Top 10 Christmas Vacation Destination 2012

Take advantage of the opportunity to spend quality time with your family, loved ones and friends this coming Christmas 2012. It’s recommended to go to another place and spend it in another surrounding than do it in your usual celebration. Find time to narrow down your choices with these top 10 Christmas Vacation Destinations 2012 that will surely promise you a different and one of a kind excitement as you approach this season. Know the best places where you could relax and rejuvenate along with those people who are dearest to you. Don’t be too hard on yourself, this is your break from all the stresses that you have had for the past few months. Consider it as a treat since it would be one of the longest holiday vacations that you could celebrate with the rest of your family members. You don’t need to spend a lot of money because there are vacation packages that will suit your budget, and since this is just a once a year travel away from your home, enjoy each moment of it. Anyhow, you can’t say no with these places especially as you thumb down in each destination where your heart will fall in love with.

10. France

It is one of the magical and mysterious places in the world aside from the fact that it’s one of the countries in the world where people could afford to go because of the affordable packages and tours for travelers in December. You’ll love the mid-winter temperature here, and some of the places that you should visit once you arrive here are its Christmas Market in Strasbourg  find solitude in their Christmas mass, the lighting up of the city in Paris, and skiing.

9. Japan

Aside from Thailand and Philippines, Japan is the top choice among all the favorite destinations that one must visit to celebrate Christmas 2012. Of course the best location is found at the center of Tokyo since it is comparable to the busiest place in the world, the New York City. You could learn the richest tradition of the citizens of Japan especially if you would include in your list the district of Shinjiku, the traditional locality of Shibamata, the Ikebukoro, the cycling tour, Sendai, the Kobe’s Illuminaire, Shidome, Ginza, Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Dome, and a lot more. Isn’t it cool?

8. Finland

If you are a fan of reindeer and other popular Christmas characters then, take a look at Napaiiri, which is situated in Lapland, Finland. The two important attractions during Christmas season here are the Santa Park and the Santa Claus Village. Those are the best destinations where you could bring your whole family especially to kids since they believe in the fiction-made Santa Claus character. It would make everyone’s Christmas complete seeing and visiting the place that adore and respect Santa. Also, you could have cruises at Silja and Viking Line as the next best activity that you can do in Finland.

7. Prague     

This is another romantic place next to France, but little that we know, it is also one of the most sacred, and respect places in the world because of the various sanctified locations that you can visit like St. Vitus Cathedral, Church of our Lady of Victory, Virgin Mary Angelic Church and more. Don’t miss the opportunity to see the St. Nicholas in Old Town Square and St. Martin. If you are coming from a religious country, this is a perfect time to see how people will gather together to devout their time in this once a year yuletide season since, they only worship and visit chapels every Christmas time. You could also stroll around the lesser town, and attend midnight masses.

6. Australia

Majority of airline companies offer seasonal packages going to Australia, and its part of the top destinations that tourists must visit aside from Christmas season. In fact, you could even feel that Aussie people celebrate it all year round because majority of their plants were actually named after the famous Christmas names like orchid, Christmas bells, Christmas tree, and Christmas bush. Top places that you should never exclude in your lists are Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney.

5. Indiana

It will never be excluded on this list since it’s a known hometown during Christmas time of the legendary Santa Claus. Yes. You could find the popular Santa Claus in Indiana where you could enjoy the Christmas lake golf course, museum and village, candy castle, Frosty’s fun center, Santa’s stables, and other nearby attractions that depicts the spirit of this season. Kids will surely love this place since Santa is really close to young ones’ hearts. In fact, it has been consistent on the top 10 lists of places to visit every Christmas season.

4. Puerto Rico

If you are living in one of the states of America, and you feel that you can’t go farther than Asia or United Kingdom, then visit Puerto Rico, and it will offer you exciting Christmas vacation destinations, wherein you would still retain the feeling of being near your home. In fact, it has a warmer temperature especially if you are fed already to the cold breeze that the winter time brings. Explore the Old San Juan, visit colonial towns, and be educated with their coffee plantations. Hence, other places to watch for are Isla de Vieques, Rincon, Culebra, Fajardo, Humacao, Aguadilla, Carolina, Ponce, and a lot more.

3. Egypt

Another zesty and coolest holiday on December 25, 2012 is cheapest offerings for tour in Egypt prior on Christmas day or within the period or week of celebration. Aside from the beautiful structure of pyramid, where Egypt became known for, this place is also popular because of the white beaches, historical destinations, and other significant getaway locations.

2. Dominican Republic

You might be surprised why Dominican Republic listed as second Christmas vacation destinations 2012. This is the best place where families meet and spend quality moment together because of the beach holiday packages that includes diving, water sports, and others. Stretch for more water parks, and wildlife as you relax this season. You may also check out places like Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Playa del Carmen, and more scenic views.

1. New York City

This is not just the number and richest city in the world, but it also the top Christmas destination in 2012 because of the popular landmarks whenever this season comes. Visit the Rockefeller Center Plaza which is the center for Christmas happenings and presentations. Of course, include in your list the FAO Schwartz, the Macy’s elaborate Santaland, St. John the Divine’s Winter Solstice, the Holiday Train Show, the New York Botanical Garden, Brooklyn’s BAM, and a lot more. You still have few days to go to plan your vacation destinations in 2012 this Yuletide season.

Best Places To Go This Christmas

    New York City

       
New York City makes it onto every best destinations list here on USA Travel, but it is especially gorgeous at Christmastime, making it a favorite destination for many holiday travelers.
In addition to having superb shopping - it's a great place to find unique gifts as well as find everything on your own wish list - New York City also boasts many holiday traditions. There is the giant tree at Rockefeller Center, the lighting of which is celebrated with a special ceremony and musical performances, and the holiday-themed windows at New York's famed department stores. Another attractions that brings scores of tourists to New York City during the holidays is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, a Broadway-style show put on by the famous, high-kicking Rockettes at the even more famous Radio City Music Hall.
Here is just a sampling of the many amazing activities and events going on during Christmas in New York City. If you can swing it, a trip to New York City at Christmas is well worth it at least once in your lifetime.

 Chicago

              
                        The Windy City certainly has the brisk weather conditions to deliver a White Christmas, or at least a very, very cold one. But tourists go to Chicago for Christmas for its big city activities, like viewing the millions of lights on the Magnificent Mile and enjoying Chicago's German heritage at the popular Christkindlmarkt, a German Christmas market filled with holiday crafts, traditional wooden toys, and German food and drink. Like New York City, Chicago also has a giant Christmas tree, which is set up in Daley Plaza and inaugurated each year with much fanfare.

 Colorado

                             
 A ski holiday at Christmastime makes sense for a lot of travelers, as snowy slopes and cozy chalets evoke the sights of the holidays. One of the most popular places to go for skiing in the United States is Colorado, which is home to the chic resort towns of Aspen and Vail, among other skiing centers. Santa trackers will also know that Colorado is home to NORAD, the governmental agency that tracks Santa's gift giving course on Christmas Eve.

 Florida

         

 Florida is an obvious choice for the holidays. Most of the state enjoys mild temperatures, even in December, making it ideal for those who want their white Christmases to be made of sand and not snow. In addition to beach destinations, Christmas travelers to Florida also like to visit Disney World, which is decked out in true, over-the-top Disney style, or Miami, where the holidays have a more Latin flavor. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, you can find boat parades and festive light displays in many cities throughout the state. Another great reason to visit Florida at Christmas is to visit Christmas, a little town near Orlando that has become a favorite place to get one's holiday mail postmarked.

 Puerto Rico

     















Why go to Puerto Rico at Christmastime? Besides the fact that you'll enjoy a break from the cold weather up north, Puerto Rico is a very special place to spend the holidays. As is typical of islands, Puerto Rico has its own set of Christmas traditions, ranging from decorations and storytelling to wonderful, wonderful food. While the Christmas season in Puerto Rico can begin as early as November, Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve, is Puerto Rico's most anticipated holiday event.

 Alaska

        

You have to be really committed to the idea of a cold, white Christmas to want to head to Alaska for the holidays. But for some people, Alaska is the North Pole. In fact, since 1952, thousands of children who have written to Santa with their Christmas wishes have sent their letters to the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska (near Fairbanks). The Santa Claus House also writes letters back to kids, indeed a very exciting prospect for a child still moved by stories of Saint Nick. Wintertime is also prime time for catching the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, in Alaska. Indeed, if you can handle the chill and snow, Alaska provides a picture-perfect place for spending Christmas.

Where to Shop on Christmas;10 Best Christmas Markets in Europe

Some of the most famous Christmas markets in Europe have been running since the Middle Ages, and today they can draw upwards of two million visitors during December.
Their appeal is simple: stress-free shopping in a traditional, festive environment (expect carol singers, not taped Bing Crosby), with a few mugs of mulled wine to help you along your way. Having said that, don’t expect to get much other than stocking-fillers – the markets tend to focus on local arts and crafts and hand-made Christmas decorations.

1. Cologne Christmas Markets

Cologne has a total of four Christmas markets around the city, attracting upwards of two million visitors every December. The most spectacular and popular of these is the market ‘Am Dom’, set on the square in front of the towering twin spires of the cathedral, the most visited monument in Germany.
The backdrop is certainly impressive, and the 160 or so stalls that pack beneath the lofty Gothic structure make the most of their tourist-friendly position. Positioned around a vast Christmas tree, the stalls offer the usual range of Yuletide wares, including Christmas tree decorations, arts and crafts, hand-made candles and ceramics. Sweet stalls jostle for space with Glühwein traders, and street musicians and professional bands entertain the hordes.
A little to the south, on the cobbled square of the Alter Markt in the heart of the old town, is the city’s most enjoyable market, with an old fashioned, child-friendly appeal. There is a traditional merry-go-round, a puppet theatre, a Santa’s Grotto and lots of stalls stocking hand-made wooden toys, gingerbread, boiled sweets and cotton candy. Here the stands are half-timbered, giving the whole market a time-warped feel.

2. Vienna Christmas Market

The ‘Christkindlmarkt’ on the square in front of the magnificent Town Hall is Vienna's classic Christmas market. It is one of the best-known and most visited in Europe, attracting millions of visitors to its rows of wooden huts leading up to the Hall. It is certainly one of the oldest, dating back over seven hundred years, and starts early – from mid-November – which is handy for those wanting to avoid the pre-Christmas crowds.
The park surrounding the market is one of the highlights, its trees decorated with themed lights, shaped like hearts or gingerbread men. The market itself has a central row of stalls selling hand-crafted decorations and arty bits and pieces, as well as deliciously scented natural beeswax candles.
The Vokshalle, within the Town Hall, is home to a daily workshop for kids in Viennawhere parents can drop them off to make presents and bake Christmas cookies. An added attraction is that throughout December choirs from around the world perform in the Festival Hall at weekends.

3. Nuremberg Christmas Market

One of the best-known Christmas markets in Europe is the one held at Nuremberg, although it is neither the largest nor oldest. Nevertheless, the setting is beautiful, with almost two hundred stalls crammed into the cobbled square on the slope beneath the Frauenkirche.
The market dates back to 1628, and is known as a regional centre for trading handmade wood figurines. It has a rather odd tradition: every two years a new ‘Christ child’ is appointed, a young man or woman who opens the market and rushes around town spreading Christmas cheer, dressed in elaborate gold and white and sporting a large golden crown.
Eccentric traditions aside, the market is best known for its food, which includes several stalls selling steaming Glühwein and grilled Nürnberger Bratwurst, delicious thin and spicy sausages.
Another favourite is the local Lebkuchen, or gingerbread, sticky and sweet with honey. In the evening, the market is softly lit with hundreds of tiny lights, and bands arrive to entertain the punters – you’ll hear anything from brass bands to live jazz.

4. Dresden Christmas Market

The first mention of Dresden’s Christmas market was in 1434, making this the oldest in Germany. It is steeped in tradition and locals are understandably fond of their Striezelmarkt, named after the local ‘Striezel’ or Stollen, a sweet fruitcake baked in the shape of a loaf and dusted with icing sugar.
The highlight of the annual market is the Stollen Festival, held on the second Sunday in December. In the 16th century, the local Stollen bakers would present cakes to the local prince, carrying them ceremoniously through the town to the castle, where the prince would cut them with a five-foot knife and hand out pieces to the poor. Today, one giant 3,000 kg Stollen is paraded around Dresden as part of the festival, presided over by a glamorous ‘Stollenmädchen’ – a ‘Miss Cake’, if you like.
The market is pretty and old fashioned, with around 250 stalls selling strictly traditional wares. It has better shopping than elsewhere though, with regional craftsmen flocking to the area to peddle their wares. Some good buys include delicate, hand-blown glass baubles from the town of Lauscha; hand-thrown and -fired ceramics from Saxony painted in bright blue and white; and local ‘Blaudruck’ – white-and-blue printed cloth.

5. Brussels Christmas Market

In a city famous for its cuisine, it’s good to find that its Christmas market is a good choice for foodies. Here, the market takes over the Grand-Place, Brussels’ commercial hub, famous for the lavishly carved facades of its guildhouses. Strings of lights cascade down from the centre, over the little chalet-style wooden huts which cluster around the square, each representing a different European country (although most of what’s on offer is the usual array of Christmas decorations and arts and crafts).
There are some good food stalls, though – alongside mulled wine are stands dishing out plump French olives, mountains of Belgian chocolates, steaming plates of moules or steamed snails, jars of preserved fruits and ‘speculoos’, hard gingerbread shaped like Father Christmas.
The Fish Market is transformed into a temporary ice rink in December, making it a big attraction for locals. Carols are filtered through loudspeakers, and jugglers, street musicians and painters brave the cold to entertain the crowds. From December 23rd, many of the stalls switch hands, and the market becomes more of a gastronomic affair.

6. Munich Christmas Market

The focal point of Munich in December is famous Marienplatz, the heart of the old centre, flanked by the grand neo-gothic town hall and filled with hundreds of stalls in the run-up to Christmas. There are a number of smaller markets dotted around the city, but this is the largest and dates back to the 17th century.
The market is inaugurated on the Friday before the first Advent, when thousands gather in the square to watch the thirty metre-high Christmas tree light up for the first time. Over 140 stalls are set up in the square, selling hand-carved wooden Christmas decorations, glass baubles, jewellery, arts and crafts.
Behind the main market is the Crib Market, where traditional nativity figures from Bavaria and Austria are for sale. It couldn't be more different than the Oktoberfest if it tried. Every evening at 5.30pm, Alpine choirs and brass bands perform from the Town Hall balcony, while locals stream to the food stalls for an after-work plate of hot potato cakes and a mug of Glühwein. There is a child crèche in the town hall, and the ‘Heavenly Workshop’ is a free area for children to paint, make Christmas cookies and dress up as angels.

7. Prague Christmas Markets

The Czechs take Christmas seriously, and the capital hosts a number of cultural events, folk displays, concerts and theatre in December. It’s unpronounceable Vanocni trh (or Christmas markets) are fairly low-key and family friendly – there are several dotted around town, and the biggest is held on the busy Old Town Square.
The idyllic Baroque setting of the cobbled square seems perfectly suited to a quaint seasonal market, helped along by the generous layer of snow that visitors should expect at this time of year. A central petting zoo, complete with ponies, goats, sheep and a single folorn-looking lama, is the big attraction for kids.
The rows of colourfully decorated wooden huts stock some attractive hand-made stocking fillers, including the locally made wood-carved puppets, jewellery, toys and candles. You may also find some good deals on Bohemian crystal. A central stage hosts daily carol singers and bands playing seasonal tunes.

8. Tallinn Christmas Market

What Tallinn’s market lacks in history – it’s only been running since 1991 – it makes up for in atmosphere and romantic appeal. The Christmas market takes place on the ludicrously picturesque Raekoja plats, the Old Town Hall Square, a cobbled expanse dominated by the 15th-centry Town Hall, although all the surrounding buildings are chocolate-box charming.
Given its latitude, you’re almost guaranteed snow here, and while the small market isn’t worth visiting for alone, it adds significantly to the old-fashioned romance of a snow-dusted weekend here. A brightly lit Christmas tree stands above the groups of stalls which line the square, selling a range of Estonian arts and crafts, mulled wine and sausages.
You can pick up some good hand-made, natural, gifts here – such as carved wooden bowls or decorations made from wood and twine. The best buy, though, is the hand-knitted jumpers, socks and bobble-hats, knitted in natural grey, white and beige wool.
Father Christmas arrives in the evenings to pose for photos with children, although the low-key atmosphere probably makes it a better choice for couples. There are several candle-lit restaurants fringing the square, making good refuges if the cold gets too much.

9. Berlin Christmas Market

As befits a city as modern and edgy as Berlin, the city’s main Christmas market has an altogether more contemporary feel than those in the rest of Germany. There are actually several markets that take place around the city, but the most popular – and most visited, with around four million visitors last year – is the one that takes place around the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche.
The setting itself is interesting, with stalls clustered around the Gedächtniskirche (or Memorial Church) which was hit in a bomb attack in WWII, and left only partly restored as a poignant reminder to the war.
The market isn’t as large as one might expect, with around one hundred stalls, housed in traditional rustic, wooden huts that seem rather out of place in Berlin. There’s the usual array of traditional arts, crafts and Christmas decorations, but the fact that the city is home to some of Europe’s leading cutting-edge artists and designers doesn’t go unnoticed – you should find a good selection of more radical artworks and decorations, as well as an eclectic selection of antique and contemporary jewellery.
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10. Copenhagen Christmas Market

Europe’s oldest amusement park, the Tivoli Gardens, hosts Copenhagen’s annual Christmas market. The setting is out of Hans Christian Andersen, with hundreds of Christmas trees and over half a million lights illuminating the stalls and park.
The main lake is transformed into an outdoor ice skating rink, where visitors can hire skates. There are around 60 colourfully-painted stalls, selling locally produced arts, crafts and decorations, such as Copenhagen porcelain or wooden dolls.
There are plenty of food stalls – the main draw here is glögg, Danish mulled wine mixed with liquor and spices. Hot apple dumplings make for a warming mid-shopping snack. Other attractions include pony rides, a Father Christmas who does the rounds and poses for photos in the ‘leprechaun tent’ – filled, rather bizarrely, with actors dressed as red-clad leprechauns.