For much of the world, the Christmas season is well under way, and a wonderland of holiday happenings are there to be enjoyed. First we will go to the Danube town of Vilshofen, where a floating Christmas market brings cheer on the first weekend of advent to crowds of Germans. Then we'll visit Japan and Mexico to find out how the local people there celebrate the upcoming holiday...

Christmas markets are a long-standing tradition in Germany, but in Vilshofen on the Danube there is one with a difference - It floats.

The town came up with the idea eight years ago while trying to find a way to present a Christmas Market without the space in the town center that would usually be used to host the festive stalls.

The answer was a river boat and, to mark the spot, the world's largest nativity scene was put up with figures stretching up 3.5 meters with a length of 20 meters.

The ship's two decks carry traditional attractions, including a glass-blowing stall and bees wax candles made by the local Benedictine monastery.

And visitors enjoy holiday cheer at German Christmas market recreated in Yokohama, Japan. The area may not be the first place many look for a German-style Christmas market, but visitors flocked to the replica to kick off an early start to the holiday season.

The market in Yokohama is billed as one of Japan's largest, and is being held as part of celebrations commemorating 150 years of relations between Japan and Germany.

While the area in Yokohama where the event is held has in the past had events such as ice skating, this is the first year that there has been anything as grand as a Christmas Market.

The Christmas spirit has moved into Mexico as well. Mexico City opened two ice skating rinks Sunday and a display of ice sculptures to help residents get into the Christmas spirit.

Fireworks greeted hundreds of families that came out to see the opening ceremony and enjoy ice dancing performances of traditional Mexican songs and pre-Hispanic rituals.

Snow and winter sports are unusual in Mexico City where winter high temperatures hover around 21 degrees Celsius.

The skating rinks will remain open to the public until January 9th.

Go to Forum >>0 Comments