Christmas tips

From festivals of light to giant Christmas trees, there are plenty of ways for towns all over the US to celebrate the holidays.

We all have them. Those holiday ornaments that we put up every year thinking, “Maybe it’s really time to retire this cracked pickle ornament?” But nonetheless, every year, they go up, like a bowhead whale that just won’t die. After a few years, the cracked pickle has become a beloved holiday tradition. It’s how a lot of the most unusual ornaments and decorations turn into holiday mainstays.

Markus Füchtner works the lathe in the workshop that doubles as his home—or maybe it’s his home that doubles as a workshop. The small, one-story building is set in the forested hills of Seiffen, near Germany’s border with Czechia, and has been used by his family of carpenters since 1786. It was here in the early 1870s that his great-great-great-grandfather, Wilhelm Füchtner, made his first nutcracker—and laid the foundation for a global Christmas icon.

Christmas in the United Kingdom differs slightly from celebrations in America and elsewhere around the world.

From festivals of light to giant Christmas trees, there are plenty of ways for small towns all over the US to celebrate the holidays.

The search for Christmas gifts is on. Whether you’re looking for stocking fillers or the main event, these gadgets are designed to make travel easier.

As the holidays approach, it can be difficult to think of fun activities that all the family will enjoy.

Around the holiday season, Disney becomes a magical experience. At Walt Disney World, fans can see 1,300 decorated trees and 8.5 million lights throughout the resort, according to The Walt Disney Company.

With the majestic domes of the Royal Pavilion as its backdrop – lit in magical neon colours if you go after dark – this real ice rink is a popular highlight of Brighton’s yuletide offering, and the only one in the UK powered by renewable energy. Families are warmly welcomed, with penguin skate aids available for £5 and a beginners’ rink where young skaters can safely build confidence on the ice. Rinkside, a covered bar and café and outdoor terraced areas offer mulled wine, mince pies, cakes, snacks and a decent children’s menu – and a great place to sit and watch if you don’t want to risk the ice yourself.Adults and children aged 12 and over £18, concessions £15, 12 and under £14, royalpavilionicerink.co.uk; family room, B&B, from £179, queenshotelbrighton.com

With Christmas just around the corner, city squares across Europe are crystallising into their sparkliest forms.

Already planning your Christmas break? France is about to open up to holidaymakers with a bunch of new train routes.

Set before the gothic backdrop of Cologne Cathedral and under the largest Christmas tree in all of the Rhine, is Weihnachtsmarkt Am Kölner Dom – the biggest and most popular Christmas market in Cologne. Explore its glittering wooden pavilions to find handmade gifts including wood carvings, tree decorations and soaps.

Necker Island, Richard Branson's famed private island, is breaking with tradition this holiday season. Known for its exclusivity and hefty price tag, the island is offering unprecedentedly for the December 20-27 festive week.

More Floridians will have access to passenger rail this Christmas with private rail operator Brightline set to open two new stations on December 21. The stations are on Brightline’s existing South Florida rail line at Aventura, which is located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton.

The quick answer is that fares won’t change a lot between now and November, but you can figure fares are likely to be lowest September, October, and early November.

The Christmas travel season is upon us. While perhaps not as narrow and intense as the Thanksgiving holiday, Christmas is nevertheless an extremely busy time of year at airports across the country. In addition to an influx of travelers, late December is infamous for throwing weather curveballs that can further snarl already maxed-out airline operations.

There was considerable hand-wringing in the run-up to the Thanksgiving holiday that travelers would be facing something just this side of hell on earth. Packed planes. Overflowing overhead bins. Overcrowded gate areas. Endless check-in lines. And even longer lines to clear security checkpoints.

A grumbling volcano is ruining more than a few tropical vacations this holiday season.

Scrambling for a last-minute gift that will arrive in time to wow your favorite traveler this Christmas? Thanks to the rise of two-day shipping, it’s easier than ever to get last-minute Christmas gifts in a snap.

Still haven’t started your holiday shopping? No judgment and no problem, because these sites have you covered. All of the retailers below will ship your gifts in time for Christmas, for free:

You know going into it that Christmas travel can be exasperating: crowds and winter weather often do not play well together. But some trips are worse than others, so Treetopia dug through Department of Transportation data to identify the best and worst airports, routes, and days for Christmas travel, based on the number and length of delays encountered in last year’s holiday season.