Christmas is all about spreading Christmas cheer, but if you happen to be celebrating your Christmas overseas, it might just be worth visiting some of these countries, because they have some of the best Christmas spirit you’re ever likely to encounter.
New York City has got to be the United States’ centre of Christmas cheer. Rockefeller Centre comes alive with its iconic ice-skating rink, while there are Christmas trees aplenty and we cannot forget the carollers and the ice-cold winter chill that makes it the perfect place to rug up during winter.
Old Quebec in Canada comes alive with Christmas spirit during the holiday season. It completely transforms to become a lively Christmas town. Get ready to eat roasted chestnuts, pudding and spiced wine. Yum!
Unsurprisingly, it’s cold and wet during Christmas in England, but that just makes people more excited about a bit of Christmas cheer to brighten up their day. Here you can expect to see carollers, and don’t even think of visiting if you’re on a diet because there will be a whole variety of foods to sample including beef wellington, Christmas pud, Yorkshire pudding and mince pies.
The city of Medellin hosts the most elaborate light display in all of South America. The second-largest city in Colombia hosts a month-long party where more than 16 million Christmas lights are put on display along the city’s Santa Elena River. If that wasn’t enough Christmas cheer for you, then an 80-metre Christmas tree just might be.
More than the humble Christmas tree, the holy nativity scene is an important part of a Christmas in Malta. People will put on their own nativity scenes on display for other people to see, while carollers gather in the main squares to sing Christmas songs.
This is where Santa Claus is from! So you can imagine how much Christmas spirit there is to go around. Christmas is all about the food, too, so be prepared for dishes like pork roast, fish, casseroles and rice pudding.
Germany is home to some of the most spectacular Christmas markets that you’re ever likely to see during the festive season. You can expect to see sausages being sizzled, mine being mulled and, how could we forget, delightful gingerbread.
Christmas in Mexico is a colourful affair, with nativity scenes also being the most prominent decoration during the holiday. You’re also likely to see people in the street re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.
Austria has wonderful Christmas traditions including families having their own Advent Wreaths made from twigs and ribbons. They also have Christmas markets that begin in late November and sell traditional decorations, sweets and food.
Christmas lights in the Netherlands are delightfully placed over canal bridges and over gardens and trees. There’s no tacky Christmas decorations here. And this is one of the only times people go to church, when people head to midnight mass and Christmas carols.