What are your plans for the upcoming holidays? Do you plan to cozy up at home with the remote in one hand and eggnog in the other or are you opting to take the first flight out of the country?
Well if you’re looking to have an extraordinary Christmas this year, hop on our little Lipstiq tour and we’ll take you to some of the best spots in the world to celebrate the much loved holiday season that is Christmas!
SANTA’S VILLAGE
Where else to celebrate Christmas in all its authenticity but Europe. It looks like none of our local airlines will be offering flights to the North Pole anytime soon so our second best option would be Santa Claus Village in Finland which is close to the Arctic Circle. With foot deep snow, real reindeers roaming around and an amusement park aptly named Santa Park in the vicinity, this experience doesn’t come cheap for sure.
THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS
From “Sleepless in Seattle” to “Love Actually”, we all know how Christmas looks like in the most famous city in the world. The lights, the music, the last minute Christmas shopping and the faint scent of snow in the air as crowds trawl the streets hurrying home.
Look out for the world’s tallest Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center (which Justin Bieber had the honour of switching on the lights this year), ice skating and the all famous New York ballet performance of The Nutcracker.
TO THE BEACH
If winter jackets and frozen fingers aren’t your thing, indulge yourself with some of the hottest beaches this side of the planet namely Pangkor Island, Pattaya or Bondi Beach, Australia if you’re feeling adventurous. Celebrate Christmas a little differently, instead of the typical Christmas dinners expect some good old barbeque grills by the beach. Not everyone loves to spend Christmas bundled up.
GO SPIRITUAL
Embrace the very soul of Christmas in the heart of the Vatican where pilgrims flock to during the year end annually. Though the city radiates with a magical air throughout the year, Christmas is extra special with roasted chestnuts being sold on every corner and nativity performances at St. Peter’s Square, Piazza Navona and the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.
GENEROUS GERMANY
Trinkets, candles, gingerbread, bratwurst and wine. Never mind if you can’t speak the language, just nod and chow down on these awesome German goodies as you wade through markets after markets offering feasts for kings and the like in Nuremberg. Don’t forget to come back after dusk to witness a grand fairy-tale spectacle.
SWISS SNOW
Another hot spot for Christmas markets is Zurich, famed for its chocolate-box attractions — mountains, snow and cobbled streets. Sign up for guided Christmas-themed city strolls, and be in awe of the enchanting all-singing Christmas tree that comes alive on Werdmuhleplatz. There will also be a choir of local youngsters singing Christmas carols on a tiered triangular stage covered in assorted greenery and fairy lights.
GO ORIENTAL
Christmas in Asian cities like Tokyo, Taiwan and Seoul are often free of any religious influences giving a whole different perspective to Christmas with the over the top lights, decoration and food! Christmas Eve very much resembles Valentine’s Day as there are tons of offers in the city for couples whereby a popular Japanese style feast would involve fried chicken followed by sponge cake topped with cream and strawberries.
PUERTY SUNNY
Turn up the heat in sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico with festivities that begin early December lasting all the way to Three Kings Day on 6 January the following year. Expect carolers travelling from house to house and a big feast on Christmas Eve in the village followed by Midnight Mass. What’s to eat you ask? Tons of salsa and a spit-roasted pig that’s what!
