SeasonMap

Christmas & New Year, month by month around the world

Markets, closures and the year's dearest fortnight.

377 destinations on SeasonMap, ranked within each month by the comfort score — because the point is not only where the season is on, but whether the weather is worth the trip while it is.

← All seasons · The world's calendar

When it is on

Number of destinations with christmas & new year on in that month. Windows move a little each year.

Christmas & New Year in January

  1. 🇦🇺 Hobart, AustraliaSydney to Hobart finish · 26 Dec – 3 JanThe leaders reach Constitution Dock about two days out of Sydney and the rest trickle in for a week, into a waterfront food festival that runs through New Year.96climate
  2. 🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaGenna, Ethiopian Christmas · 6–8 JanChristmas falls on 7 January here, after a fast that ends with an all-night service.95climate
  3. 🇬🇹 Antigua Guatemala, GuatemalaChristmas and New Year · 16 Dec – 1 JanPosadas move house to house from 16 December, and Christmas Eve ends in a wall of firecrackers at midnight rather than a quiet mass.94climate
  4. 🇨🇱 Valparaíso, ChileNew Year fireworks over the bay · 29 Dec – 2 JanThe display is fired from barges across the bay and the hills above the port are the grandstand, which is why every terrace with a view is sold months ahead and the roads out are shut afterwards.94climate
  5. 🇪🇬 Marsa Alam, EgyptChristmas and New Year peak · 18 Dec – 6 Jan (usually)European charter flights land through the holidays and the dive centres run at capacity.94climate
  6. 🇪🇹 Bahir Dar, EthiopiaGenna · 6–8 JanEthiopian Christmas on 7 January, kept with an overnight service and the first meat after the Advent fast.94climate
  7. 🇦🇪 Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab EmiratesNew Year's Eve fireworks · 28 Dec – 2 JanThe emirate spends the last night of the year setting records off Al Marjan Island, and the beachfront hotels sell the view months ahead.93climate
  8. 🇪🇹 Gondar, EthiopiaGenna · 6–8 JanEthiopian Christmas on 7 January, kept with an all-night service and the end of the Advent fast.93climate
  9. 🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaPark Street at Christmas · 18 Dec – 1 JanPark Street is strung with lights and closed to cars on the big nights, and the crowd is the point rather than the shopping.92climate
  10. 🇨🇱 Viña del Mar, ChileNew Year over the bay · 29 Dec – 2 JanThe fireworks are fired down the whole bay and this side has the flat seafront to watch them from, so the coast road is closed and the hotels sell New Year as a package weeks out.92climate
  11. 🇪🇬 Dahab, EgyptChristmas and New Year peak · 18 Dec – 6 Jan (usually)The European diving season peaks over the holidays, when the water is still workable and the town is at its fullest.91climate
  12. 🇳🇿 Auckland, New ZealandPohutukawa in flower · 25 Nov – 10 Jan (usually)The New Zealand Christmas tree flowers red along every stretch of coast and out on the volcanic cones through December.89climate
  13. 🇲🇦 Taghazout, MoroccoChristmas and New Year peak · 15 Dec – 10 Jan (usually)Northern Europe arrives for a fortnight of waves and sun, the camps sell out and the Anchor Point line-up gets genuinely crowded.89climate
  14. 🇵🇹 Funchal, PortugalChristmas and New Year · 1 Dec – 6 JanThe lights go on at the start of December and the New Year's Eve display over the amphitheatre of the bay is the reason cruise ships and half of Portugal are here for it.88climate
  15. 🇵🇭 Baguio, PhilippinesChristmas and New Year peak · 15 Dec – 5 JanColdest fortnight of the year and the one people come for; the city is full, Session Road is a crawl, and hotel rates are the highest they get.88climate
  16. 🇨🇴 Guatapé, ColombiaChristmas lights · 15 Nov – 10 Jan (usually)Guatape switches its lights on before anywhere else in the region, usually in mid-November, and then holds them until Epiphany.88climate
  17. 🇨🇺 Havana, CubaChristmas and New Year · 18 Dec – 2 JanChristmas was only restored as a holiday in 1997 and is still a quiet family day, but the 31st is also the anniversary of the revolution and every paladar and casa in the old city is taken.87climate
  18. 🇪🇹 Lalibela, EthiopiaGenna at the rock churches · 6–8 JanTens of thousands of pilgrims walk in for Ethiopian Christmas on 7 January and hold an all-night vigil in white shawls around Bete Maryam.87climate
  19. 🇺🇸 Key West, United StatesChristmas and New Year · 20 Dec – 3 JanThe start of the winter high season and the fortnight the island charges the most.87climate
  20. 🇨🇴 Bogotá, ColombiaChristmas lights · 1 Dec – 8 Jan (usually)The city strings the Septima, Monserrate and the main avenues from the start of December and buses run night circuits to look at them.86climate
  21. 🇨🇺 Trinidad, CubaChristmas and New Year · 18 Dec – 2 JanThe busiest fortnight of the year in the old town, with European visitors on top of Cuban families and every casa on the hill taken weeks ahead.86climate
  22. 🇪🇬 Cairo, EgyptCoptic Christmas · 6–7 JanEgypt's Christmas falls on 7 January and is a public holiday: midnight liturgies in the Coptic churches of Old Cairo, and a quiet city the following day.85climate
  23. 🇵🇪 Lima, PeruChristmas and New Year · 20 Dec – 2 JanMidsummer here.85climate
  24. 🇺🇸 Maui, United StatesChristmas and New Year · 18 Dec – 5 JanThe most expensive fortnight of the Hawaiian year, with resort rates roughly doubling and flights booked months out.85climate
  25. 🇨🇺 Varadero, CubaChristmas and New Year · 18 Dec – 2 JanThe dearest fortnight of the year on the peninsula, sold out to charter packages by the autumn, with New Year doubling as the anniversary of the revolution.85climate

…and 251 more in January.

What's on around the world in January →

Christmas & New Year in February

  1. 🇺🇸 Gatlinburg, United StatesWinter Magic lights · 5 Nov – 15 Feb (usually)The Parkway is strung with LED displays and three-dimensional snow people from early November until the middle of February, so the lights outlast Christmas by six weeks.59climate

What's on around the world in February →

Christmas & New Year in June

  1. 🇦🇺 Katoomba, AustraliaYulefest · 1 Jun – 31 AugChristmas in July, invented here in 1980 and now most of the winter: roaring fires, roast dinners and carols at the old guesthouses in Katoomba, Leura and Blackheath.64climate

What's on around the world in June →

Christmas & New Year in July

  1. 🇦🇺 Katoomba, AustraliaYulefest · 1 Jun – 31 AugChristmas in July, invented here in 1980 and now most of the winter: roaring fires, roast dinners and carols at the old guesthouses in Katoomba, Leura and Blackheath.63climate

What's on around the world in July →

Christmas & New Year in August

  1. 🇦🇺 Katoomba, AustraliaYulefest · 1 Jun – 31 AugChristmas in July, invented here in 1980 and now most of the winter: roaring fires, roast dinners and carols at the old guesthouses in Katoomba, Leura and Blackheath.68climate

What's on around the world in August →

Christmas & New Year in September

  1. 🇵🇭 Davao, PhilippinesThe Ber months · 1 Sep – 25 DecCarols in the malls from the first of September and four months of build-up; the last fortnight is when flights into Davao are full and rooms are not to be had.58climate
  2. 🇵🇭 Cebu City, PhilippinesThe Ber months · 1 Sep – 25 Dec (usually)Carols start in the malls on the first of September and run for four months, which is longer than anywhere else does it.54climate
  3. 🇵🇭 Manila, PhilippinesThe Ber months · 1 Sep – 25 Dec (usually)Carols in the malls from the first of September and four months of it.45climate

What's on around the world in September →

Christmas & New Year in October

  1. 🇧🇷 Gramado, BrazilNatal Luz · 20 Oct – 20 Jan (usually)The largest Christmas event in the country runs for close to three months: ticketed shows in the amphitheatre, two big parades most nights, and the whole town lit.79climate
  2. 🇮🇹 Turin, ItalyLuci d'Artista · 25 Oct – 15 Jan (usually)Contemporary artists light the squares and porticoes for the winter, and it is not a Christmas market: the installations stay up long after the holidays and are the reason to walk here at night.78climate
  3. 🇵🇭 Manila, PhilippinesThe Ber months · 1 Sep – 25 Dec (usually)Carols in the malls from the first of September and four months of it.55climate
  4. 🇵🇭 Davao, PhilippinesThe Ber months · 1 Sep – 25 DecCarols in the malls from the first of September and four months of build-up; the last fortnight is when flights into Davao are full and rooms are not to be had.54climate
  5. 🇵🇭 Cebu City, PhilippinesThe Ber months · 1 Sep – 25 Dec (usually)Carols start in the malls on the first of September and run for four months, which is longer than anywhere else does it.48climate

What's on around the world in October →

Christmas & New Year in November

  1. 🇦🇺 Adelaide, AustraliaChristmas Pageant · 8–16 Nov (usually)A century-old parade of floats through the centre on a Saturday morning in November.94climate
  2. 🇪🇸 Málaga, SpainCalle Larios lights · 25 Nov – 6 JanThe main street is roofed in lights that run to music several times an evening from late November, and the crowd for it comes from across Andalusia.87climate
  3. 🇺🇸 San Antonio, United StatesRiver Walk holiday season · 26 Nov – 6 Jan (usually)A lit barge parade the Friday after Thanksgiving switches on a hundred thousand lights strung over the water, and they stay until Epiphany.87climate
  4. 🇳🇿 Auckland, New ZealandPohutukawa in flower · 25 Nov – 10 Jan (usually)The New Zealand Christmas tree flowers red along every stretch of coast and out on the volcanic cones through December.86climate
  5. 🇺🇸 St. Augustine, United StatesNights of Lights · 21 Nov – 31 Jan (usually)Three million white lights go up over the old town from the Saturday before Thanksgiving and stay until late January, which turns a quiet coastal off-season into the busiest weekends of the year.86climate
  6. 🇧🇷 Curitiba, BrazilCantata de Natal · 25 Nov – 23 Dec (usually)Choirs sing from the windows of the old Palácio Avenida on Rua XV several evenings a week through December, and the street below fills half an hour before.85climate
  7. 🇧🇷 Gramado, BrazilNatal Luz · 20 Oct – 20 Jan (usually)The largest Christmas event in the country runs for close to three months: ticketed shows in the amphitheatre, two big parades most nights, and the whole town lit.85climate
  8. 🇺🇸 Savannah, United StatesHoliday season on the squares · 25 Nov – 31 DecLights strung through the live oaks, house tours in the old district and mild enough weather to walk it at night.84climate
  9. 🇪🇸 Barcelona, SpainFira de Santa Llúcia · 26 Nov – 23 DecThe oldest Christmas market in the city, set up beside the cathedral from the end of November: nativity figures, mistletoe, and the caganer stalls that visitors take a while to understand.83climate
  10. 🇵🇹 Cascais, PortugalCascais Christmas Village · 20 Nov – 5 Jan (usually)The Parque Marechal Carmona is given over to a ticketed Christmas village from late November, which is what fills the town on winter weekends when the beach cannot.79climate
  11. 🇺🇸 Atlanta, United StatesGarden Lights at the Botanical Garden · 14 Nov – 10 Jan (usually)Timed-entry light installations through the Botanical Garden in Midtown from mid-November into early January.77climate
  12. 🇫🇷 Marseille, FranceFoire aux santons · 20 Nov – 31 Dec (usually)The santon makers set up on the Cours d'Estienne d'Orves from late November, the oldest fair of its kind in Provence, and the navettes come out of the oven at Saint-Victor alongside it.76climate
  13. 🇰🇷 Gangneung, South KoreaGangneung Christmas Winter Festival · 24 Nov – 31 Jan (usually)Wolhwa Street and the Anmok Coffee Street cafes light up from a late-November tree-lighting through the new year, with a snow-flower tunnel, a Christmas market and craft workshops on the busiest weekends.76climate
  14. 🇺🇸 Asheville, United StatesChristmas at Biltmore · 3 Nov – 10 JanThe house is decorated from early November and the candlelight evening tours sell out first; they are the ones worth having.75climate
  15. 🇺🇸 Charlotte, United StatesSpeedway Christmas lights · 15 Nov – 5 Jan (usually)The speedway turns its infield and banking into a drive-through light course from mid-November to early January.75climate
  16. 🇫🇷 Nice, FranceChristmas village and rink · 28 Nov – 4 Jan (usually)The gardens between the old town and Place Massena take a market, a big wheel and an outdoor rink for five weeks, in the mildest winter of any city in France.74climate
  17. 🇲🇨 Monaco, MonacoChristmas village on the port · 28 Nov – 5 Jan (usually)Chalets, a rink and a small fairground on Port Hercule from the end of November into the first week of January, run by the town hall.74climate
  18. 🇫🇷 Toulouse, FranceMarché de Noël · 25 Nov – 27 DecChalets fill Place du Capitole for a month and the covered markets do their best trade of the year on foie gras and Gascon poultry.72climate
  19. 🇫🇷 Aix-en-Provence, FranceChristmas market and santon fair · 13 Nov – 31 Dec (usually)About fifty chalets down the Cours Mirabeau from the middle of November, with the santon makers alongside selling nativity figures by the tray.72climate
  20. 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, United StatesChristmas Village and holiday markets · 20 Nov – 24 Dec (usually)The German market takes LOVE Park and City Hall from late November, with the light show at Macy's and the Dickens Village indoors.71climate
  21. 🇺🇸 Baltimore, United StatesHampden Christmas lights · 27 Nov – 1 Jan (usually)One block of 34th Street in Hampden covers its rowhouses end to end in lights from the weekend after Thanksgiving.71climate
  22. 🇺🇸 Kansas City, United StatesPlaza Lights · 24 Nov – 15 Jan (usually)Fifteen blocks of the Country Club Plaza outlined in bulbs, switched on in front of a crowd on Thanksgiving evening and left up past New Year.71climate
  23. 🇫🇷 Bordeaux, FranceChristmas market · 27 Nov – 27 Dec (usually)The Allees de Tourny chalets line the Quinconces daily from the end of November into the days after Christmas, open into the evening.70climate
  24. 🇫🇷 Avignon, FranceChristmas market · 20 Nov – 31 Dec (usually)Chalets on the Place de l'Horloge and down the Rue de la Republique from late November, with the provencal santon stalls beside them.70climate
  25. 🇫🇷 Carcassonne, FranceMagie de Noel · 28 Nov – 3 Jan (usually)Chalets and a rink go up in the lower town around the Place Carnot from the end of November, and the walled city is lit and largely empty, which is the better half of the deal.70climate

…and 121 more in November.

What's on around the world in November →

Christmas & New Year in December

  1. 🇨🇱 Viña del Mar, ChileNew Year over the bay · 29 Dec – 2 JanThe fireworks are fired down the whole bay and this side has the flat seafront to watch them from, so the coast road is closed and the hotels sell New Year as a package weeks out.95climate
  2. 🇬🇹 Antigua Guatemala, GuatemalaChristmas and New Year · 16 Dec – 1 JanPosadas move house to house from 16 December, and Christmas Eve ends in a wall of firecrackers at midnight rather than a quiet mass.93climate
  3. 🇲🇽 San Miguel de Allende, MexicoLas Posadas · 16–24 DecNine nights of candlelit processions between houses, ending with punch and a broken pinata.93climate
  4. 🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoLas Posadas · 16–24 DecNine nights of neighbourhood processions, punch and broken pinatas before Christmas.92climate
  5. 🇨🇱 Valparaíso, ChileNew Year fireworks over the bay · 29 Dec – 2 JanThe display is fired from barges across the bay and the hills above the port are the grandstand, which is why every terrace with a view is sold months ahead and the roads out are shut afterwards.92climate
  6. 🇪🇬 Marsa Alam, EgyptChristmas and New Year peak · 18 Dec – 6 Jan (usually)European charter flights land through the holidays and the dive centres run at capacity.92climate
  7. 🇵🇪 Lima, PeruChristmas and New Year · 20 Dec – 2 JanMidsummer here.91climate
  8. 🇳🇿 Auckland, New ZealandPohutukawa in flower · 25 Nov – 10 Jan (usually)The New Zealand Christmas tree flowers red along every stretch of coast and out on the volcanic cones through December.90climate
  9. 🇦🇺 Hobart, AustraliaSydney to Hobart finish · 26 Dec – 3 JanThe leaders reach Constitution Dock about two days out of Sydney and the rest trickle in for a week, into a waterfront food festival that runs through New Year.90climate
  10. 🇪🇬 Dahab, EgyptChristmas and New Year peak · 18 Dec – 6 Jan (usually)The European diving season peaks over the holidays, when the water is still workable and the town is at its fullest.90climate
  11. 🇲🇴 Macau, MacaoLight Up Macao · 1 Dec – 11 Jan (usually)Projections and installations across the old squares and the Taipa houses from early December into January, tied to the handover anniversary on the twentieth.89climate
  12. 🇺🇸 Orlando, United StatesChristmas and New Year · 20 Dec – 2 JanThe busiest fortnight of the year anywhere in the resort.89climate
  13. 🇲🇦 Taghazout, MoroccoChristmas and New Year peak · 15 Dec – 10 Jan (usually)Northern Europe arrives for a fortnight of waves and sun, the camps sell out and the Anchor Point line-up gets genuinely crowded.89climate
  14. 🇮🇳 Kolkata, IndiaPark Street at Christmas · 18 Dec – 1 JanPark Street is strung with lights and closed to cars on the big nights, and the crowd is the point rather than the shopping.88climate
  15. 🇺🇾 Punta del Este, UruguayNew Year on the peninsula · 26 Dec – 6 JanThe fortnight either side of New Year is the whole year's business done at once: Buenos Aires and Montevideo arrive together, the peninsula runs at capacity and rents are set by the week.88climate
  16. 🇦🇺 Sydney, AustraliaNew Year's Eve fireworks · 31 Dec – 1 JanTwo displays off the bridge and the harbour, at nine and at midnight.87climate
  17. 🇵🇹 Funchal, PortugalChristmas and New Year · 1 Dec – 6 JanThe lights go on at the start of December and the New Year's Eve display over the amphitheatre of the bay is the reason cruise ships and half of Portugal are here for it.87climate
  18. 🇨🇴 Villa de Leyva, ColombiaFestival de Luces · 2–10 Dec (usually)Fireworks and lit displays over the plaza for three nights at the start of December, the traditional opening of Christmas in Boyaca.87climate
  19. 🇨🇴 Bogotá, ColombiaChristmas lights · 1 Dec – 8 Jan (usually)The city strings the Septima, Monserrate and the main avenues from the start of December and buses run night circuits to look at them.85climate
  20. 🇦🇪 Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab EmiratesNew Year's Eve fireworks · 28 Dec – 2 JanThe emirate spends the last night of the year setting records off Al Marjan Island, and the beachfront hotels sell the view months ahead.85climate
  21. 🇯🇴 Dead Sea, JordanChristmas and New Year peak · 20 Dec – 5 JanThe resorts fill with European sun-seekers and Jordanian families at once, and the day-pass rates at the big hotels go to their annual high for the fortnight.85climate
  22. 🇧🇷 Gramado, BrazilNatal Luz · 20 Oct – 20 Jan (usually)The largest Christmas event in the country runs for close to three months: ticketed shows in the amphitheatre, two big parades most nights, and the whole town lit.84climate
  23. 🇺🇸 San Diego, United StatesDecember Nights · 1–8 Dec (usually)Two free evenings in Balboa Park in the first week of December with every museum open late and no admission.83climate
  24. 🇺🇸 St. Augustine, United StatesNights of Lights · 21 Nov – 31 Jan (usually)Three million white lights go up over the old town from the Saturday before Thanksgiving and stay until late January, which turns a quiet coastal off-season into the busiest weekends of the year.83climate
  25. 🇪🇸 Málaga, SpainCalle Larios lights · 25 Nov – 6 JanThe main street is roofed in lights that run to music several times an evening from late November, and the crowd for it comes from across Andalusia.82climate

…and 342 more in December.

What's on around the world in December →