Those who cultivate the Christmas spirit will be celebrating in the major cities of France and Central Europe.
Advent is celebrated in a variety of traditions, from Lorraine to Scandinavia and as far as the West Indies.
Christmas markets are beautiful showcases of local traditions.
Northern lights hunters will scan the skies at the edge of the Arctic Circle.
But as winter and its grayness settle in France, vitamin D deficiency can be felt.
In the southern hemisphere, Christmas is celebrated at the summer solstice.
After the monsoons and hurricanes, Southeast Asia and Central America entered the dry season.
The dream islands of Thailand will seduce the chilly, and the glaciers of Patagonia, lovers of freshness and adventure.
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What are the best destinations to go to in December?
The month of December is ideal for discovering Laos, far from mass tourism.
Naypong Studio
Lorraine, to celebrate Saint-Nicolas in Nancy
Finnish Lapland, for the Rovaniemi Christmas market and the Northern Lights
Egypt, for the soft lights over Upper Egypt and the Nile Valley
Laos, for a rural Asia far from mass tourism, under radiant skies
Costa Rica, for a cocktail of luxuriance, biodiversity and seaside pleasures in the dry season
Read alsoWhen to go to Costa Rica?
Weather, crowds, seasons… The best time per region
Where to go to celebrate Advent in December?
Want to celebrate Christmas in the sun?
Direction Guadeloupe and its thermometer which displays around twenty degrees in December.
Here, one of the pretty beaches of Le Gosier.
Petr Zyuzin
The festivities begin with Saint-Nicolas, celebrated with pomp in Nancy (from November 18, 2022 to January 3, 2023), around the large Christmas tree in Place Stanislas.
Highlights of the calendar in Lorraine, the Grand Weekend of Saint-Nicolas (December 3 and 4, 2022) culminates in the grand parade on Saturday.
Also on the program: shows and street parades, Ferris wheel, rides and ice rink, craft markets and gastronomic villages.
During Advent, Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) celebrates Saint Lucia on December 13.
During this festival of lights, young girls in white albs advance in processions by candlelight, and sing Christmas carols.
In the West Indies (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Lucia, etc.), it is at around twenty degrees, under the coconut trees and with your feet in the sand, that you wait for Christmas, listening to the
Chanté Nwel
, local hymns.
The Nwel Kakado
festivities
, those of Vieux-Habitants (Guadeloupe) in the lead, celebrate a colorful Caribbean-style Christmas.
Read alsoWhat to do in Guadeloupe?
Ten sites and activities that make you dream
Where to visit the most beautiful Christmas markets in the world in December?
Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland.
Roman Babakin
In countries with a Catholic tradition, Christmas markets have become festive institutions.
Their entertainment programs have made these winter markets major appointments in the cultural calendars of the regions.
This is an opportunity to share moments of conviviality in the heart of winter, to discover local crafts and terroirs on stalls in sometimes charming sheds.
In France, the most famous Christmas markets are those of Alsace, in particular Strasbourg (from November 25 to December 24, 2022) and Colmar (from November 26 to December 21, 2022).
For a royal Christmas, the castles of the Loire are masterfully decorated.
The program "Christmas in the land of castles" invites you to tour the castles of the Loire Valley: floral arrangements in Chenonceau, Neapolitan nativity scene in Amboise, delicacies and tableware in Azay-le-Rideau, fir trees in Chinon, lights in Langeais...
Read alsoThe 10 most beautiful Christmas markets in Alsace
Across the Rhine, Germany cultivates a long tradition of Christmas markets.
Called
Christkindlmärkte
, they are in full swing with the scent of
street food
.
Among the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany are those in Munich, Nuremberg, Cologne or Baden-Baden.
Since the Middle Ages, the tradition has spread throughout central Europe: in Austria (Vienna, Salzburg), in the Czech Republic (Prague), in Poland (Warsaw).
Across the Channel too, the shopping streets of London shine with a thousand lights.
Several Christmas markets multiply family activities.
Winter Wonderland, in Hyde Park, is the biggest funfair in the English capital (from November 18, 2022 to January 2, 2023), while the cultural season features musicals in the West End.
In northern Europe, Stockholm celebrates Christmas on the theme of popular traditions at Skansen, the oldest open-air ethnological museum.
Traditional activities are organized around wooden peasant houses (Friday to Sunday, from November 25 to December 18, 2022).
Read alsoCast off the moorings in the Stockholm archipelago, between forests, preserved villages and the Baltic Sea
In a carnival atmosphere, Denmark is orchestrating a thrilling Christmas with the Christmas market at the Tivoli amusement park in Copenhagen.
On the program: craft village, rides, ice rink, and Christmas carols (from November 19 to December 31, 2022).
In Finnish Lapland, it is in Rovaniemi, on the Arctic Circle, that this takes place.
This locality opens the doors of Santa Claus Village, the “village of Santa Claus”.
The huts present Sami crafts and local products.
We go for a dog sled ride, before spending the endless nights in an igloo with a transparent glass roof.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Jamaica and the Bahamas celebrate Christmas with a bang with Junkanoo (between December 26 and January 1).
Inherited from the traditions of slaves from West Africa, Junkanoo is one of the largest carnivals in the Caribbean.
On the program: street parades to the sounds of songs, bells, whistles and drums, and costumed dances.
Some dates are still subject to confirmation.
Where to go to see the Northern Lights in December?
The sublime spectacle of the aurora borealis can be seen in Norway, and in particular in the Lofoten Islands.
Den Belitsky
Look up to the sky!
It is beyond the Arctic Circle, in regions beaten by the icy winter winds, that one can hope to admire the fleeting spectacle of the aurora borealis.
For aurora hunters, the horizon of possibilities concerns vast areas, from Finland (Lapland), Sweden and Norway (Tromsø, Lofoten Islands, Svalbarg archipelago) to Canada (Quebec, Alberta, Yukon, Alaska... ), and as far as Greenland, via Iceland.
The sky must be clear and free of light pollution, in the regions closest to the so-called “auroral” zone, between 65 and 75°C latitude.
The optimal time slot is between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Read alsoFinnish Lapland: "How I almost missed my first aurora borealis"
Where are the best places to go skiing in December?
A must-see Savoyard resort in the Three Valleys, Méribel has 150 km of groomed slopes which in themselves offer a beautiful variety of landscapes.
Criley
In France, mid-December and the start of the Christmas school holidays go hand in hand with the opening of ski resorts in the Alps, in Savoie and in the Jura.
The Alps are the realm of alpine skiing;
the Jura, that of cross-country skiing and Nordic activities, while Savoie boasts some of the largest ski areas in France (Les 3 vallées and Portes du Soleil).
More surprising: Sicily has about twenty kilometers of slopes on the sides of Etna.
After sport, culture.
Getaways in the Sicilian valleys are an opportunity for cultural visits by around ten degrees.
Read alsoFrench ski resorts: which one is right for you?
Where to enjoy the austral summer and celebrate Christmas in the sun in December?
The Nile Valley and especially Luxor are rocked by a mild sun in December.
The opportunity to explore the temple of Karnak and the royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings.
olyasolodenko
December is a very favorable period in Egypt.
The Nile Valley is lit by the soft light of an omnipresent sun, and the temperatures are moderately hot (17°C to 24°C).
We will favor Upper Egypt and the Nile Valley (Luxor, Aswan), lulled by a gentle sun, and we can push the trip to Abu Simbel.
In Alexandria and, to a lesser extent, Cairo, the nights can be freezing.
South Africa takes its summer holidays under a generous sun in large parts of the country.
The very high season begins in mid-December, at the start of the summer holidays.
To escape the scorching heat, special mentions for the Cape region, with its Mediterranean climate, which is not too hot and sunny, the vineyards of Stellenbosch, the northern coast of the Garden Route, and the semi-arid basin of the Little Karoo.
In Durban and on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, warm weather can be foggy or even cloudy.
In Kruger Park, the mercury exceeds 30°C at the height of the day, but the nights at altitude bring coolness.
The less cautious will embark on invigorating sea baths in the Atlantic, around 18-20°C.
Southeast Asia offers other summer skies.
The dry season has started.
Between the rainy season and the monsoons, and the strong heat of spring, winter stands out as the best season.
This dry season, or cool season, naturally leads to peaks in attendance.
In Burma, the weather is largely sunny and not always excessively hot (18 to 33°C).
Evenings can be chilly.
Read alsoPerfect trip to Burma, the
Figaro guide
In Thailand, winter is undoubtedly the most beautiful season.
The sky is clear and the temperatures are summery, allowing cultural stays with seaside options.
In the northern mountains, the temperature range between day and night is significant, and warm clothing is essential when trekking.
In the South, we head for the islands of the Gulf of Thailand or the Andaman Sea, where the weather, invariably mild, is idyllic.
In Laos and Cambodia too, in the heart of the dry season, rainfall is very rare and the sky is radiant.
The thermometer flirts with 30°C.
In Cambodia, swimming is possible in the Gulf of Thailand.
Vietnam has its climatic contrasts: it is rather mild in the North, hot in the South.
Hanoi and the Red River Delta benefit from the mildness (about twenty degrees).
Halong Bay is often shrouded in mist which gives it an unreal charm.
Winter can be harsh in the mountains of Upper Tonkin, at least foggy.
Small flat in the center, in the region of Hue, where the sky is often leaden by a drizzle.
But December is a good time to explore the South, ancient Cochinchina, the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City, at the end of the year party.
It's hot (more than 30°C), nature is lush after the rains, and the stalls are overflowing with tropical fruits.
Read alsoWhen to go to Vietnam?
Weather, climate, temperatures… The best period by region
The period is ideal in South China, Hong Kong, as well as Taiwan.
Formosa Island enjoys a tropical and subtropical climate which brings the thermometer a constant.
The summer monsoon has passed, the climate is drier in the south, wetter in the mountains and the north.
Temperatures are pleasant (15 to 20°C).
The mountains are awash in greenery, and the lush coastal landscapes mark a break between typhoons and the heavy Chinese New Year crowds.
In Hong Kong, the weather is dry and just as cool.
Winter is the best time to travel India.
In North India, you won't miss Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal, nor Rajasthan, avoiding the Far North and Ladakh.
In South India, we follow the coast of Tamil Nadu (Madras-Chennai, Pondicherry), we get lost in the frenzy of Bombay-Mumbai, we fall under the spell of the colonial houses and the beaches of Goa and Kerala.
In Sri Lanka opens the best period for the west coast (Colombo) and the south of the island (Galle).
The weather forecast shows low rainfall, good sunshine advisories and temperatures around 30°C.
Read alsoTravel to Sri Lanka, on the cinnamon route
On the American side, the dry season is starting in the Caribbean.
After Advent, widely celebrated on the islands (see above), Saint-Barthélemy launches a big fireworks display for the New Year.
Central America has entered the dry season.
In Mexico, December offers a good meteorological compromise, both in terms of sunshine and temperatures throughout the territory.
The heat is comfortable on the Caribbean coast (Yucatán, Cancún and Chichén Itzá) as on the Pacific coast (Acapulco).
The center, the highlands and the north (from Mexico City to Chihuahua via Guadalajara and Monterey) offer more freshness.
On December 12, Mexico celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe, the most important religious holiday in the country.
Be careful, it is also a period of high tourist influx.
Read alsoMexico: five good reasons to visit Chiapas
The dry season is just as delicious, but arguably quieter in Costa Rica.
Both the air and the sea have beautiful temperatures around 26-28°C, ideal for swimming, surfing and other water sports, but also for excursions to volcanoes, reserves and national parks.
After the wet season, the tracks became passable again.
The climate in San José and the Central Valley is an eternal spring, while in the Zona Norte it is rather cold.
We will rather favor the beginning of the month, because of the risk of crowds during the Christmas holidays.
From the coasts of the Caribbean Sea to the shores of the Pacific, in Cuba, Guatemala or Honduras, the tropical climate ensures a beautiful winter season, with temperatures of 25 to 30°C.
In South America, in Argentina, the winds will tend to go south, from Buenos Aires to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, with a coolness of 10 to 15°C.
In Atlantic Patagonia (including the Valdés Peninsula), until mid-December marine fauna can be observed on coasts that are often swept by sometimes cold winds, despite the austral summer.
In Andean Patagonia (Bariloche and the Alpine lakes, San Martín de los Andes) and in Tierra del Fuego, people tend to trek.
We push the trip to Chile and the Torres del Plaine park.
Between the steppes of Patagonia and the Andes Cordillera, it extends mountains streaked with glaciers and punctuated with waterfalls.
To the north, the Atacama Desert enjoys a favorable climate all year round and, in December, summer days.
The same is true in the center (Santiago, Valparaíso and the wine valleys).
In southern Patagonia and the lakes, the climate is cooler and the weather more unpredictable (with an amplitude of 10 to 25°C), alternating with whimsical snow and episodes of sunshine.
On December 8, the pilgrimage of the Immaculate Conception takes place in Valparaíso, the largest in the country.
After the adventure in the great outdoors, the long beaches of the Pacific invite you to swim.
Read alsoChile: four timeless experiences to enjoy in the Atacama Desert
Finally, in Oceania, Australia lives at the time of summer holidays.
We will avoid the northern coast (Cairns and Queensland, Darwin and the Northern Territory) to concentrate on the South (Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Tasmania) and the West (Perth).
The Mediterranean climate of South West Australia guarantees dry and hot summers.
You will be the first to swing into the new year.
Then, in the heart of barbecue season, a gigantic New Year's Eve fireworks display is fired into Sydney Harbor.
In the heart of the Northern Territory (Uluru and the Red Centre), the thermometer displays scorching temperatures.
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