Winter is a time for celebration, joyful recognition of the end of the year, and feasting and light to drive away to darkness of the season. Whether Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, or any of the innumerable other winter holidays, the festive season comes with its own specific cultural customs and traditions.

One of the best ways to celebrate Christmas is by exploring the amazing diversity that exists around the festive season and immersing yourself in alternative cultural escapades. Whether you choose to cruise over Alaskan glaciers or pack your bags and set off for early morning mass in the Phillipines, discovering something new is a great way to refresh your festive spirit and enjoy the magic and mystery of the season all the more. Here are seven great cultural Christmas escapades around the world to embrace and explore.

Christmas Markets in Germany
German Christmas markets are popular worldwide, but there is no replacement for the real thing. Experiencing a genuine Weihnachtsmärkte is something truly special, an exquisite dream filled with the smells and tastes of mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, and freshly baked gingerbread. German Christmas markets tend to include rows of traditional wooden stalls, selling handmade ornaments, delicate lace, and delicious Christmas treats like soft pretzels and spiced, steaming glühwein.

Posada in Mexico
The Mexican tradition of Posada is something moving and atmospheric, and something that anyone who loves authentic Christmas traditions should experience. The Posada is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem, before the birth of Jesus. Over the nine nights leading up to Christmas Eve, participants form candlelit parades and go door-to-door singing traditional songs and asking to be let in. Each night, the ‘innkeepers’ eventually let them in, where everyone celebrates with a traditional ponche drink.

Luminaria in New Mexico
Festive traditions are almost always about light and warmth, and the luminaria or farolito celebrated in New Mexico is no exception. On Christmas Eve, the adobe walls and cobbled streets of the most traditional towns in the southern US are decorated with small paper bags filled with sand and illuminated by candles. This creates a warm, welcoming ambiance and is designed to evoke the feeling of light and warmth that welcomed the Holy Family on Christmas.

Iceland’s Jólakötturinn: The Yule Cat
Europe’s Christmas traditions often draw heavily on pagan traditions, which often puts them at the stranger end of the spectrum. In Iceland, the Yule Cat is said to prowl the countryside over the holidays, hunting down and eating anyone who hasn’t received new clothes to wear over winter! This tradition is designed to encourage people to give each other warm clothes as gifts, and to ensure that everyone has something new to wear for Christmas.

The Philippines’ Simbang Gabi
Christmas is serious business in the Philippines, and Simbang Gabi is a great indication of how important it is for the local communities. In the build-up to Christmas Eve, nine early-morning masses are held to celebrate the birth of Christ, with a hearty breakfast served after each one. The final mass, on the morning of Christmas Eve, is known as the Misa de Gallo, and is followed by the largest feast of the season.

Japan’s KFC Christmas Feast
Christmas in Japan occupies an interesting niche. It isn’t a national holiday, but it is widely celebrated as a secular tradition, and comes with a selection of fascinating customs. One of the most unusual is Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii, the result of a successful marketing campaign by Kentucky Fried Chicken in the 1970s, which has led to many Japanese families celebrating Christmas with a chicken bucket from KFC!

Alaskan Light Displays
Alaskan Christmas is lit up by nature’s glorious light display - the Aurora Borealis. Over winter the night skies are filled with vibrant light and electric fire, dancing and twisting as soon as the sun sets. While not technically a tradition, no Alaskan family Christmas would be complete without a Northern Lights watching party, and the experience of watching this magnificent, magical celestial display against a backdrop of dark forests and frozen mountain peaks is truly astounding.

Finding new Christmas traditions and experiences to immerse yourself in is a great way to add new excitement and energy to your own festive celebrations. By exploring some of the amazing ways others celebrate the season you can bring a whole new level of joy and excitement to the most wonderful time of the year. Merry Christmas!