Five very Christmas destinations – La Nacion (Argentina)

1 Finland Home Santa Claus

It should be a very good reason to be encouraged to visit Lapland in December. Just lakes forests are distinguished, under the ice and snow in the darkness and bitter cold. But it takes more to discourage those who are willing to meet Santa Claus

In the outskirts of Rovaniemi, the largest city in northern Finland, is Santa Park. Just above the Arctic Circle sees no sunlight during December and January. In return you can see northern lights, which add a touch of magic theme park Christmas.

There are games, exhibitions and shows and, of course, Santa Claus to take pictures and give letters to be forwarded with a single stamp. Open all year, but has a peak concurrency in December.

2 France the origin of Arbolito

There is no Christmas tree and no lights. This tradition was developed over many centuries in northern and central Europe. But it is in Sélestat, a small town in Alsace, eastern France, where there is the oldest custom of decorating pine trees during the holidays registration.

This is a document of 1521 that mentions a payment the guards in charge of Meyens, the holiday trees decorated with red apples in the Christmas period. Alsatians then consider that this tradition is originally from the region, from where he went first to neighboring Germany and then the rest of Europe

There is controversy, however, about this story. Latvians put a plate in a square in the capital where a tradition without formal documentation, the first tree traces back to 1510. Moreover, in Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1419 that had hung sweet bakers branches of a pine in the room of a hospital: the poor could shake and try to bring down the goodies to eat

3 Germany Christmas über alles

Many holiday traditions were born in German soil.: Christmas markets (each town or village has its own), carols (including the most famous of all, O Tannenbaum) or special recipes (like the very rich Stollen and Lebkuchen). It is also home to the largest mail center in Himmelpfort, Brandenburg arrive there all the letters are generally sent to the Child Jesus or Santa Claus (in different countries and cultures). The letters are answered in any of the 16 languages ​​that handles this service. Germany is also the country where another tradition that gradually spread around the world was born: the Advent calendars. The idea was born with the custom of giving the boys images in the days before the holidays. Over time, these images were hidden behind windows that were open on a road between the day of Advent and Christmas. Later the same windows opened on small gifts and candy: a way to start getting present and make the children wait until Christmas Day

In Germany, many traditions.

4 Austria’s largest manger of the world

The tradition of recreating scenes of the Nativity is Italian and is commonly reminds St. Francis of Assisi as its promoter. But the biggest crib of the world is in Steyr, Austria, a town that Christmas is taken seriously: concerts, exhibitions, twinned with Bethlehem and Christmas office mail. Steyr is also known as the City of the Child Jesus, thanks to a miraculous image of Christkindl which is the object of pilgrimage in one of their churches.

The manger of Steyr is actually a puppet representing the city ​​as it was in the nineteenth century around the stable of the Nativity. Throughout the season of Advent it is come from miles around to admire and live in a very special atmosphere: there are concerts of choirs and brass bands every evening rounds night by the center in honor of the Child Jesus (the Christkindl occupies the role of Dad Noel and delivering gifts to the children) and rides on a tourist train to reach the Christmas Museum, where it has an impressive collection of antique ornaments.

5 Italy Midnight Mass with Pope Francisco

A visit to Rome takes on a particular meaning during the Christmas holidays. Pilgrims often visit the basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major during your stay. But above all come to witness the Christmas Mass, officiated by Pope Francisco.

Despite the cold and bad weather, the vast St. Peter’s Square is full of people who could not get invitations to go in the basilica and still holding out through a giant screen. Some want to secure a good job and are from several hours earlier. The lighted Christmas tree seems as if lost in a crowd. On Christmas morning the square is filled again to attend the papal blessing, another time to be prepared well in advance to get a spot.

During the Christmas period, the city hosts many people and queues for some visits like that of Vaticanos- Museums are very long.