Anonymous wrote:Strasbourg had wonderful decorations with their markers. Vienna is magical in late December. Munich has lovely decorations and markets. London has some nice lights along the main shopping streets and festive food.

Strasbourg is so overcrowded at Xmas

London is the best. Christmas is a secular holiday in the uk so everyone is celebrating and they go all in.

Madrid has amazing lights all over the city

New Orleans is beautiful at Christmas. So festive.

I personally love NYC at Christmas more than other places. Some locations like FAO Shwarz get absolutely nuts, but it's so decorated and festive and fun and alive. Quebec City and Quebec in general I found really quiet at Christmas. People stay home a lot, it's COLD. There are decorations but not as vibrant and the Christmas markets imo are tiny. European cities have nice markets and lights but also not as vibrant as NYC, and more is closed. NYC does not close, always something to do and see.

It may be kitschy, but go to places like Leavenworth, WA where the entire town was created to look like a Bavarian village.

They go all out to mimic a European town and have lots of different holiday shows and festivals during December and a huge Christmas mart.

Newport, RI - both the community itself and the mansions are decorated for the holidays.

Mystic, CT goes all out too. They do a giant tree made out of lobster traps.

St. Augustine if wanting to stay stateside.

Overseas, much of southwest Germany is great for markets, like Rothenberg and Koln. Short drive to Strasbourg in France for an Alsatian market -- that one is beautiful too.

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg

Have you been?

They have lovely wreaths for Christmas but no lights. Once its dark there is nothing Christmassy or festive whatsoever.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Go to Prague. It’s lovely.

Anonymous wrote:Lived in both NYC and London and didn’t find either to be that big of a deal at Christmas…and this was back in the day when you still had the department stores in NYC with all the impressive display windows.

I can’t see spending more than a long day experiencing what NYC has to offer that’s really Christmas/holiday focused.

I really don’t remember London doing much of anything for the season except they have the Pantomime shows which are fun.

I would skip both and research places that really go all in on the season.

You probably didn’t seek out the touristy holiday spots in London if you lived there and were busy working.

Google London at Christmas. There are tons of YouTube videos with so many different spots.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYC is incredible at Christmas but SO busy. Be prepared to be outside waiting in lines even to get in stores. The markets are PACKED with tourists. But we love it and have been many times.

Have you been to London at Christmas?

We’ve been to nyc in December before, but I’m wondering if other destinations are similar or better.

We did NYC for Christmas as a family and I have been to London on business in December. I found London to be festive - there are many decorations, but not on the level of NYC. I was there during the week, and there were crowds, but not as much as NYC. London has several markets - I found them similar to NYC’s markets. But it also has one that’s more like a carnival with rides. If you have young kids, they might enjoy that.

If you like London generally, or want to go, I think it’s a good time to visit and feel Christmas-y. Of course, it’s also not very good weather. Lots of light rain.

Natchitoches, LA. Pronounced NACK-a-dish.

Lived in both NYC and London and didn’t find either to be that big of a deal at Christmas…and this was back in the day when you still had the department stores in NYC with all the impressive display windows.

I can’t see spending more than a long day experiencing what NYC has to offer that’s really Christmas/holiday focused.

I really don’t remember London doing much of anything for the season except they have the Pantomime shows which are fun.

I would skip both and research places that really go all in on the season.