I'm
not American. I am not a U.S. citizen. But I believe that in March 2014, our
family won a green card and
we will become Americans. Christmas is coming in 2013. I think many Americans
already know where they will have a Christmas. But I want to write where best
to spend Christmas. I write where I and my family in America and Europe wanted
to be for Christmas.
While
there are many places worthy of consideration for a Christmas holiday, perhaps
none is better than the United States - the country that seems to really get it
right when it comes to celebrating the Christmas season. When one thinks about
Christmas shopping, mall Santas, highly decorative streets, Christmas trees and
houses covered in twinkling lights, it is often images of the USA that comes to
mind.
Well where to go
for Christmas 2013? I write where I wanted to be. And I want this to be useful
for everyone!
New York – US
NewYork in December just screams CHRISTMAS Framed by the
center's Promenade, where bedazzled angel figures trumpet the arrival of
Christmas, the world's most famous Christmas tree is usually harvested in
November by Rockefeller Center workers. They traditionally scout out locations
within a 50-mile radius or more from New York City to find the current year's
prime specimen. The tree they
pick is usually a Norway spruce, about 70 - 100 ft. tall. After being
transported to the city with great fanfare, the tree is hoisted into place and
prepared for days of decorating in a central location overlooking the
Rockefeller Center ice rink. Scaffolding
is put up around the tree to assist workers in putting up 30,000 lights
attached to 5 miles of wiring. The scaffold is then removed just in time for
the grand lighting ceremony that traditionally occurs on a Wednesday evening
the week following Thanksgiving . The tree at the
Rockefeller Centre is almost certainly the world’s most famous Christmas tree,
but it’s only the centre piece for a city-wideChristmas display. “You can make
a pretty strong case that more people care about the lighting of the Christmastree in Rockefeller Center than the one at the White House,” says Jason
Clampet, senior editor at Frommers. “And there’s something about the holiday
decorations that makes even locals gawk like tourists,” especially when the
snow falls during those lucky years. Nothing beats
carriage rides through Central Park, the elaborate department store displays,
and strolls through the some of the city’s classic brownstone-lined streets.
And it’s not just Manhattan that puts on a show during the holidays.
Neighborhoods such as Dyker Heights in Brooklyn and Ozone Park in Queens are
famous for their over-the-top Christmas decoration competitions. The City That
Never Sleeps simply cannot be topped during the holiday season. It seems as if
every street and window in Manhattan is decorated in dazzling displays. The
mere thought of Christmastime in New York brings up images such as the high
kicks of the Rockettes at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, window shopping
at Macy's or Saks Fifth Avenue, and taking a spin around the Rockefeller Center
ice rink. For some more off-the-beaten path things to do during the holidays,
check out the Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History or
give cross country skiing a shot in Central Park. Even with the cold wind
blowing, there are endless ways to get into the holiday spirit in New York.
Americans know how to decorate for Christmas and the colourful decorations
along New York’s famous streets create a gorgeous holiday setting. Factor in
the crisp winter air and a white, fluffy snowfall and the scene is set for a
very merry Christmas indeed. Enjoy ice skating in beautiful Rockefeller Plaza
while admiring the gigantic, glittering Christmas tree towering above. Central
Park is a winter wonderland too. Take a romantic horse drawn carriage ride
through the snow blanketed park or strap on your ice skates and go for a spin
on one of the park’s large frozen lakes. And what Christmas would be complete
without seeing the famous Rockettes perform at the historic Radio City Music
Hall! Be dazzled as they perform a high kicking Christmas themed extravaganza.
From Times Square to the decorations along Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue and
everywhere in between, the sounds and sights of Christmas are around every
corner in New York City. Christmas in New York. Even the most tourist-averse
New Yorkers have to admit that NYC at Christmas is a pretty spectacular sight,
withChristmas
trees, department-store
window displays and
other holiday attractions popping up around the city. Plan your holiday season
with our guide to Christmas in NYC: You'll find information on the best holiday events (including the Radio City
Christmas Spectacular), the most
festive things to do, and the best holiday
shopping in New York City.
New Year's Eve
in New York 2013
Ring in 2014 with an all-night party,
a raucous concert,
dinner and a show, an open bar with a champagne toast, a fireworks display or a
relaxed yoga session (yes, these exist). You'll find these
celebrations and more with our essential guide to New Year's Eve in New York.
Keep checking back for ticket announcements—we'll be updating this page with
new events from now through December 31.
Washington,
DC
Washington, DC is a wonderful place to celebrate Christmas
with kids. We are especially lucky to have such a wide selection of Christmas
events and activities to choose from in Washington, DC and the suburbs of
Maryland and Virginia. While you are shopping, decorating, cooking and
preparing for the holiday, be sure to take some time out to make some special
Christmas memories with your kids. Here are suggested events for the 2013
season. The Washington, DC area has a wide range of theaters to enjoy the
Christmas classic ballet - the Nutcracker. Take the whole family to marvel over
Clara’s Christmas fantasy when the wooden toy soldier comes alive and takes her
on a magical tour of wonderful holiday adventures. For the younger crowd, check
out the Nutcracker Puppet Show at thePuppet Co.National Christmas Tree and the Pageant of Peace
December 6, 2013-January 1, 2014. The Christmas Tree in front of the White House has a special allure to us all, but to kids it’s even more magical. Be sure to get up close and watch the toy train go around the track!
ICE! – Christmas at the Gaylord National Resort
November 15, 2013 - January 5, 2014. The award-winning holiday attraction is a winter wonderland created entirely of 5,000 BLOCKS of ice weighing 1.5 MILLION POUNDS! hand-sculpted by 40 international artisans and kept at a chilling nine degrees Fahrenheit. This is an interactive holiday attraction you won't want to miss.
Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and Holiday Boat Parade of Lights
December 6-7, 2013. Old Town Alexandria celebrates the holiday season while hundreds of Scottish clansmen with their bagpipes gather for the traditional parade and dozens of festively decorated pleasure boats light up the sky along the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria.
ZooLights at the National Zoo
Rock Creek Park. November 29, 2013-January 1, 2014, 5-9 p.m. The National Zoo presents a display of thousands of sparkling animated Christmas lights, winter-themed crafts, ice sculpting demonstrations, choral groups, and storytellers.
Christmas Town at Busch Gardens
November 22-December 31, 2013. The Williamsburg, Virginia amusement park is transformed into a Christmas wonderland, combining an immersive holiday experience with one-of-a-kind shopping and dining opportunities, all-new holiday shows and a spectacular light-dancing Christmas tree.
Botanic Garden's Holiday Magic
November 28, 2013 through January 5, 2014. The exhibit is truly amazing featuring model trains and incredible replicas of Washington, DC's most famous buildings and monuments all made of real plant materials! Adults and children will be fascinated by this special Christmas-time treat in the nation's capital.
Manassas Christmas Parade
December 7, 2013. Old Town Manassas, Virginia celebrates the Christmas season each year with a weekend of old-fashioned family fun at the "Merry Old Town" celebration. Festivities include a parade, Christmas tree lighting ceremony, visits with Santa, free carriage rides and more.
Holiday Sing-a-long at Wolf Trap National Park
December 7, 2013, 4-5:30 p.m. Sing Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs with the United States Marine Band and vocal groups from the metropolitan Washington area.
The Christmas Revels
December 7-8 and 13-15, 2013. Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University. The annual show will be a lively celebration of an English Country Christmas with traditional carols, anthems, rounds, country dancing, and a hilarious mummer’s play. Tickets: $12-$45. (800) 595-4849.
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies
Various communities around the Washington, DC area light a Christmas tree, provide entertainment and invite children to visit with Santa.
College Park Aviation Museum
Santa Fly In December 7, 2013, Watch Santa fly into the historic College Park Airport and then have your picture taken with him. Enjoy holiday arts and crafts in the museum gallery as you wait.
Trains and Planes December 14-21, 2013. Miniature trains, villages, tunnels and depots spark the imagination while bringing history to life.
The Water-skiing Santa
December 24, 2013, 1 p.m. This unusual annual event features a water-skiing Santa, flying elves, the Jet-skiing Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman performing on the Potomac River.
Gingerbread Workshop at the National Building Museum
December 7, 2013, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; 2-4 p.m. Build and decorate your own gingerbread house. $50 per house for museum members; $65 nonmembers. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Prepaid registration is required. (202) 272-2448, ext. 3413.
Christmas Light Displays
Throughout the holiday season, Christmas light displays are beautiful and a great way to share the magic and joy of a winter wonderland. Kids will especially like the animated characters.
Discovery Theater’s Seasons of Light
December 2-20, 2013. This seasonal favorite at the Smithsonian’s children’s theater celebrates the warmth of many holidays filled with light. Learn the history and customs of Devali, Ramadan, Sankta Lucia, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, Christmas, and the First Nations tradition of the Winter Solstice.
Reston Town Center's Holiday Events
This shopping center in Reston, Virginia celebrates the holidays with a holiday parade, visits with Santa, carriage rides, a Christmas tree lighting and sing-along and more.
Bethesda's Winter Wonderland
December 6-7, 2013. See a variety of entertainment and performances, a live ice sculpting presentation in and a visit from Santa Claus.
Leesburg Holiday Parade and Festival
December 14, 2013, 10 a.m. Catch your Christmas spirit and bring the whole family to see Santa and his friends parade down King Street, through the heart of historic Leesburg.
Holly TrolleyFest
December 7-29, 2013, National Capital Trolley Museum, 1313 Bonifant Road Silver Spring, Maryland. Ride with Santa on the street cars and enjoy a model garden railway and holiday village.
Santa Claus
Village And Santa Park – Napapiiri In Lapland, Finland
Capitalizing
on its extreme northern location at the foot of the Arctic Circle, Napapiiriconsiders itself Europe’s Christmas capital due to the fact that it is Santa’s“true base of operations.” And every year, the town draws thousands of visitors
from all over Europe to tour the two different Santa-themed attractions, Santa
Claus Village and Santa Park, which offer tours of Santa’s workshops,
opportunities to buy some of Santa’s merchandise, encounters with genuine
reindeer, and visits with the big man himself.There’s also a Santa-dedicated post
office which functions as the European hub for its Indiana counterpart. And
when parents begin to feel like they’ve overstayed their welcome with Santa,
the nearby city of Rovaniemi provides a wider array of holiday delights. About a hundred years ago, a passer-by started spreading
the word about Ear Mountain and the existence of its inhabitants. Santa wanted
to safeguard the tranquillity of his secret hiding place and came up with a
superb idea that also allowed him to meet people who love Christmas and
his many friends who come to greet him. It was around half a century ago that
Santa Claus started to frequently visit the Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi.
From the turn of the
millennium, the Lappish centre for Christmas, the Santa Claus Village on the
Arctic Circle became the most spectacular Santa Claus destination in
Scandinavia. The popularity of the destination saw the number of visitors
double. The numbers of international visitors in particular increased up to
fourfold in a few years to exceed half a million.
The Arctic Circle is a line visible on the map, north of which the
sun can be seen above the horizon even at midnight during the summertime. Contrastingly, during the winter the sun stays below the horizon for a certain
time.
During midwinter or the
twilight period, light is provided by the moon and stars in addition to the
magical Northern Lights and clean, bright cover of glistening snow. The Arctic
Circle is also known as the border of hastiness, where regular time changes into
the magic time of elves and reindeer.
Playing in the snow is where
the real fun is, and Santa’s Elves are well aware of this! Cheerful laughter
can be heard from folk sledging in the glow of the Christmas tree lights and
the ambiance of the snowy world enchants visitors with its beauty.
Partof the allure of Hotel Kakslauttanen is being able to stay in their glass igloo
village. Nestled in the wilderness, near Finland's Urho Kekkonen National Park,
this unique hotel has taken the traditional concept of an 'igloo', and
transformed it into a totally different kind of accommodation. Hotel
Kakslauttanen has one of the Arctic Circle's best views of the Northern Lights
(and yes, you will be pretty close to Santa Claus). Sparse vegetation and
pollution-free skies reveal a view of millions of stars each night, even more
remarkable during the winter months. Guests can enjoy this extraordinary
experience and stunning views through glass walls, very comfortably at
room temperature, whislt seemingly being embraced by the snow outdoors. The
igloos are scattered around the snowy park, lit up like a light bulbs as the
night draws in, looking like small turtles sitting on the snow. The
architectural design of the igloo incorporates an entirely glazed dome
structure, which gathers what little light is available in this part of the
world during the long winter months. On the other hand, shade is required for
summer months, when this region gets nearly 20 hours of daylight. Each
glass igloo is fitted with thermal glass walls and ceilings which insulate the
interior, keeping it warm and cozy. The glass has frost preventative
properties, to maintain crystal clear, panoramic views, even whentemperatures
outside drop to -22 degrees Celcius.
NEW! Christmas.
Lviv 2013 -UKRAINE
Ever
dream that Christmas could happen twice a year? Welcome to Lviv, Ukraine – a
town where dreams come true! Imagine celebrating Christmas with your family in
America or Western Europe, and then packing your bags for Lviv for another
“serving” of Christmas.
Lviv is big on
celebrations. One Christmas was not enough, so Lvivians came together and
decided – why not double the fun?
Well, actually
there was another reason. Traditionally Lviv’s minority Roman Catholics
celebrate Christmas on December 25th according to the Gregorian calendar while
a majority–Greek Catholics and Orthodox–use the Julian calendar and celebrate
on January 7th. But as Lvivians are nuts about holidays, they don’t mind
supporting their neighbors and marking both Christmases.
Winter holidays
last a month in Ukraine. Many Lviv locals refer to the period from December
19th to January 19th as “Ukrainian Ramadan.” Businessmen should be aware of
this holiday schedule and plan their business trips and meetings around these
dates. http://lvivalive.com/ukrainian-christmas-traditions-in-lviv
MORE ABOUT LVIV:
A time for family reunion
Since time immemorial, Christmas has been the season
of spreading good cheer, of spending time with your family and of sharing,
caring and giving. Of love and compassion and of family bonding. However, it is
not a surprise that a large number of people nowadays do not spend Christmas
with their families. While some of them are too busy with other pursuits, the
vast majority of these people do not spend Christmas with their family because
they do not like doing it. Instead of spending
Christmas with their family, they prefer spending it alone or with friends and
colleagues. This is indeed a sad reflection of our times. But more than this,
it is a wake up call for all of us who have been blessed with a good family and
great kids, but are too busy with our professional lives to spend time with
them. It is therefore imperative that we take every opportunity to bond
with our family and make the most of our relations, and Christmas, no doubt,
provides us with the best opportunity for bonding with our family. So this time
around, make sure that you take time out from your busy work schedules in order
to have a long Christmas at home. Trust me, your old parents and your young
children will really appreciate it. Stop treating Christmas as a time for
socializing and designate it as official family bonding time. Invite family
like parents, children and their spouses and your brothers and sisters with
their families for Christmas.
CHRISTMAS in YOUR CHURCH
Millions of Americans go to church on Christmas
Eve. They crowd shoulder-to-shoulder in pews to sing "Silent Night"
and light candles and listen to soloists belt out "O Holy Night."
More than a few watch nativity plays that recreate the birth of Jesus with a
cast of 10-year-olds in bathrobes. When the service is over, they exchange
hearty "Merry Christmas!" wishes before getting in their cars and
heading home. The idea that Christmas Eve is a prime marketing opportunity
to attract new members is widespread among pastors. In online forums, they give
each other advice on crafting services that are broken down into digestible
segments that will "hold the attention" of infrequent church-goers.
(They also devote considerable space to trading concerns about the fire hazards
posed by those Christmas Eve candles their congregants love holding.) One
pastor said he considered regular Sunday services at his church to be
"seeker-friendly," but holidays like Christmas and Easter were
"seeker-focused." The irony is that by holding Christmas Eve services
that cater to first-time visitors and shuttering their doors on Christmas Day,
churches often fail to meet the spiritual needs of their longtime members on
one of the holiest days of the year. that people make time to go to church, to have a
family Christmas lunch, to open presents with their families - and maybe spend
a bit of time online spending their new Christmas vouchers. The original
meaning of Christmas is a special church service, or mass, to celebrate the
birth of Christ. The story of the Nativity, or the events surrounding the birth
of Jesus, are particularly important in religious celebrations of Christmas.
However, many traditions that are around today have their roots in
pre-Christian winter festivals. These include the importance of candles and
decorations made from evergreen bushes and tree, symbolizing everlasting light
and life.
In
Roman times, a mid-winter festival was held. This was a relaxing time with a
lot of parties and merry making. It was also common to give other people small
gifts, such as dolls for children and candles for adults. This festival
culminated with the celebration of the winter solstice, which fell on December
25 in the Roman calendar. In Scandinavia, a festival called Yule and lasting up
to twelve days was held in late December and early January. In this time people
burnt logs and held parties. These customs have influences how Christmas Day is
celebrated today in the United States.
The
Bible does not give a precise date for the birth of Jesus. It is also unclear
when December 25 became associated with the birth of Jesus, although it may
have been around two hundred years after his birth. In the early centuries of
Christianity, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus was not a cause for
celebrations. The idea of turning this day into a celebration started in the
early Middle Ages in Europe.
During
Reformation and up until the middle of the 1800s, Christmas was often not
celebrated because partying and merry making was seen as unchristian. From
about 1840, celebrating Christmas became more widespread. December 25 was
declared a federal holiday in the United States in 1870. Since then Christmas
Day has become a steadily more important holiday.
Many
people in the United States celebrate Christmas Day on December 25. The day
celebrates Jesus Christ's birth. It is often combined with customs from
pre-Christian winter celebrations. Many people erect Christmas trees, decorate
their homes, visit family or friends and exchange gifts.
Many
follow a "there is no place like home" sort of Christmas policy when
it comes to where they want to be for the holidays. Others find this a
great time of the year to travel and see a different part of the country.
Write on my page where you want to spend Christmas 2013! In addition, New Year 2014!
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