Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist
1From meeting the creepy Krampus in Austria to singing carols on the beach in Australia, get in the holiday spirit with these wacky seasonal events and traditions.
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
3Great Christmas Pudding Race, London, 2 December – Raising funds for cancer research has never been so fun! Catch the silly sight of 150 contestants in fancy dress racing around an obstacle course – foam jets, flour-filled balloons, giant slide and all – while struggling to balance a Christmas pudding on a plate. In addition to the jolly races, the historic Covent Garden location offers festive market stalls, street entertainers and even celebrity guests. xmaspuddingrace.org.uk
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
4Krampusnacht, Klagenfurt (Austria), 25 November – You may have heard of St. Nicholas, who, in many parts of Central Europe, comes around on 6 December to bestow good children with treats and gifts. Unfortunately, he’s often accompanied by his counterpart, a hairy demon with giant horns, razor teeth and eyes of burning coal who kidnaps naughty little ones. In many Alpine towns today, the Krampus gets his own day to run wild, and in Klagenfurt, things tend to go Krampus-crazy with more than 1,000 costumed locals and visitors parading through the streets and partying into the night. visitklagenfurt.at
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
5Klausjagen (Chasing the Claus), Küssnacht (Switzerland), 5 December – In many places that celebrate St. Nicholas Day, children simply wait for the eponymous gift-giver to leave trinkets in their shoes. But in this town on Lake Lucerne, the townsfolk take a more, um, proactive approach: 250 ‘Iffelen’ (men dressed as bishops in elaborate, illuminated hats) lead a procession that sees more than 1,000 people “chasing” St. Nicholas while clanging cow bells and cracking whips. klausjagen.ch [Photo: @SNGK/Dietz]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
6Fête des Lumières, Lyon (France), 7-10 December – The city of Lyon knows how to keep a promise. When the plague swept into town 370 years ago, the municipal councillors vowed to honour the Virgin Mary if the city was spared. It was – at least, to a certain extent – and for centuries since, the tradition of placing candles about the city to salute her has been a major fixture on the Lyonnais calendar. Today, the festivities see more than 70 extravagant light installations pop up across Lyon, shooing away the darkness of winter and revealing the city’s streets, parks and landmarks literally in a different light. fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
7Santa Run, Devonport (Australia), 3 December – Santa sprints (in which participants don Santa Claus suits and run a race) have become a global phenomenon, but for those who prefer for their sweat not to freeze, this Tasmanian town’s annual event might hit the spot. The 5km race can be run or walked, while a 2.5km Santa’s Little Helper Run is the perfect option for kids. Registration fees include a free Santa suit or Santa hat, and proceeds benefit the Royal Flying Doctor Service. santarun.com.au
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
8Big Elf Run, Vancouver, 16 December – 10km, 5km or 1km: choose your battle wisely, then don your best elfin attire for this fun run through idyllic Stanley Park. Then settle in for free hot chocolate and coffee, DJs, dancing and awards, from Best Elfit (and Best Dog Elfit) to Best Elfie and Fastest Elf. elfrun.ca [Photo: Nick Salvador]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
9Giant Lantern Festival, San Fernando (Philippines), 16 December – Starting in September and running through January, holiday celebrations in the Philippines are said to be the longest in the world (thanks to a largely Catholic population). One highlight is this festival featuring star-shaped lanterns called parols, fashioned after the Star of Bethlehem. Eleven villages participate, each trying to out-design the other for the most elaborate parol of the parade – some measuring up to 20 feet in diameter. cityofsanfernando.gov.ph [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
10Carols On The Beach, Surfers Paradise (Australia), 23 December – Spending the holidays on Queensland’s Gold Coast? The forecast predicts 0% chance of snow …and 100% chance of sand and sunshine. Enjoy both at this annual beachfront concert full of carols sung by top Aussie talents. Bring a picnic blanket, and be sure to stay for the fireworks show at the end of the evening. surfersparadise.com
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
11Noche de Rabanos in Oaxaca (Mexico), 23 December – Wood carving has been a tradition in Oaxaca for centuries, and when the Spanish brought radishes to the New World, Oaxaqueño farmers began carving them into intricate figures to draw in customers at the annual Christmas market. The art soon developed into a competition, the “Night of the Radishes”, and today certain radishes are grown specially for the event. Timeliness is key here – the radishes wilt quickly, and thus are only on display for a few hours one day a year. elementaloaxaca.com [Photo: Yaya Dada/Flickr]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
12KFC Meal, Japan, 25 December – Unsurprisingly, there aren’t many holiday traditions in Japan, save for this relatively recent one that’s both a fun meal and a marketing coup. KFC’s Japanese contingent has touted the brand’s fried chicken as a typical American holiday meal so successfully, that if you want to eat in or carry out a chicken dinner on Christmas Day in Japan, you’ll need to reserve it at least 2 months in advance. kfc.co.jp [Photo: Mark/Flickr]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
13Polar Bear Plunge, Various Locations, 25 December or 1 January – It’s hard to say when, where – or why on earth – this chilly tradition was born, but Christmas Day and New Year’s (depending on the location) see daring revellers around the world strip down to their skivvies and jump into the freezing sea, all in the name of good fun (and sometimes for a charity cause). We imagine a pint or two before the dip probably helps. [Photo: GoToVan/Flickr]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
14Reveillon, Rio de Janeiro, 31 December – It’s the most festive night of the year, and this is one of the most festive ways to spend it: partying on the beach with millions of vivacious Brazilians dressed in white. International bands and samba ensembles set the tone on Avenue Atlantica from 8pm, and at midnight one of the world’s most extravagant fireworks displays takes flight over the sea. The festivities are full of superstition – wearing white to represent purity, avoiding chicken meat because chickens walk backwards – but the most lively tradition takes place after the fireworks, when the crowds surge into the ocean to jump seven waves and make seven wishes for the new year. facebook.com/copacabanareveillon [Photo: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo/Flickr]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
15Stonehaven Fireballs Ceremony, Stonehaven (Scotland), 31 December – No one does New Year’s Eve quite like the Scottish, and this is one of the most can’t-miss events of the night. As the clock strikes midnight, plucky locals set flammable balls of chicken wire alight and parade through the town, swinging the fireballs about their heads. The procession ends at the harbour, punctuated by a grand fireworks display. stonehavenfireballs.co.uk [Photo: Chris Street/Flickr]
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Events
15 Seasonal Events With A Twist.
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