AUSTRIA
Opening of the ball season, Imperial Ball, December 31, Vienna. The Imperial New Year's Ball at the Hofburg Palace opens the Vienna ball season. This year the New Year's ball will last eight hours. At the very beginning of the ball there will be a changing of the guard ceremony, then the imperial couple will greet the gathering, followed by a gala banquet, then the flags will be brought out, and finally the first waltz will be announced. At midnight, on the tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral, the main Vienna bell will strike to inform all present of the beginning of the new year. //www.hofburg.com
Winter Festival, November 29 – December 31, Salzburg. In Salzburg, every day during the pre-New Year month, a circus show is staged. This year there are two programs – "Laissez-Porter" and "Parfums d'Est" – brought to the neighbors by the French. They will amaze locals and guests with tricks and acrobatic numbers. The Austrians will not be outdone: on weekends, cooking master classes and chef competitions will be held in Salzburg. //www.winterfest.at
BELGIUM
Christmas Horse Show, December 26-30, Mechelen. For more than a quarter of a century, Christmas in Mechelen has not passed without a horse show and races. Riders of all ages and skill levels participate, and the program consists of traditional types of competitions (show jumping, dressage, eventing) and original show programs. The races will take place simultaneously on two arenas, and their prize fund this year will be €460,000. //www.jumping-mechelen.com
GREAT BRITAIN
Christmas Festivals, December. London, as befits a European capital, spends December in celebrations and amusements. In anticipation of Christmas, you can, for example, listen to local performers at the Spitalfields Festival, which this year will start in mid-December and end already in January. By the way, from December 15 to 17, admission to all concerts is free. Musical Christmas surprises await visitors to Hampton Court: from December 15 to 30, winter classical music concerts will be held there, and from December 20 to 23, a choral music festival. The Tower has also prepared a gift: here, from December 27 to January 1, at the "Medieval Christmas" festival, you can see how this holiday was celebrated at the court of Edward I. //www.londontown.com
Beer and Cider Festivals, December 2-6, London. True Brits see off the outgoing year with mass beer drinking binges. Traditionally, the low-alcohol marathon begins with the Pig's Ear Festival in London, where tasting of the best ales, porters and ciders takes place, and then from pub to pub, from city to city, the celebration spreads throughout the United Kingdom. //www.pigsear.org.uk
GERMANY
Tattoo Festival, December 5-7, Berlin. The tattoo festival at Berlin's Arena hall will be held for the 18th time. Over a hundred artists from all corners of the world will compete in traditional categories ("best large tattoo", "best small tattoo", "craziest", "most realistic", "best Asian ornament"). The program also includes music concerts and the "Tattoo Queen 2009" contest. //tattoo-convention.de
DENMARK
Christmas celebrations in Tivoli Park, until December 30, Copenhagen. Tivoli Park is one of the most famous places in Copenhagen. It was conceived by Danish traveler and entrepreneur Georg Carstensen specifically so that citizens would relax more and think less about politics. To this end, Georg built oriental-style structures, theaters, dance floors, restaurants, cafes, and even a small railway in Tivoli. In short, it is great at any time of year, but in December it is simply wonderful. A whole forest of Christmas trees, live elves and mulled wine – what else is needed to turn reality into a fairy tale? Especially since the park's lighting is done by John Loring himself, the chief designer of Tiffany. 1,800 luminous threads are stretched over Tivoli Lake, five kilometers of garlands entwine hundreds of Christmas trees, about a thousand more went to decorate the palace, and how many garlands adorn the main tree is impossible to count. The festive program includes concerts, excursions and cabaret shows. For the amusement of the public, the park also has sleighs, carriages, carousels and a funicular. //www.tivoli.dk
SPAIN
Fiesta de l'Estendard, December 31, Palma de Mallorca. A Christian festival dedicated to an important historical event that took place in 1229 will be held here. It was then that King James I of Aragon the Conqueror reconquered Mallorca from the Moors. In honor of this event, a solemn mass will be held in the city's Cathedral, and then the Christian festival will gradually turn into a quite secular New Year celebration. //www.catedraldemallorca.org
ITALY
Feast of Saint Ambrose, December 7, Milan. The most joyful holiday of December in Milan is considered the feast in honor of the city's patron saint. It will take place on the square in front of the wonderful Basilica of Saint Ambrose on December 7. From early morning until late evening, a Christmas market will be held on the square, where you can buy souvenirs, food, and watch cheerful concert programs. By the way, the feast of Saint Ambrose coincides with the opening of the new season at Milan's La Scala theater. //www.inmilano.it
LATVIA
Winter Solstice Festival, December 21, Riga. The Riga Ethnographic Museum, which claims to be one of the oldest in Europe, is located east of the capital and recreates life in Latvia in the 17th-19th centuries. It has collected more than 90 residential and farm buildings of peasants and artisans: taverns, churches, water mills from all over the country. The museum employs true masters – blacksmiths, weavers, potters, beekeepers, spoon makers. Every year the museum celebrates the winter solstice. The most energetic will enjoy a log-pulling contest, while the more laid-back will be offered drinks at the "Prieds Krogs" tavern and choral singing. //www.muzeji.lv
NETHERLANDS
Christmas markets and concerts, December 1-31, Amsterdam. Santa Claus arrives in Amsterdam as early as November, but only on December 5, the so-called Santa Day, does he visit homes and give gifts to children. Adult tourists, who are not surprised even by Santa in early December, usually prefer walks along Museum Square, which turns into Christmas Square, and the Red Light District, where extra lights are hung for the holiday. //www.amsterdamtourist.nl
Concerts of sacred music, December 25-26, Amsterdam. In December, special organ music sounds in Amsterdam's churches. St. Nicholas Church holds free concerts of Gregorian music on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: on December 24 the concert starts at 21:00, and on the 25th and 26th at 10:30. At the Museum Church Amstelkring, which is located on two floors of a mansion in the very center of the Red Light District, festive services will be held on Christmas Eve at 20:00 and 22:00. //www.museumamstelkring.nl
SLOVENIA
"Culture Day," December 3, Ljubljana. On this day, residents of the small European country celebrate the birth of the great national poet, Dr. France Prešeren. On this occasion, numerous museums, galleries, and other institutions do not charge visitors for admission. //www.ljubljana.info/events
FRANCE
Festival of Lights, December 5-8, Lyon. For more than a century and a half, on December 8, Lyon is illuminated with many lights in memory of the fact that in 1852 on this day the population of Lyon came to the unveiling of the statue of the Virgin Mary with torches and lanterns. Since then, the Festival of Lights has been the main event in the city. Place des Jacobins, Théâtre des Célestins, the main square of the city Place Terreaux – everything is immersed in this magical light of lanterns and thousands of candles. //www.lyon.fr
CZECH REPUBLIC
Christmas folk festivities, December 1-31, Prague and other cities. In medieval fortresses and castles of the Czech Republic, December brings theatrical performances, concerts, and costumed tours. In Loket Castle, located near Karlovy Vary, there will be a traditional fair, a knight tournament, and magical fire shows by fakirs. And in Křivoklát Castle, traditional Christmas festivities are accompanied by demonstrations of ancient folk crafts and dances. By the way, Křivoklát can be reached from Prague on a special historic steam train. //www.czechtourism.com
SWEDEN
St. Lucia Day, December 13, various cities. One of the important pre-Christmas holidays in Sweden is St. Lucia Day, a Christian martyr accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake in 304 AD. On the night of December 13, children put their shoes outside the door to find gifts in them in the morning. At the same time, the eldest daughter in the family dresses in the traditional costume of St. Lucia – a white dress with a red sash and a green wreath with seven candles. In this attire, she goes around the household and treats them to coffee and sweet buns. Every Swedish city also has its own Lucia. She visits all hospitals and homes of respected citizens. //www.skansen.se
SWITZERLAND
Festival of Christmas Trees, December 2 – January 8, Geneva. Every year in December, thanks to this festival, Geneva turns into a real exhibition of Christmas trees and New Year's installations. A special jury will select only 23 exhibits from thousands of submitted projects, which will then be presented to the esteemed public. //www.festivalarbresetlumieres.ch
Fyodor VINTER-TARASEVICH.
Gazeta.Ru