December events 12.06
1-3
Bucharest
Winter Gifts Festival (londra.mae.ro)
The Winter Gift Festival at the Museum of the Romanian Peasant in Bucharest is a great place to find unique gifts and support local artists. Traditional pottery, decorative rugs and hand-made jewellery are all available to buy.
1-31
London
Natural History Museum’s Ice Rink and Christmas Fair (nhm.ac.uk) Throughout December there will be a 1,000 sq m ice rink in the gardens outside London’s Natural History Museum. A junior rink is available for younger skaters, and spectators can watch the proceedings from the adjacent viewing platform while enjoying hot and cold drinks from the Café Bar.
2-29
Budapest
Lights of Christmas Music Festival (budapestinfo.hu)
Set in Mathias Church, one of Budapest’s most famous and beautiful landmarks, the Lights of Christmas Music Festival fills the air with holiday joy on Saturday nights throughout December and for four days after Christmas Day. The festival features a selection of organ and choral pieces, and is a wonderful counterpart to the Budapest Christmas Market.
3-24
Venice
Christmas in the Lagoon (nataleinlaguna.com)
Each year more than 30 miniature wooden stalls are set up in the historic, bustling Santo Stefano Square turning it into a festive Christmas village. Hand-made Venetian products, food, drink, performances, concerts and youngsters’ activities are all part of this unique celebration.
3-31
Paris
Children’s World (pidf.com)
A gigantic door outside the Place de la Bastille in Paris leads to a magical world where children are invited to enjoy the scents, flavours and fun of a traditional Christmas. Features include carousels, swings – there’s even a giant, 14-metre-high trampoline. Father Christmas will be there, and for the adults there’s a traditional market to stock up on festive goodies.
9-11
Brussels
Modo Bruxellae (modobruxellea.be)
At this three-day shopping frenzy the most avant-garde clothes in Belgium are marked down to bargain prices. Designs by hip Belgian names such as Azniv Afsar, Max & Lola and Xavier Gigot have never been so reasonable.
8-16
Warsaw
Human Rights in Film International Film Festival (hrw.org)
Honouring the adoption of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, this special film festival celebrates humanism at the Centre for Contemporary Art in Ujazdowski Castle and in venues across Warsaw.
18
Geneva
Coupe de Noel (geneve-natation-1885.ch)
The annual Christmas Cup swimming competition, a 125-metre race in the chilly waters of Lake Geneva, is the perfect test of endurance – and sanity. Swimmers of all ages from 13 years will be attempting to get in touch with their inner polar bears at this internationally renowned event.
20-21
Frankfurt
Nokia Night of the Proms (notp.com)
A fusion of classical music with modern pop, Night of the Proms is one of the most magical musical events in Europe. Where else can you hear Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory and see Ike Turner, Mike Oldfield and OMD on the same stage?
22
Zurich
Floating Lights (zuerich.com)
One of Zurich’s sweetest traditions, the Floating Lights. The ceremony involves children launching 800 miniature candle boats from Rathaus Bridge on the River Lammat. There’s free gingerbread and wine for the adults, and Santa Claus will be on hand to keep kids entertained.
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