Tartu Christmas Village is known for its glass pavilions and giant chandelier. — Visit Estonia’s website
December is that time of the year when those of us who celebrate Christmas dust off our artificial tree, untangle the jumbled strings of fairy lights, and unbox shiny baubles to once again welcome the merry season in our homes.
Shopping malls do this too, though on a larger, pricier and much fancier scale. And if we were to go beyond our region’s borders, we would even find countries that set up a whole village for the occasion!
Christmas village – not to be confused with the miniature village setup also known as a putz (from the German word putzen, meaning to clean) – may also be referred to as a Christmas town or city. Whatever the terminology, they share one thing in common: The Christmas spirit.
They are all meant to bring people together to celebrate the season.
Slightly different from Christmas markets, although there are overlaps, the villages typically have a more “theme park feel” to them.
The focus is not just on numerous stalls selling various knick-knacks, there are usually additional attractions like skating rinks, sleigh rides, performances, games, a Ferris wheel, cafes, food trucks, photo spots, and meet-and-greet sessions with characters like Santa, Mrs Claus and his elves.
Arguably the most famous of such villages is the one located in Lapland, Finland. The city of Rovaniemi is home to the attraction known as Santa Claus Village, which is said to be the “official hometown of Santa Claus”.
It has more than just Santa, of course. Some of the other experiences here and around the village include crossing the Arctic Circle that runs right through it, chasing the Northern Lights, sending letters from Santa’s post office and visiting a reindeer farm.
Unfortunately, climate change is putting a toll on even the coldest of places around the world. Recent reports show that Rovaniemi isn’t experiencing its usual snowfall this year, making the Santa Claus Village slightly less magical.
Worse is that it affects the local ecosystem, leading to reindeer struggling to feed themselves.
Here’s to hoping that Santa’s hometown will soon be cold and blanketed in snow again, so that it may continue spreading the Christmas cheer.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at other Christmas villages around the world. For those hoping to visit one or two in the future, here are a few starting points you can consider for your year-end holidays.
Nice, France
“The Christmas Village is even bigger this year!” The city of Nice, France announced on its official Facebook page following the launch of its annual Le Village de Noel (French for “The Christmas Village”) late last month.
Jardin Albert 1er and Place Massena – one of Nice’s oldest public gardens and the city’s historic square, respectively – once again play host to the festive attraction that will take place until Jan 1, 2025.
This year’s Le Village de Noel features a 200km-long stretch of twinkling lights, 300 palm trees that sparkle bright along the English Promenade, 52 decorated trees, a huge Ferris wheel, the striking 12m-tall Christmas tree whose reflection is mirrored beautifully in the Fontaine Miroir d’Eau (the world’s largest reflecting pool, also known as the Water Mirror) and 60 cottages selling items perfect for gifting.
For easier navigation, the village is sectioned off into four areas: Le chemin de Calena, where artisanal products can be found; Le coin des pichoui, a dedicated corner for games and picnics; Le monde du Pere Noel, where Santa awaits those who are nice; and Place au Festin, where visitors can feast on special Christmas offerings.
The Christmas Village in Liege is worth a visit as the city was named the 2018 European Capital Of Christmas. — Village de Noel’s website
Liege, Belgium
A trip to the Belgian city of Liege during the Christmas season feels incomplete without a pit-stop at its very own Le Village de Noel.
The city, set in the Wallonia region, has hosted the Liege Christmas Village for over three decades. It is the oldest of such village in Belgium, and its official website (villagedenoel.be) proudly proclaims Liege as the “European capital of Christmas”.
That is an actual title bestowed upon the city in 2018, after winning the yearly European Capital Of Christmas competition – held by the non-governmental organisation of the same name that recognises cities in Europe that best embrace the spirit of the season.
(This year’s winning city is Brno in Czech Republic, in case you’re wondering.)
Encompassing Place Du Marche, Espace Tivoli and Place St Lambert, Liege’s Christmas Village houses more than 150 timber stalls selling gifts and gastronomic offerings. Ferris wheel rides, sledging runs and concerts are just some of the fun activities here.
Down by the Place Cathedrale is the La Patinoire, a 540sq m ice rink that can accommodate approximately 250 people. It is sheltered by a 1,000sq m roof to ensure everyone’s skating fun stays uninterrupted by the weather.
The Liege Christmas Village is open until Dec 30, 2024, while The Christmas Ice Rink will stay open until Jan 4, 2025.
Leavenworth is one of the best villages for a white Christmas. — Visit Leavenworth/Instagram
Leavenworth, United States
For about a month up until Christmas Eve, Leavenworth in Washington, the US, fully embraces the festive season with its Christmastown.
The annual event, this year dubbed “Village Of Lights: Christmastown 2024”, sees the city brightly lit with more than half a million lights from 6am to 11pm daily.
The gazebo located in the heart of downtown is where bands and choirs perform Christmas pieces, with appearances by Santa and Mrs Claus.
Visitors can also snap a photo with the jolly pair at the Festhalle. The event venue hosts concerts and performances, including the Bavarian style Leavenworth Alphorns, as well as story-telling and craft sessions for kids to enjoy – which include writing letters to Santa.
A Gingerbread House exhibition and a display of Santa costumes from across the globe, plus the city’s Nutcracker Museum that’s open year-round, add more holiday cheer.
Another interesting thing about a visit to Leavenworth is, with the photos taken here, guests who don’t mind landing on Santa’s naughty list can trick others into thinking they’re vacationing at a snowy European destination.
That’s because while Leavenworth is an American city, it bears the aesthetic of a beautiful Bavarian Alpine village.
No, the residents here aren’t descendants of German settlers. They just borrowed the charming looks of the buildings typically found in Bavaria to create tourism buzz during the 1960s. And it sure worked like a charm, judging by the roughly three million visitors Leavenworth receive yearly now.
Aside from tourists, the fantastic facade has also brought in film crews. Unsurprisingly, plenty of Christmas movies have been filmed here, since the quaint setting does make for a visually appealing background for holiday-themed romances.
Baguio, Philippines
Forget 12 days of Christmas, try four months of it! For anyone wanting to celebrate Christmas from as early as September every year, the Philippines is where the magic’s at.
Throughout the final four months of the year, the “-ber months” as they’re called, the country starts gearing up for the big day. Christmas trees come out, lights are strung up and festive songs begin to fill the air.
By the time December begins, Christmas villages can be found throughout the Philippines. There are plenty to check out, but one of the more popular ones is Baguio’s Christmas Village.
Held annually at Baguio Country Club, the Christmas Village typically runs from mid-November until early January. Entrance fees range from 90 pesos (RM7) to 170 pesos (RM13).
Themed “Alpine Holidays” for this year, some of the village’s standout features are the snow zones, where visitors can experience “snowfall”; tunnels of lights, perfect for dreamy social media reels; and Santa’s Cottage, where kids and grown-ups alike can attend the meet and greet with the jolly fellow.
Baguio being a naturally cold destination (think Cameron Highlands or Kundasang in Malaysia) certainly helps in selling the illusion of a cold and snowy Christmas – something not very typical in a tropical setting.
Tartu Christmas Village is known for its glass pavilions and giant chandelier. — visitestonia.com
Tartu, Estonia
How about some chickens for Christmas? No, not to eat. They’re there for visitors to enjoy watching and ... well, that’s about it.
This was an actual thing found at Christmas City Tartu – Village Of Light (also referred to as the Christmas Village). A few chickens were relocated to the city for the season, and then returned to the countryside once the festivities ended.
Estonia’s biggest city, Tallinn, usually gets the spotlight for its world-famous Christmas market. But the country’s second biggest city, Tartu, deserves a visit for its Christmas Village too. For the novelty, at least, if not for the shining lights.
Case in point: The clucking chickens. That’s definitely not a standard find at most Christmas celebrations.
There’s also the fact that the star here isn’t even Santa. No, that will be the City Rabbit, Toivo. This bunny (or guy in a bunny suit, to be precise) picks out the Christmas tree, teaches Christmas carols, plays tag with the kids – to name a few of his duties.
It’s unclear whether both country chickens and city rabbit are making their usual appearance this year. But these animals aside, there is plenty to enjoy at the Christmas village.
Held at the Town Hall Square until Jan 5, 2025, Tartu’s Christmas Village is dotted with its characteristic glass pavilions and large chandelier made of twinkling lights.
Making its fifth appearance at the village is the roughly 1,000sq m ice rink around the Kissing Students Fountain. Visitors can have fun skating here until it closes for the season on March 2, 2025.
The new Bristol Christmas Village is meant to complement the Bristol Christmas market. — Bristol Xmas Market/Instagram
Bristol, England
Not to be mistaken with the long-established Bristol Christmas Market, the new Bristol Christmas Village is the English city’s latest festive offering that made its debut earlier this month.
Open until Jan 2, 2025, one of the village’s main features is a skating rink by the name of Rollahub, located at the village’s entrance.
It also features a curling rink, VR sleigh ride, classic British funfair rides like a Waltzer (carousel) and Dodgems (bumper cars), and a projection light show on the walls of St Peter’s church, to name a few of its fun activities.
Located at Castle Park, the Christmas village is within walking distance to the Bristol Christmas Market, allowing visitors to easily go from one to the other and enjoy both attractions – this convenient proximity is by design, since they are both handled by the same organisers.
It is only fitting then that we take a look at what the Christmas market has to offer too. This year, the market introduces a kids’ train ride, Christmas Express. It also brings back The Candy Factory, the escape room that quickly gained popularity following its introduction last year.
The market won’t open as long as the Christmas village, however, as it is scheduled to end on Dec 23.
Houston Christmas Village has a diverse take on the season. — Houston Christmas Village/Instagram
Houston, US
Another new Christmas village, this one is located across the pond (from Europe, that is). Yes, this is the second entry for the US on this list, but this village warrants a mention for its ... diverse decor.
Set in Texas’ most populous city, Houston Christmas Village is a little different as it features elements that many may not immediately associate with the season.
While in Asia, we try to emulate winter wonderlands typically seen in western Christmas movies, with tropical countries resorting to using artificial trees and snow to achieve the effect, this Texan city looks to Asian countries like China and India for inspiration instead. For example, its lantern designs that depict dragons and the Taj Mahal.
It also borrows elements from fellow North American country, Mexico, and the African continent, as well as injecting local touches (cowboys are a Texas thing, right?). This isn’t seen in just the decorations, as the performances and food trucks also revolve around the cultures and cuisines of the featured places.
Tickets are required for entry, with prices ranging from US$19.99 (RM88) to US$84.99 (RM375).
