NOVEMBER
Christmas at Tivoli
Nov. 21-Dec. 23; Copenhagen. Ice-skating at venerable amusement park.
Fish House Parade
Nov. 28; Aitkin, Minn. Shacks and shanties put on a show.
Christmas at Graceland
Nov. 28-Jan. 11; Memphis. Noel a la Elvis.
“The Light of the World” Christmas Pageant
Nov. 29, Dec. 7, 14; Minden, Neb. Nativity play ends in blaze of 10,000 lights.
Territorial Christmas Celebration
Nov. 29-Dec. 24; Guthrie, Okla. Top hats and carolers stroll the historic district.
DECEMBER
Krakow Nativity Crib Contest
Dec. 4; Krakow, Poland. A crush of creches.
Parade of Lights
Dec. 5-6; Denver. “Mile-high” procession of floats, bands, etc.
Christmas Festival of Lights
Dec. 6; Natchitoches, La. Parade with fireworks, 77th edition.
Chester Greenwood Day
Dec. 6; Farmington, Maine. Hats off to local inventor of earmuffs.
St. Nicholas Festival
Dec. 6: Demre, Turkey. Church fete for forerunner of Jolly Old St. Nick.
Dickens on the Strand
Dec. 6-7; Galveston, Texas. With bobbies, Beefeaters and the “Queen” herself.
European Christmas Market
Dec. 6-Jan. 6; Brussels. Belgian capital sprouts European handicrafts.
Winterfest Boat Parade
Dec. 13; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Lots of yachts, decked out for Christmas.
Lucia Fest
Dec. 13; Lindsborg, Kan. “Little Sweden, U.S.A.” shows off its heritage.
Posadas
Dec. 16-24; Mexico, nationwide. Pastorelas, processions and merrymaking.
Simbang Gabi
Dec. 16-25; Philippines, nationwide. Pre-dawn Christmas masses, rice cakes and steaming ginger tea.
A Colonial Christmas
Dec. 19-Jan. 4; Williamsburg and Yorktown, Va. Colonial and Revolutionary holiday traditions.
Night of the Radishes
Dec. 23; Oaxaca City, Mexico. Radish sculptures fill the square.
Luminaria Christmas Tours
Dec. 24; Albuquerque. Candles light the way in Old Town.
Crucian Christmas Festival
Dec. 24-Jan. 6; St. Croix. An all-night Christmas carnival.
Hatillo Festival of Masks
Dec. 25-28; Hatillo, Puerto Rico. “King Herod’s soldiers” roam the streets.
Capital City Kwanzaa Festival
Dec. 26-27; Richmond, Va. African-style market with clothing, jewelry and food.
Hogmanay
Dec. 29-31; Edinburgh. The ultimate “Auld Lang Syne” street party.
First Night Boston
Dec. 31. The first of the First Nights.
JANUARY
Philadelphia Mummers Parade
Jan. 1. Mummers by the thousands “strut” up Broad Street.
The Paris Parade
Jan. 1. A “Bonne Annee” march through Montmartre.
Polar Bear Swim
Jan. 1; Sheboygan, Wis. Most are costumed, all are crazy.
La Befana
Jan. 5-6; Italy, nationwide. Kindly witch Befana bestows gifts on children at Epiphany festival.
Russian Christmas and Starring
Jan. 7; Sitka, Alaska. “Starring” is the Russian Orthodox version of caroling.
World Championship Snowmobile Derby Jan. 10-18; Eagle River, Wis. Blazing speeds on an iced track.
Old New Year’s Eve
Jan. 13-14; Russia, nationwide. Some Russians still celebrate the old Julian date.
Polar Bear Jump Off Festival
Jan. 17 ; Seward, Alaska. Cabin fever prompts arctic antics.
Wisconsin Dells Flake Out Festival
Jan. 17-18; Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Snowman-making, Eskimo Pie-eating, mitten football.
Mackinaw City Winterfest
Jan. 17-18; Mackinaw City, Mich. Snow sculpting, frozen-chicken bowling and buffalo-chip hockey.
Tip-Up Town U.S.A.
Jan. 17-18, 24-25; Houghton Lake, Mich. Horseshoes and softball on ice.
St. Paul Winter Carnival
Jan. 21-Feb. 8. Walk-through Ice Palace.
FEBRUARY
Great Sami Winter Fair
Feb. 5-7; Jokkmokk, Sweden. Where reindeer reign.
Badger State Winter Games
Feb. 6-8; Wausau, Wis., and statewide. Residents ski, skate and curl.
Winterlude
Feb. 6-22; Ottawa. Ice Hogs preside over “world’s longest skating rink.”
Race to the Sky Sled Dog Competition
Feb. 13-19; from Helena to Condon, Mont. Mushers take to the Rockies.
Festival du Voyageur
Feb. 13-22; Winnipeg, Manitoba. Cabin fever follies, 35th edition.
Ice Castle Extravaganza
Feb. 16; Mayville, N.Y. A monumental effort, with 1,200 blocks of ice.
American Birkebeiner
Feb. 21 ; Cable to Hayward, Wis. North Americas’s largest cross-country ski marathon (30 miles).
Dates are subject to change; always check in advance to confirm dates and details.
