5 Reasons Why You Must Experience A Winter Christmas

White Christmas anyone? For all you Aussies and Kiwis, a winter Christmas is something you’re not used to. But for those from the UK, United States and Canada, this is definitely the norm. There is something extra special about the festive period in the winter time. It’s magical. Think mulled wine, horrendous Christmas jumpers, ice skating and cute Christmas markets.

A winter Christmas just makes sense doesn’t it? Father Christmas is dressed in wintry red attire and is based in the north pole with reindeer and a sleigh, Christmas tree decorations seem to appear to be cold weather themed (icicles, snowflakes and such) and the typical Christmas meals of a hearty roast don’t really fit the scorching hot temperatures of the southern hemisphere summer.

Here are 5 reasons why you must experience a winter Christmas:

The Christmas Markets

The smell of Christmas is in the air! With fairy-lit Bavarian style chalets, traditional Christmas decorations, festive music, carnival rides, hot chocolate and food pop-ups, there’s something truly magical about Christmas markets. Wrap up warm and soak up the holiday ambiance capturing the spirit of Christmas at these lovely festive markets. Christmas markets are renowned throughout Europe, so take your pick with which country you want to go to, to experience the magic. Warning! All Christmas Grinch’s please vacate now.

The food and drink

You can’t beat the array of food and drink options around the festive season. Stuffing yourself silly and drinking yourself merry is the thing to do. Baileys hot chocolate, mulled wine, steins of Bavaria beer, German sausages, schnitzel, strudel, roast meals and plenty of sugary, delicious treats. The list goes on. There’s something so satisfying about being all wrapped up and snug, eating and drinking every tasty thing in sight. A food coma will happen, so be aware.

The window shops and street decorations

You know Christmas is here when city streets are transformed by glittery, shining lights and shop windows have been decked out to the max with well-designed Christmas displays. They are certainly one-of-a-kind and an experience to see. Shoppers are left in awe and tourists flock to the streets and windows to see the creative Christmas themes and tales that are being told. Some stores such as Selfridges in London are so keen to have their in-store decorations and window themes up, they’re completed by the end of October! Whether you find this too early or not, Europe really knows how to do Christmas decorations, displays and lights well.

The white Christmas

Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas? We bet you have. For all those travellers who have grown up in the Southern Hemisphere, having a white Christmas will most definitely be on the travel to-do list. St Petersburg or Moscow will certainly do the trick! Minus degree temperatures will guarantee you the option to build a snow man along with indulging in Russian Vodka to warm you up. It offers you a winter fairy-tale land full of Christmas spirit and charm. What more would you want?

The activities

Winter activities. They’re fun! Think ice skating, curling, sledding, snowball fights and skiing. There’s plenty of happenings to get involved in. Chilly days call for entertaining outdoor activities. The Christmas period is perfect with trying winter sports you’ve never thought you’d ever try. Ice skating rinks are offered in Christmas markets and various locations throughout the cities. Or maybe try your feet in snowboarding or skiing? It’s the ideal trip to head to the snow and experience a ski trip if you’ve never done so before.

Interested in a tour over the winter period? Travel Talk offers plenty of them! You can find out more about them here.