While many of us are preparing to celebrate Christmas or say goodbye to this year, many other cities or countries are enjoying a festival or two. Some of them are Christmas themed while others are centered on spirits or evoking good fortune for the New Year. Below you will find some of the more interesting festivals taking place during the month of December.
Budapest Christmas Fair, Nov 13, 2015 – Jan 6, 2016; Nov 13, 2016 – Jan 6, 2017
Even though this fair starts at the end of November, the bulk of it will be taking place in December. This fair is free and both residents and travelers have been visiting it for decades. The Budapest Christmas Fair is held on “Fashion Street” and is filled with handcrafted goods, tasty treats and hundreds of different Christmas decorations. What’s unique about this fair is that it’s set up like a country village. There are more than 150 different booths that are set up cottage style. Throughout the fair there are many different local musicians performing. Santa Clause even makes an appearance during the event.
SantaCon San Francisco, December 12
One Santa’s great, but 100’s more are even better, right? SantaCon started in 1994 in San Francisco. Each year many people dressed in Santa outfits meet up and have a few drinks together, hand out candy canes to children and just have a jolly good time. It is quite the site seeing 100’s of Santa’s together all in one place. This tradition has become so popular in fact that many other cities including Paris and Montreal participate in the event as well. Ireland set the Guinness World Record in 2007 for having the most Santa’s in one place, which happened to be over 13,000.
Burning The Clocks Brighton, December 21
This festival began in 1994 in the United Kingdom as a way to mark the beginning of the Winter Solstice. Today it is for residents to gather together to celebrate each individual’s unique spirit. However, many people are starting to use it as a way to rebel against the commercialism of Christmas. During this festival each individual places a combustible lantern that is handmade, into a bonfire. The purpose of the burning lantern is to symbolize the dreams and hopes that each individual has for the New Year.
Hogmanay Celebration Edinburgh, December 30- January 1
This yearly Scottish festival has ancient pagan roots. Residents spend the day cleaning their houses in preparation for the New Year. At night it turns into one big party filled with parades, music and fireworks. Many people will open their homes to complete strangers to share a homemade meal known as First Footing.
We hope that you will find some time during this busy holiday season to enjoy a festival in or around the city that you live in. December is a great time to have some fun with your loved ones no matter what you do. Are there any interesting festivals happening near you?
