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Dec 2024
4:53pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,004 posts
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GregP
R1G1 closes
DUBAI. Dubai does Christmas the same way Dubai does nearly everything—in true, over-the-top fashion. Catch the tree lightings happening around town, including the ones at Towers Rotana, Fairmont The Palm, and The Irish Village, and then watch the jolly ol’ St. Nicks making a run for it at the Santa Run. And since no visit to Dubai is complete without several shopping sprees, set aside time to stock up on goodies at one of the city’s Christmas markets. 1 - 20 BETHLEHEM PENNSYLVANIA. For the past three decades, the little town of Bethlehem in Pennsylvania has channelled its name and transformed into “Christmas City” for the holidays. Celebrations are centered around the Christkindlmarkt at the SteelStacks, with more than 50 booths featuring artisan crafts, as well as live music and special events with Santa Claus himself.
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Dec 2024
4:54pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,005 posts
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GregP
R1G2 closes
HONG KONG. Hong Kong’s yuletide urban offerings rival that of NYC’s, with holiday markets, window displays, and concerts galore (they even have a Santa Con). Then there are the lights. The Symphony of Lights show—held nightly at 8pm—will leave you breathless, thanks to an extravagantly choreographed neon show displayed across more than 40 of the city’s iconic skyscrapers along Victoria Harbour. 14 - 11 CAPE TOWN. If you’re looking to escape winter during Christmas, you can't do much better than Cape Town—it’s summer in the Southern Hemisphere, after all. You can even visit one (or several) of the South African city’s holiday markets without having to wear a coat and scarf.
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Dec 2024
4:55pm, 6 Dec 2024
69,381 posts
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Derby Tup
Amsterdam in the winter of something like 1985. Absolutely freezing cold
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Dec 2024
4:58pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,006 posts
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GregP
Ooh. Amsterdam is a swine for being unexpectedly cold. Good call.
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Dec 2024
4:59pm, 6 Dec 2024
69,382 posts
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Derby Tup
Marrakesh, January 2005. Not warm when the sun went down
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Dec 2024
4:59pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,007 posts
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GregP
R1G3 closes
LEAVENWORTH, WASHINGTON. Love the idea of a Bavarian holiday but hate the idea of a transatlantic flight? Enter Leavenworth. This town tucked away in the Cascade Mountains was modelled after Germany’s alpine villages, complete with half-timbered houses and epic food halls. As you can imagine, the city comes alive during Christmas with over-the-top holiday lights and tons of winter sports. 3 - 26 BRUGES, BELGIUM. Europe’s best-preserved medieval city oozes charm year-round, but especially during the holidays. It’s hard to imagine a place more magical as you wander the cobblestone streets, admire the shimmering lights, and warm up with mugs of Belgian hot chocolate in cafés.
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Dec 2024
5:04pm, 6 Dec 2024
69,383 posts
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Derby Tup
Bruges is ace. Cold mind in winter
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Dec 2024
5:18pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,008 posts
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GregP
I've somehow never been. Not quite sure how I've avoided it, I'm sure its lovely.
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Dec 2024
5:18pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,009 posts
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GregP
R1G4 closes
PARIS. Can you really think of a more magical place to spend Christmas than Paris? The city provides festive activities at every turn, from the light installations on the Champs-Elysées to any number of pop-up markets and ice skating rinks. Even if you don’t feel like shivering out in the cold, warming up with a mug of hot chocolate at Angelina will still get you in the spirit. 8 - 22 INARI, FINLAND. While most tourists flock to the Lapland city of Rovaniemi come Christmas, we suggest heading even further north (like, within reach of the Arctic Ocean north) to the village of Inari. Located in the heart of the scenic Ivalo region—reachable via a 1.5-hour flight from Helsinki—Inari is a pure winter wonderland dotted with hotels and restaurants that keep things nice and cozy. It’s hard to imagine a more authentic winter holiday than one spent riding dog sleds, feeding reindeer, and chasing the Northern Lights.
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Dec 2024
5:20pm, 6 Dec 2024
154,010 posts
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GregP
R1G5 closes
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. You haven't seen Christmas lights until you’ve seen Sydney's Christmas lights. Plus, the holiday season lasts an entire month here (take that, 12 days of Christmas) with “Sydney Christmas.” The festival features the city’s largest Christmas Tree at Martin Place. 18 - 10 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL. Who says Christmas has to be about ugly sweaters and hot cocoa? December in Rio is all about enjoying an icy caipirinha on a spectacular beach—with daily temperatures hovering in the 20s. The city also happens to host the world’s largest display of full-sized nativity scenes during its annual Festival de Presépios (“Crib Festival”), found at Jardim de Alah between Leblon and Ipanema."
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SuperDeath XI
Jan 2025
