30 Holly, Jolly Christmas Festivals Around the World to Add to Your Holiday Bucket List ASAP

Each year, San Fernando hosts a special light festival called Ligligan Parul (translated as Giant Lantern Festival). The festival is filled with multicolored lanterns that resemble that of the Star of Bethlehem, making for a gorgeous sight to experience.

The Christmas Fair of Budapest is unique and very special to its region. The city’s Vorosmarty Square hosts the event and turns into a beautiful Christmas village filled with plenty of wooden vendor stalls that sell everything from gifts to delicious food.

A town with incredible history and known to host Europe’s oldest Christmas market, Strasbourg has hundreds of stalls featuring decorations, festive food, and more. For a real treat, head over to Place Kléber to see the Christmas tree, which is a staggering 30 meters (98 feet) tall, nearly 20 feet taller than the Rockefeller Tree in New York City!

While some towns keep the Christmas celebrations strictly in the month of December, Krakow’s Christmas market can be enjoyed all year round. The town square is filled with colorful light displays with eateries and street vendors placed between.

There can’t be talk of Christmas festivals without Germany’s Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market. Famously known for its gorgeous display of decorations and lighting, as well as the various food vendors and shopping stalls, Gendarmenmarkt is not one to be forgotten!

If you’ve always dreamed of visiting the North Pole, Finland is where you want to go. The Santa Claus Village in Lapland, Finland, will make you feel as close as ever to Santa and the North Pole with its beautiful Christmas lights, food, and shopping.

In Dublin, Christmas celebrations aren’t limited to one day but rather can be celebrated for 12! The 12 Days of Christmas Market features the best of Dublin’s cuisine alongside a wondrous array of lights and holiday decorations. Don’t forget to drink some whiskey and let loose at this fun-filled festival.

In Puerto Rico, both Christmas and El Día de los Reyes, the Day of the Three Kings, are traditionally celebrated and taken very seriously. San Juan’s Christmas festival includes dazzling mass ceremonies, lechón (the most delicious spit-roasted pig), and plenty of music and dancing.

Become enchanted by the beauty of twinkling lights at the Winter Illuminations light display at Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo. It has gorgeous lighting displays, a Christmas tree, and countless shops with seasonal goods to fulfill all your Christmas needs.

Shanghai’s Jing’an Christkindlmarkt, a long-standing tradition in Shanghai, features traditional Germanic foods such as gingerbread and roasted chestnuts, along with numerous wooden stalls for shopping.

Located approximately two hours east of Seoul, Gapyeong brings out the best of Christmas with its breathtaking Garden of Morning Light Festival. Trees, plants, houses, even the ground are covered with multicolored lights, leaving your eyes with so much to explore.

When December rolls around, Hyde Park in London turns into Winter Wonderland and hosts its annual Christmas festival. Known for beautiful light displays, decorations, food vendors, and an iconic 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel, Winter Wonderland is one of many special festivals that ignite holiday excitement.

Sure, a white Christmas is classic, but there’s something special about celebrating Christmas in warm weather. If you’re a bit bored with the frigid temperatures of your hometown, take a trip to Fort Lauderdale for the Winterfest Boat Parade! Here you’ll see an array of yachts covered top to bottom with Christmas lights as they sail on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Each year, from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day, Philadelphia hosts its Christmas Village. The month-long event has everything from rides to shopping vendors to special wine tastings, all set with the beautiful city of Philly in the background.

In the town of Duluth, the Bentleyville Christmas Light Show brings huge crowds every year. Completely free to view, the show features a spectacular arrangement of lights from houses to trees to roadways. After you’re done looking at the lights, head over to the popcorn factory or the cookie house to satisfy your Christmas food cravings!

If you thought the Polar Express was purely a piece of fiction, think again. The New Hope Christmas Railroad bings the Polar Express to life as Santa and Mrs. Claus invite you to ride with them on their steam train. While on the train, you can enjoy Christmas carols and even some hot cocoa, no golden ticket necessary.

Since 1973, the Christmas Stroll in Nantucket has been a huge hit and popular tradition among residents. The Christmas Stroll, a festival that is held on the first weekend of December, has everything from craft shows to shops and festive refreshments.

In Hanoi, there are a few special ways to celebrate Christmas. On Hang Ma Street, visitors can expect plenty of lights and ornaments, along with flashy restaurants and street vendors. At Joseph’s Cathedral, visitors celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with beautiful light displays and singing songs.

The town of Kolkata is one of the best places to celebrate Christmas in India, and for good reason. Adorned with a multitude of lights and decorations, Kolkata fills your heart with the spirit of Christmas. When you’re not snapping pictures of the scenery, be sure to enjoy some Christmas cakes and other treats.

Each year, the people of Florence celebrate the tradition of Florence Noel, a festival that centers on Babbo Natale, or Father Christmas. Going to the festival, you can enjoy live music, food, and a large Christmas tree along with a nativity display.

When looking for some Christmas cheer, look no further than The Rocks Christmas Markets in Sydney. Held each weekend in December, The Rocks has food, shopping, carolers, and wonderful holiday displays.

If celebrating Christmas for one day is a bummer to you, Moscow’s mid-December through mid-January Winter Festival will bring some joy to your heart. Celebrating Russian Christmas, Svyatki (Russian Christmastide), and Russian New Year, the Winter Festival is full of beautiful ice sculptures, lights, games, food, shops, and much more.

Lively, colorful, and fun, the celebration of the Crucian Christmas Festival is something special. Featuring parties, contests, music, and fireworks, this Christmas festival combines the best of Caribbean culture and tradition, leaving you with a one-of-a-kind holiday experience.

In San José, the Festival de la Luz (Festival of Lights) is an annual crowd-pleaser, with millions in attendance every year. This festival features floats, musical artists, marching bands, food vendors, and more.

Fireworks, Christmas trees, and musical artists are just some of what Toronto’s Cavalcade of Lights festival has to offer. During this festival, many of Toronto’s buildings and landmarks are illuminated with festive lights to celebrate the start of the holiday season.

Rooted in the Dutch heritage of Rhinebeck, Sinterklaas is a festival that features a parade of special Christmas figures, costumes, delicious baked goods, and music.

The Festival of Lights of Petersburg is a sight to be seen during the holiday season. In this special event, the town becomes a winter wonderland and is decorated thoroughly with lights. After a tree-lighting ceremony, there is a fun community walk accompanied by traditional Christmas carols.

Along with the gorgeous display of lights and a Christmas tree along the Tivoli lake, the Christmas Market in Copenhagen gives visitors a small glimpse of what magic looks like. With visits from Santa and his reindeer and a variety of shops and food vendors, you are bound to leave here with your heart feeling full.

The annual Christkindlmarket of Chicago has become a beloved tradition throughout the years and one that visitors continue to flock to every year. Inspired by popularized German markets during Christmas, this festival has gifts, food, beverages, and plenty of great photo opportunities.

Recognized as one of the best holiday attractions in the nation, the Festival of Lights in Riverside is unique. Featuring an incredible light display on the Mission Inn along with an outdoor skating rink and vendors, this festival is great for anyone looking to enjoy the beauty of Christmas.