in Japan even though it's not a national holiday. Japanese people aren't particularly religious, but they love celebrating Christmas Eve with parties, trees, and lights. Of course, the Japanese developed a unique spin in the holiday! In Japan, Christmas Eve is more like Valentines Day and couples are expected to spend time together and exchange special gifts. Japan even has a unique cake, a white sponge cake smothered with cream and decorated with strawberries (that sounds a lot better than fruitcake). But the strangest tradition in Japan? Christmas Dinner is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yes, every year stores take reservations months in advance for fried chicken. A super successful marketing campaign convinced Japanese that eating KFC was a Christmas tradition! But the best part of Christmas in Japan is the unbelievable Christmas lights known as "irumineshon" (illumination). Entire cities are decked out in strings of lights from top to bottom, and companies compete to provide the best light shows. In Tokyo, the best show can be found in the Caretta Shiodome. The atrium is transformed into a sea of light. Japan wishes you a "Meri Kurisumasu!"
Martin Place, Sydney
Christmas in Australia is very similar to Christmas in America—but it takes place during the hottest months of the year. December is smack dab in the middle of the summer in the southern hemisphere, and that means Christmas is a time for going to the beach, surfing, and relaxing in the sun. Santa Claus must be boiling inside his red suit! Still, Australia has a lot of Christmas attractions despite the heat. The Christmas Parade in Adelaide attracts over 400,000 people and in Sydney, Martin Place is decorated with Australia's largest Christmas Tree. Christmas lights line the beautiful sandstone buildings astride the grand square. During the hot summer nights elaborate light shows celebrating peace and joy around the world are beamed across the carved stone. Best of all, the Christmas tree is interactive! You can text or tweet a message that will appear on electronic banners wrapped around the large tree, and your message will light up the city square.
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Going from the far south to the far north, you can visit the Land of the Elves in Copenhagen, Denmark at the Tivoli amusement park. Tivoli first opened in 1843 and continues to entertain and enchant visitors. In fact, Walt Disney visited the amusement park and was inspired to make Disneyland! To this day, Tivoli combines industry and fun with traditional charms. During the winter months, the park is transformed into a wonderland decorated with thousands of Christmas ornaments, lights, and trees. The Land of the Elves features mechanical elves assembling presents for children around the world and Father Christmas on his sleigh. Tivoli "pixies" wander the grounds entertaining kids and adults alike. If you walk through the gardens you can see a great sailing ship cloaked in lights and discover the Scandinavian charms of Christmas Village's—where you can find everything from tiny felt shoes fit for little elves and handcrafted ornaments to roasted meats and Danish sweets.
Saint Peter's Square, Rome
Pilgrims travel from around the world to visit Vatican City in Rome for Christmas. But, surprisingly, the Vatican didn't have a Christmas tree until 1982! Christmas trees weren't an Italian tradition, and it was only thirty years ago that Pope John Paul II, who was born in Poland, introduced the northern tradition to Italy. To this day, the Vatican puts up a fir in Saint Peter's Square. Each year a tree is donated from a different country in Europe, and last year it was an 82-foot fir from Calabria, Italy. Right next to the tree is a rustic nativity scene using hand-carved wooden figures from 1842 that are removed from storage and redressed in traditional clothing. The Pope blesses the mangers built by children who gather in the square for a special ceremony—now that's a good way to get on Santa's "nice" list!
The Lighting of Medellin, Columbia
The holiday season unofficially begins on December 7th in Columbia, the Day of Little Candles that celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Around the country people put candles and paper lanterns in their windows and dinners--but the people of Medellin take it to a whole new level. During the "El Alumbrado," the Lighting, the city hangs over 27 million lights on 470 miles of rope across the city. The electric company Empresas Publicas de Medellin has sponsored the show since 1955, and it just keeps getting bigger. The lights begin on La Playa Avenue and glitter throughout the city's parks and main attraction, the Medellin River. Floating lights tell a story that winds its way through the city. Over 4 million people visit Medellin every year to see the lights. "Feliz Navidad!"
Light up the Night, Pittsburgh
The beautiful nativity scene on display in Rome inspired the city of Pittsburgh to put up a replica in 1999. It's the only authorized and put up an authorized replica in the world, and the life-size display soon expanded to include 20 figures gathered around the manger. Pittsburgh's famous nativity scene is not the only part of their Christmas celebrations! The holiday season begins on the Friday before Thanksgiving with the Light up the Night festival! The city lights a 60-foot Christmas tree at the center of the ice skating rink at One PPG Place. (The 9,600 square foot plaza is 2,000 feet larger than the famous rink at the Rockefeller Center!) The lights go on, the music starts, and 200,000 people are ready to party. Inside PPG Place the Wintergarden hosts a model train, giant gingerbread houses, and a team of Santa Claus's dressed in traditional garb from around the world. (So that's how he delivers all those presents.)
Barcelona
Don’t expect a white Christmas in Barcelona—the temperate averages a balmy 50 degrees during December. But the beautiful city in Catalonia has a lot more to offer than snow, and some very interesting and unique traditions. Miniature nativity scenes are common but, hidden inside them, are tiny little porcelain gnomes who just happen to be going to the toilet! On a less silly note, the city hosts a spectacular parade known as the “Procession of the Three Kings.” On January 5th the parade winds its way through the city with the Three Wise Men accompanied by thousands of performers, acrobats, and singers, magnificent floats, and delicious street food. Children leave out empty shoes for the Three Kings to fill with presents and January 6th is a bigger holiday than Christmas Day! The most Sagrada Familia is another major attraction. The breathtaking church has been under construction since 1882 but it’s already a new wonder of the world and it’s even more beautiful at Christmas time when lights play up and down the fantastical spires. As an added bonus there are a lot less tourists in the winter!
Santa Claus Village, Finland
No Christmas celebration is complete without mention of Good Saint Nick! The official home of Santa Claus is Rovaniemi, Finland at the very edge of the Arctic Circle. This amusement park is home to the "official" office for Santa Claus, who spends every day listening to visiting children and spread cheer and joy. The Village is the location of Santa's Post Office, which receives letters from children around the world. Traditions from different parts of the world were combined to create the Santa Claus we know and love, and the idea that Santa lived in Finland was established in 1925 when newspapers in America reported on the local legend that Santa Claus and his elves lived under the mountain Korvantuntui in Finnish Lapland. Many years later the Santa Claus Village was built just south of the mountain so that Santa Claus could entertain visiting children and tourists. Be warned, Rovaniemi only gets 6 minutes of sunlight a day. But the amusement park is full of good cheer, festive lights, and hot drinks that will warm the cockles of your heart during the long nights under the twinkling northern lights.
Russian Winter Festival, Moscow
You thought Christmas was over on the 25th of December? Think again—because you can have Christmas twice if you visit Russia. Russians celebrate Orthodox Christmas on January 7th and the Russian Winter Festival in Moscow runs from December 25th to January 5th providing you with plenty of things to do around the city. Moscow is especially beautiful in the winter when snow covers the domes, parks, and streets. There are Christmas Markets and skating rinks across the city, but in Izmailovo Park there are daily celebrations of traditional dance, skating, ice sculpture, and the opportunity to take a ride in a tiny sleigh pulled by three white horses, called a "troika." You might be able to see the Russian version of Santa Claus, "Ded Moroz" (Father Frost), who rides in the same carriage with his daughter "Snegurochka" (Snow Maiden). Finally, you have to go to Red Square for photographs with the Christmas Tree in front St. Basil's Cathedral.
Happy holidays!!!
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