Happy Holidays

 Heya play as, we're getting closer and closer to Christmas and apparently there's a war going on as to what the proper greeting is.Is it Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? If you say either of them then you're wrong.You'll find out why after this. Have you ever walked into a store and had someone wish you a Merry Christmas? If it happens more likely than you'd expect than chances are that the next big cultural holiday coming up is Christmas. There are even some people who get offended when someone says Merry Christmas because it's not politically correct. But here's the thing that boggles my mind, the idea of a holiday in the first place is not politically correct. Holiday stemming from the term holy day is supposed to function as a time that you dedicate your energy to a higher being. In America we've created a whole new meaning for the word holiday and have learned to apply it to any day that we celebrate something.

The fourth of July is a holiday, new years is a holiday, Martin Luther King day is a holiday. And yes, certain holidays are religious and are only carried out by certain religious people. But when a holiday becomes so abstract that it moves from being only a religious holiday to a cultural one, isn't it fair game for everyone to celebrate? The focus of Christmas in America is about spending time with your family, giving and receiving gifts and singing songs about Old Saint Nick. Even the songs about Jesus can still be enjoyed by people who don't believe in him because it's music, it's supposed to be catchy. But when people get butthurt and wage this war on the idea that we have to say Happy Holidays instead,it just makes you sound silly. When it comes to religion, sometimes we get so caught up in what the perception of that type of religious person is supposed to be we forget that we live in a society where different people celebrate different things for different reasons. When Hanukkah rolls around why would you be offended when someone wishes you a Happy Hanukkah?Even if you don't celebrate or believe in what they do, understand that what they are truly saying is coming from a positive frame. They're blessing you and wishing you good cheer for the holiday that you believe in. It's sort of similar to the point I made in my Happy Birthday video which you can check out here. Basically the point I was trying to make is why would someone get upset at you for wishing them a happy birthday even if you don't believe in birthdays. And there's nothing wrong with also wishing Happy Holidays to someone.

 The whole point is to show good will towards another freaking human being.Mark my words though, it's only a matter of time before someone like Bill O' Reilly claims that liberals are waging war on the phrase "God Bless You" every time someone sneezes.But I'm curious to know what you guys think, should people stop saying Merry Christmas and instead say Happy Holidays? Leave your comment below and we'll talk about it. So remember, the purpose of a holiday greeting is not to force you to agree with my religious beliefs, it's just to be a nice person. Plus if you want to make someone feel better after they sneeze you shouldn't say "God Bless You" you should say "You are SO good looking!".As always guys, love and peace. Hey thanks for watching. If you're new to the channel make sure to hit the subscribe button below. I make new videos every Tuesday and Friday on a range of different topics including self help, dating, philosophy and more. Plus if you want exclusive stories and tips that I don't share in my videos make sure to signup for The Josh Speaks newsletter. The link will be in the description below. 

What Should I do in chistmas in london

 I love Christmastime in London and here are the best things to do during the festive season. London has tons of christmas markets all around during december so they're definitely a must visit. At christmas markets you can always find vendors selling food, drinks,gifts, London-y things. My favorite is probably the south bank winter festival because it's right along the river and if you walk down far enough you'll see Big Ben and the London Eye lit up along with the Christmas lights I will link a bunch of great markets down in the description box below as long as everything else talked about in this video so you can go visit it for yourself. Winter wonderland is probably the most famous Christmasy thing that London has it's a big section of Hyde Park that's been transformed into a wintery Christmasy themed Park of sorts again it has all of those Christmas market-y things but there's also rides and ice rink and sometimes live music.

My only recommendation is to not go on the weekends because it gets absolutely crazy you might have to wait on line to get in even though it's free to go. Oh the Christmas lights in London! London throws those Christmas lights in your face like the city just does them absolutely beautifully so my favourites are along Oxford Street and Regent Street there's some great ones along Carnaby Street Covent Garden has a Christmas tree and lights every where Trafalgar Square honestly everywhere. If you want to seethe light show of all light shows get tickets to Christmas at Kew Gardens. I did this last weekend and it's absolutely beautiful Kew Gardens put on this incredible light show exhibition that you walk through. While you're in London during the festive season you should definitely book yourself in to go ice-skating there are a few places around London that have ice rinks where you can rent skates and skate around for an hour the Natural History Museum, Somerset House has one but I'll link up a few options down below. If you want to go on a weekend or in the evening you'll probably need to book in advance so make sure you do that there are lots of places you can do your Christmas shopping in London whether that be for Christmasy things or just for the gifts you have to get that are on your list. For Christmasy things like I said the Christmas markets are great for those or you can go to one of thedepartment stores Christmas shops Harrods has one, so does Liberty and Selfridges... if you want the epitome of Christmas inside these Christmas shops are it those are great places to get a London Christmasy ornament. And finally if you just want to get like clothes and things like that just go to one of the most popular shopping places in London I have a blog post about those linked updown in the description And I've you've been watching my Instagram stories overthe last couple weeks you'll see that I've been doing lots of this that's getting festive drinks and food.  Lots of hotels bars and restaurants we'll have a winter menu from which you can order Christmassy cocktails and wintery warmer food for example you could go to the Montague hotel's Lodge where there's a bar and they serve all of these yummy wintery food items they're also tons of hotels that put on wintery or Christmasy afternoon tea I've recently tried avegan friendly afternoon winter tea at La Suite West's Raw restaurant and as a non vegan I thought it was beautifully done and very tasty it's also reasonably priced for a winter tea. You can also try the Conrad st. james's winter tea that they do every year and I'll link up a few more down the description.In my winter in London video I recommend a few different wintery rooftop bars that you can visit so if you click up here you'll be able to watch that next.Sitting on a rooftop in the winter sounds scary in London but actually lots of these rooftops do them really well they have heaters and lots of nice warm blankets so they can keep you extra warm and they're just decorated so beautifully. Other cool wintery escapes that I like the John Lewis rooftop which has food drinks and cool views across Oxford Street and there's loads so anything else I think of I'll leave down in the description box and let me know down in the comments which one of these you're most looking forward to doing while you're here during the festive season click on my face up here to subscribe to our channel for more London tips every Thursday and then watch this video next 

Christmas Story Celebration reasons

 Assalamu Alaikum,December, which most people refer to as the month of Christmas. Christian people celebrate 25th December for the birth of Jesus (pbuh). Even though Muslims show the greatest respect to Prophet Isa or Jesus (pbuh), there are some reasons, why Muslims don't celebrate Christmas. First we need to know the history of the date,December 25th. Fact no 1: From the beginning of time, people were excited about the powerful Sun, Moon and stars. Onetime Satan convinced some of the people to believe that the Sun, Moon and stars are their gods. So they started to worship them. Later some smart people started to learn more about the Sun, Moon and stars and their movements throughout the year. Finally they discovered that during December,the daylight became shorter and shorter and Dec 21st become the shortest daylight of the whole year. So Satan convinced the people, that the Sun died on this day.

For the next three days, the length of day light did not change, up until when December 25th came, the daylight began to get longer again. So Satan convinced the people that, after 3 days and 3 nights, the sun got its life back on the 25th of December. And some of the bad people started to believe in Satan and started to celebrate December 25th as the Sun's birthday. Fact No. 2: During those olden days, the people who believed in the Sun and the moon as their gods, they had three main figures for their worship; the father, mother and son. They believed that the Father was the Sun,which was the god, the mother as the moon which was the god's wife and for the son it's interesting. They thought when god wanted to come into this world to help the humans; he had to go into his wife's belly, so that his wife could become pregnant. The god stayed in his wife's belly for nine months, and then he came out from his wife's belly as a little helpless baby. So they thought that the baby was the son of god and also the main god in a human body. Once the baby grew up he was unfortunately killed in his young age. But after 3 days and 3 nights he was born again and said 'hi' to his people then left the earth and went to heaven.

Fact No. 3: Throughout different places around the earth, somehow, the people worshiping this idea of the god going inside the wife's belly and coming out as a little baby became common to several parts of the world, however with different names. In Egypt the mother would be called Isis and the son would be called Osiris. In India, they used the different names along with places like China, Japan, Greece, and Rome as well. In Babylon the mother’s name was Ishtar,the son’s name was Tammuz and the father name is Nimrod. Fact No. 4: Since many of the places had adopted the same story all throughout the world from those olden days, almost all of their gods birthdays became December 25th. Fact No. 5: Historians say, that all of these crazy ideas of worshipping sun and moon came from Nimrod and his wife. It was the time during prophet Ibrahim (pbuh),and the bad king Nimrod claimed that he was the Sun and the people's god. Onetime he even argued with the prophet for that. You can find that story in the Quran SurahBaqara verse 258. Fact No. 6: After Nimrod was killed by his enemy, Nimrod's wife started saying that Nimrod did not die, and he had returned to his own place, the sun. She started to say that from that point, his name would be "Baal", the sun god. Later when she gave birth to a son, Tammuz,she told to the people that, her husband Nimrod was reborn as a human God to save the world. And his birthday was 25th December. Fact No.7: Now you might be a little confused since this video was suppose to be about Christmas and why Muslims don't celebrate it. But the point is that Christmas falls under the date of December 25th. So far all we discussed are from Christianhistorian and researchers. And they all don't know the real birthdayof Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Some historians say that Isa or Jesus (pbuh)was born in April while others say he was born in August. But almost all of the Christian historiansagree that Jesus (pbuh) did not born in December. So then, now we need to know why it is that the people celebrate his birthday on December 25th. Fact No8: A long time ago the Romans used to celebrate a one week evil festival around the 25th of December for their Sun god Saturn. Around 400 years after Prophet Jesus’ (pbuh)birth, Christianity began to control most of Europe. The priest did not like the Roman evil festival. So they made a plan to stop that evil festival.

The Christian priest created a false birthday for Jesus (pbuh), so that the people wouldn't be celebrating the festival for their Sungod Saturn. They made it so that the festival would before the Son or the child of god, Jesus. May Allah (swt) save us from that evil thinking. Ordinary people just wanted to have fun and enjoy their time. For them it was not a big deal whose birthday was celebrated. And that's how Christmas has started to be celebrated on 25th of December. Day by day, this newly created festival turned to be a crazy and violent festival. For thousands of years it was a very scary festival. Drunk people were on the streets doing the all kinds of bad jobs. So when the colonists from England came to America for the first time, they ordered people so that there would be no more Christmas celebrations in the new world of America. During the 1900s, when a lot of immigrants started to come to America from different places, they brought with them their different culture, and that is how Christmas slowly started to become celebrated in America. And just a little fun fact, Alabama was the first state to approve Christmas to be celebrated as a public holiday in 1836.

Fact no9.: So because of the old crazy history and Jesus (pbuh)'s made up birthday, there are many Christians who don't celebrate Christmas as their holiday. Fact no 10: In Islam, any made up creation in the name of religion is not allowed. And if people start saying false information in the name of religion, that is completely forbidden. So most of the Muslim Scholars try to teach to be careful to involve in man made religious festivals. Muslim don't need any false information to make prophet Jesus (pbuh) great, because he is already one of the great prophets selected by the one and only God Allah (swt). Each and every Muslim has to respect Jesus(pbuh) as one of the great prophets and believe in his miraculous birth and all of the great miracles done by him with the help of the true God Allah (swt). And Muslims have to pray for him whenever any Muslim even mentions his name, Jesus (pbuh). Now, that we know the history behind this date, you should decide for yourself, should Muslims involve in a celebration with the date of December 25th? 

How to make cardboard christmas tree

 Hey guys, this is Elf Mode Day 7, cardboard Christmas trees. You could paint them and make a bunch for a Christmas photo, or place them around your home. I got sheets of cardboard from Costco. For the bigger tree, I cut 2 boards at 17 1/2” x 23”. Then, I created a grid. I made 4 rows that were 5 3/4” apart and I made 10 columns that were 1 3/4” apart. Starting from the top, I made diagonal lines going from the top center to 2 columns out and 1 row down. Then, I made diagonal lines starting from 1 column in going to 2 columns out and 1 row down. I continued doing this until I reached the bottom. Next, I cut out the tree. Find the center. Then, make a slit, that’s the same thickness as the board, going from the center point to the bottom center of the cardboard. The cardboard that I used was 1/8” thick. Trace the tree onto another piece of cardboard. Make the slit starting from the center point going to the top center of the cardboard. Then, cut it out. I made a smaller tree with 2 boards that were 15” x 18”. I made 10 columns that were 1 1/2” apart and I made 4 rows that were 4 1/2” apart. I repeated the same steps I used to make the bigger tree. and your cardboard Christmas trees are done. 

European Festivals

 -Hi, I'm Rick Steves,and it's party time in Europe. In this special episode,we'll see no museums and no art galleries, just lots of Europeanshaving lots of fun. People hereare expert at festivals, and we're invited. Let's go. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Europe hassome amazing festivals, and as traveler's,we're welcome to join in. I found that the more you relax,the more people the meet and the more you eat and drink, the more funyou're going to have. Now with that attitude,let's party. In this second of two episodeson European festivals, we'll drop in on some ofthe continent's top parties, each rich in tradition anda celebration of local culture, and all of themfull of opportunities to sing and dance, feast on traditional food, and party like a local. We'll dance with Spaniards,join wild and crazy crowds, and run for our lives. We'll browse holiday markets, sled down alps by torchlight, drink lots of beer, and light up the sky. With the entire continentas our playground, fun is our mission. Over two episodes,we'll careen all over Europe. In this second one, we'll visitApril Fair in Sevilla, Bastille Day in Paris, the Running of the Bullsin Pamplona, Oktoberfest in Munich, and Christmas in Nürnberg,Norway, and Switzerland. ♪♪ Europe, with all its history,art, and high culture, also knows how to celebrate. And with centuries of practice,it does it with gusto. If you know where to traveland when, you can enjoyextravagant festivals throughout the continentand throughout the calendar. And what better time of yearto celebrate than spring, a season of renewal and rebirth. Throughout southern Spain, a region so expertat fiestas and romance, cities like Sevillagreet each spring with a festivalfor all ages. A festival where the horses are nearly as dressed upas the people, a springtime flirtatiousnessfills the air, and travelers are more thanwelcome to join in the fun. For seven days each April,it seems much of Sevilla is packed intoits vast fairgrounds. The fair feels friendly,spontaneous, very real. The Andalusian passionfor horses, flamenco, and sherry, is clear. Riders are ramrod straight, colorfully clad señoritasride sidesaddle, and everyone's drinkingsherry spritzers. Women sport outlandish dresses that would look clownishall alone, but somehow brillianthere en masse. Hundreds of privateparty tents, or casetas,line the lanes. Each striped tentis the party zone of a particular family,club, or association. To get in, you need to knowsomeone in the group or make friends quickly. My local friend, Concepción,is well connected. - My caseta. No, no, no. -And as a friend of a friend,we're in. -This is your caseta?- Esta la caseta. -Because of the exclusivity, it has a realfamily-affair feeling. Throughout Andalucía,at spring fairs like Sevilla's, it seems everyone knows everyone in what seems like 1,000wedding parties being celebratedall at the same time. Festivals help maintaina culture's identity. Pageantry stokes local,regional, or national pride. And while annual festivalsare the big events, this celebration of culture can be just as richon a smaller scale. Traveling through Europe,any day of the year, you can experiencea festive spirit powered by music that simply makes daily lifemore celebratory. Beloved musical traditions havelong helped embattled cultures to assert their identity, to sing and dance their waythrough centuries of challenges, like the Roma peoplehere in the Czech Republic and throughout Europe. [ Up-tempo music plays ] People everywhere grabtheir folk instruments, pull on their national costumes, and gather togetherto celebrate their culture. Patriotic hearts beat stronger with the sounds ofeach nation's unique music, such as klapa music in Croatia. -[ Singing in native language ] -[ Singing in native language ] -Or rousing folk songsin Romania. -[ Singing in native language ] ♪♪ -In university townsthroughout Spain, roving bands of musicians,like medieval troubadours, are a festivaljust waiting to happen. ♪♪ In Austria, cradle ofso much classical music, waltzing is the national dance,and hearts beat in 3/4 time. [ Up-tempo classical musicplays ] ♪♪ [ Applause ] Colorful traditionsare often rooted in a desireto stoke patriotism. Many European countries,like Norway, are democracies but still haveconstitutional monarchs. And they celebratetheir royal heritage with a stirringChanging of the Guard ceremony, like this one atLondon's Buckingham Palace. These martial spectacles,like here in Sweden, are holdovers from a time whenthis coordinated show of force helped dispelany thoughts of attack or revolution against the crown. And you'll see cutelittle ceremonies by cute little countries,like here in Monaco. ♪♪ Even though Europemay be unified as one, each country hasits own national pride and national holiday. The most famousof these celebrates the violent end of a monarchy and the advent ofmodern democracy in France. France's national holidayis July 14th, Bastille Day. And that means a big party as all of Franceindulges in a patriotic bash. In Paris that meanslots of flags and lots of parties. ♪♪ Everyone's welcome to join in. ♪♪ Like towns and villagesall over the country, each neighborhood herehosts parties until late into the night. The local fire departmentis putting on this party. So I guess it doesn't matterif the fire marshal drops by. [ "I Gotta Feeling" plays ] -♪ Tonight's the night ♪ ♪ Let's live it up ♪ ♪ I got my money ♪ ♪ Let's spend it up ♪ ♪ Go out and smash it ♪ Like, oh, my God ♪ ♪ Jump off that sofa ♪ ♪ Let's get, get off ♪ -Each year,crowds pack the bridges and line the river as a grand fireworks display shares the skywith the Eiffel Tower. ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Each country hasits iconic celebration. In France, it's fireworksover the Eiffel Tower. In Italy, it'sa crazy horse race. And in Spain,it's bullfighting. Next on our party tour: the biggest bull festivalof all -- Pamplona's Running of the Bulls. Officially known asthe festival of San Fermín, the Running of the Bullsis perhaps Europe's greatestadrenaline festival. For nine days each July,throngs of visitors -- most dressed inthe traditional white with red sashes and kerchiefs -- come to run with the bullsand a whole lot more. ♪♪ The festival, which packsthis city, has deep roots. For centuriesthe people of this region have honored Saint Fermín,their patron saint, with processions and parties. He was decapitated inthe 2nd century for his faith, and the red bandanasyou see everywhere are a distant reminderof his martyrdom. And you know, I don't thinkanybody on this square knows or even cares. But at the Church of San Fermín,it's a capacity crowd, and there's no questionwhat to wear for this Mass. To this day,locals look to Fermín, their hometown saint,for protection. Back out on the streets,its a party for young and old. There's plenty of fun for kids,and towering giants add a playful mysticto the festivities. ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] The literary giant,Ernest Hemingway, is celebrated by Pamplonaas if he were a native son. ♪♪ Hemingway first came here for the 1923Running of the Bulls. Inspired by the spectacle, he later wrotehis bullfighting classic, "The Sun Also Rises." He said he enjoyed seeing twowild animals running together: one on two legs,and the other on four. Hemingway put Pamplonaon the world map. When he first visited,it was a dusty town of 30,000 with an obscurebullfighting festival. Now, a million people a yearcome here for one of theworld's great parties. [ Up-tempo music plays ] After dark, the town eruptsinto a rollicking party scene. ♪♪ While the craziness ragesday and night, the city is well organized, and, even with all the alcohol, it feels in controland things go smoothly. ♪♪ Amazingly, in just afew hours, this same street will hosta very different spectacle. [ Mid-tempo music plays ] ♪♪ The Running of the Bullstakes place early each morning. Spectators claim a vantage pointat the crack of dawn. Early in the morning?Nope. For many of these revelers,its the end of a long night. The anticipation itselfis thrilling. Security crews sweep thosenot running out of the way. Shop windows and doorsare boarded up. Fencing is set upto keep the bulls on course and protect the crowd. The runners are called "mozos." While many are just finishing upa night of drinking, others train for the event. They take the ritual seriouslyand run every year. [ Rocket fires ] At 8 o'clock, a rocket is fired and the mozos take off. Moments later, a second rocket means the bullshave been released. They stampede half a milethrough the town, from their pensto the bullfighting arena. At full gallop, it goes by fast. [ Indistinct shouting ] ♪♪ Bulls thunder throughthe entire route in just 2 1/2 minutes. The mozos try to runin front of the bulls for as long as possible,usually just a few seconds, before diving out of the way. [ Indistinct shouting ] They say, on a good run,you feel the breath of the bull on the back of your legs. [ Indistinct shouting ] Cruel as this all seemsfor the bulls -- who scramble for footingon the cobblestones as they rush toward their doomin the bull ring -- the human participantsdon't come out unscathed. Each year, dozens of peopleare gored or trampled. Over the last century,15 mozos have been killed at the event. ♪♪ After it's done, peoplegather for breakfast and review the highlights on TV. All day long, local channelsreplay that morning's spectacle. -Oh!-Oh. -Oh!-Oh! -The festival's energycourses through the city. Overlooking the main square, the venerable Café Iruñapulses with music and dance. ♪♪ While the massesfill the streets, VIPs fill the city's ballrooms. It seems everyone is caught upin this festival of San Fermín. -Of Europe'smany great festivals, one of the wildest isOktoberfest here in Munich. Germany's favoriteannual beer bash originated about 200 years ago with the wedding receptionof King Ludwig I. Ludwig's party was such a hit, they've been celebratingevery year since. Oktoberfest lasts for two weeks, from late Septemberinto October. Filling a huge fairground, under a dramatic statuerepresenting Bavaria, locals set up about16 huge tents that can each seatseveral thousand beer drinkers. The festivities kick off withgrand parades through Munich, heading toward the fairgrounds. The queen of the paradeis the Münchner Kindl, a young woman wearinga monk's robe, riding the lead horsewith her beer stein raised. With thousands of participants,the parade seems endless. You'll see traditional costumes from every cornerof Bavarian society. ♪♪ Elaborately decoratedhorses and wagons, along with keg-filled floats from each of the city'smain breweries, entertain the crowds while making their wayto the festival grounds. Revelers fill massive tents,awaiting the grand opening. After trotting throughmuch of Munich, the parade finallyenters the fair grounds. Dignitariesare formally greeted, and another Oktoberfest begins. ♪♪ From now on,for the next two weeks, it's a beer-fueled frenzyof dancing, music, food, and amusements. There is no better placeto see Germans at play. The tents are surroundedby a fun forest of amusements. There's a huge Ferris wheel. The five-loops roller coastermust be the wildest around. For locals and tourists alike,the rides are unforgettable, and probably best done beforeyou start drinking your beer. ♪♪ Inside the tent, the partyrages day and night. Bavarian culture is strong here. Each of the tentshas a personality. Some are youthful. Some are more traditional. It's a festivalof German culture. While there areplenty of tourists, it's really dominated by locals who look forwardto this annual chance to celebrate Bavariaand its beer. -[ Shouting in native language ] -Fast-moving waitresses hoistarmloads of massive glasses. The beers are servedin cherished glass mugs -- each holding a literof their favorite local brew. The people-watching -- Germans letting their hair down -- is itself entertaining. Its a slap-happy worldof lederhosen, dirndls, fancy hats, and maidens with flowersin their hair. It's a mutligenerationalblowout, complete with schmaltzy musicand lots of new friendships. ♪♪ Rivers of beer are drunk,and tons of food are eaten. Radishes, pretzels,lots of sausage, all served by saucy maids. ♪♪ While I was too tipsy to count, locals claim there are6 million visitors, 7 million litersof beer drunk, half a million chicken cooked, and 100 oxen eaten. That's one trulymemorable festival. ♪♪ Just a few weeks after Munichfolds up its Oktoberfest tents, Germany celebratesin a different way by rolling outits Christmas markets. Perhaps the most belovedChristmas market is about 100 miles away,in Nürnberg. ♪♪ Each Christmas,Nürnberg's main square becomes a festive swirlof the heartwarming sights, sounds, and smellsof the holiday season. Long a center of toy-makingin Germany, a woody and traditional spirit that celebrates local artisansprevails. Nutcrackers are charactersof authority: uniformed, strong-jawed, andable to crack the tough nuts. Smokers -- with their fragrantincense wafting -- feature common folklike this village toy-maker. Prune people --with their fig body, walnut head, andprune limbs -- are dolled up inBavarian folk costumes. ♪♪ Bakeries crank outthe old-fashioned gingerbread, the Nürnberger Lebkuchen, still using the original17th-century recipe. Back then, Nürnberg was the gingerbread capitalof the world, and its love affairwith gingerbread lives on. Shoppers can also munchthe famous Nürnberg bratwurst -- skinny as your little finger -- and sip hot spiced wine. ♪♪ Like Easter, Christmas is built upon a paganpre-Christian festival, and we celebrate it today withplenty of pre-Christian rituals, often without even knowing it. -Oh, that's a good sign.-Mmm. -In Salzburg,they shoot big guns to scare away evil spirits. [ Gunfire ] In the Tirol,fathers bless their house as their ancestors did. Families, friends, and foodare integral to the French Noël. ♪♪ Winter brings a senseof magical wonder to Germany and Austria. Italy reveals the sacred natureof the season, from its countrysideto its grandest church. Nature,in all its wintry glory, seems to shout out the joyof the season in Switzerland. -"Down the chimney..."-And everywhere, Christmas is celebratedwith family as, together, Europe remembersthe quiet night that that holiest familycame to be. The European Christmas seasonis long and festive. Rather than counting downthe shopping days left, it's all about traditionsand saints' days. For example, December 13is big in Norway. It's Santa Lucia Day -- one of the darkest daysof winter -- and an important part of theScandinavian Christmas season. All over Nordic Europe, little candle-bearingSanta Lucias are bringing lightto the middle of winter, and the promiseof the return of summer. These processions are ledby a young Lucia wearing a crown of lights. -[ Singing in native language ] ♪♪ ♪ Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia ♪ [ Applause ] -This home has housed widowsand seniors for over 200 years, and today the kindergartnersare bringing on the light in more ways than one.The children have baked the traditionalSanta Lucia saffron buns -- the same onesthese seniors baked when they were kindergartners. Taking their cuefrom Santa Lucia, Norwegians -- cozy intheir homes -- brighten their long, darkwinters with lots of candles, white lights -- you'll neversee a colored one -- and lots of greenery. ♪♪ And high in Switzerland,where the churches are small and the villages huddlebelow towering peaks, the mighty Alpsseem to shout the glory of God. Up here, Christmas fillsa wintry wonderland with good cheer. [ Bells jingling ] In these villages,traditions are strong... ♪♪ and warmth is a priority. Stoves are small,so firewood is, too. ♪♪ My family has arrivedfor a Swiss Alps Christmas. They've joined me here inthe tiny village of Gimmelwald. Our friends Olle and Mariaand their kids are giving my kids,Andy and Jackie, a good lessonin high-altitude Christmas fun. -Whoo! ♪♪ -Olle is taking ushigh above his village on a quest to find and cutthe perfect Christmas tree. ♪♪ -Ah, what do you think?-I like it a lot, Olle. -Yeah, this is a good tree.I think we should cut it. -Yeah. ♪♪ All right!-Wonderful! [ Indistinct conversations ] ♪♪ -Still high above Gimmelwald, we're stopping in a hutfor a little fondue. [ Laughter ] -Goes too far. -Fondue seems perfect in winterif you've come in from the cold. For them, it sets the tonefor a warm and convivial time. Combined withgood friends and family, during the Christmas season, we have all the ingredients for a delightfullittle Alpine festival. -[ Laughs ]-Oh, wow. - Before we know it, the light outsidebegins to fade. Here's to a happy Christmas.-Yeah. -Whoo!-Cheers. ♪♪ -As the sun sets,we've got our tree and enjoy a fairy-tale ridehome to Gimmelwald. ♪♪ -Yahoo!-Yahoo! ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ -[ Laughs ]-Whoo-hoo! ♪♪ [ Laughter ] -Festivals help keepEurope's rich heritage alive. As we've seen,they bring families and communities together, and everybody is welcome. They create lifelong memoriesand are flat-out lots of fun. Thanks for joining us. I'm Rick Steves, encouraging youto enjoy festive journeys. Keep on travelin'. [ Indistinct shouting ] ♪♪ -Whoo! [ Drinkers speakingnative language ] -[ Laughs ] Whoo! [ Crowd cheers ] Whoo! Yeah! ♪♪