23 Dec,2023
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Just outside Fairbanks and close to the Arctic Circle, this small Alaskan town has become a year-round Christmas treat, thanks to its themed streets, resident reindeer, and Santa Claus House.
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Capital of Lapland and official home of one Mr. Claus, Rovaniemi is a place of pilgrimage for Christmas enthusiasts of all ages. Meet the man himself at the SantaPark Arctic World or Santa Claus Village or borrow his reindeer for sleigh rides around snowy Lapland.
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Basel’s award-winning Christmas markets take place every year between late November and December 23 over two town squares. Highlights include the Christmas Tram, Christmas Ferry, and traditional 42-foot (13-meter) mulled wine pyramid.
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Atlixco celebrates not one but two winter festivals in close succession. From November, the city is illuminated by larger-than-life light features, sky lanterns, and funfairs as part of the Festival de la Iluminación.
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From the first Saturday of Advent, Prague transforms into an enchanting Christmas enclave with multiple holiday markets springing up around the city’s squares and castle complex.
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Often overlooked in favor of the UK capital, Birmingham boasts seasonal charm of its very own. The Frankfurt Christmas Market—the largest such market outside the German-speaking world—takes place every year from early November to December 23.
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Though Christmas markets have been taking place for millenia, it’s thought that Dresden’s 1434 Streizelmarkt was among the first proper Christmas markets in the world.
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Singapore’s Christmas lights are a spectacle not to be missed. The Gardens by The Bay hosts a Christmas Wonderland every year, which features incredible illuminations, plus a market, funfair, and Santa’s Grotto.
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Medellín’s famous El Alumbrado festival sees millions of colorful Christmas lights and enormous glowing figures illuminate the city’s streets, parks, and river.
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Experience a quintessential Christmas down under in sunny Sydney. Don’t miss the city’s annual light display, now at the Royal Botanic Gardens, which includes choir performances, festive projections, and artisanal markets.
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