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As the holiday season approaches, most of us
plan for family get-togethers. Many such events involve travel, whether across
town or across the country, and all involve food – the international,
cross-cultural, universal heart of every holiday celebration.
For the majority of western cultures, our
year-end holiday is Christmas. Of course, jolly ol’ Santa and consumerism have
replaced the infant Jesus as the main character for many in the Christmas play,
but long before either Jesus or Santa, every culture acknowledged the waning of
the sun and the winter solstice.
The harvest is over and the grain has been
stored for the long cold winter. As the days grow shorter and the cycle of the
year draws to a close, one big blowout is mandatory to celebrate all that has
been accomplished before hunkering down to wait for spring. Whether the focus of
your celebrations is an Asian festival of lights, Christmas or Hanukkah, everyone is ready to celebrate the past year
and get ready for the new.
This month’s issue features a few
traditional recipes to help you indulge yourself and some great historical
perspective on this festive season in the West. The following hosts provide a
few ideas of how to spend your holiday away from home. Enjoy, and from all of us
at Cultural Travels, may the holiday season and the new year bring you many
joys.
This
month's tour hosts review:
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World Society
Pick of
the Month |
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Location: Europe, Mediterranean, Japan |
| Specialty:
Customized itineraries for independent travelers |
| Why
We Like Them: Countess Maria von Staufer, a Christmas historian, has
vast knowledge on the many Christmas markets throughout
Europe, and other Christmas-related sites in Europe and the
Holy Land. Tapping along with
her husband, Andrew Hubert von Staufer, into 30-plus years
of travel experience, the von Staufers have created
an extensive network of alliances from which they create
itineraries to meet the needs of independent travelers.
Arrangements can include entrance into many places not
normally accessible to the public and personal meetings with
people not normally available to visitors. |
|
Article: A Chronological History of the Christmas
Tree |
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Herzerl Tours |
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Location: Austria |
| Specialty: Culinary, art and music
tours
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| Why
We Like Them: The
company’s founder, Susanne Marie
Servin, creates small, intimate groups, which allows passengers to experience Austria up
close and personal. Meetings with her Austrian friends allows an in-depth look
at the culture of the country. Susanne personally leads all scheduled departures and can organize
custom trips on request. Nearly all trips have a cooking component, which allows
you to experience Austria with all your senses. “The Spirit of Christmas”
trip explores three different Christmas markets and includes a cookie cooking
class at the Gingerbread Museum of Lubereck. |
| Article:
An
Elegant Austrian Christmas Dinner
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VIP-Alpine Tours |
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Location: Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy |
| Specialty: Alpine Christmas and
Oktoberfest packages |
| Why
We Like Them: Regional
specialists who create custom itineraries, as well as offering moderately
priced coach tours to the Tyrolean Fall
Music Fest, Oktoberfest and Christmas markets in Austria, and a six
country Christmas market extravaganza.
Company founder Bernd Nagy, an Austrian native, or his
daughter, Christina; accompany every tour.
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| Article:
Germany’s Old World Christmas Markets |
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Toursgallery |
|
Location: Japan |
| Specialty: Small group tours focusing
on the cultural and natural heritage of Japan |
| Why
We Like Them: Toursgallery
is the only company that offers a Christmas tour of Tokyo and a tour to the four
winter ice festivals in Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture. The Asahikawa
International Ice Sculpture Festival is
filled with elaborate creations and the four festivals allow the visitor to see
a wide variety of winter scenes. The natural beauty of this area and the
abundant snowbirds are a nature lover’s dream. |
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Canterbury Travel Ltd |
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Location: Finland, Lapland |
| Specialty: Santa tours |
| Why
We Like Them: For
the child in all of us Santa holds a special place. Canterbury Travel takes you
visit him and his elves in Luosto,
Lapland, Finland. Special treats include reindeer and dogsled safaris, and other
winter activities as you and the children search for Father Christmas and his
elves. Various independent trips also are available throughout the holiday
season.
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Newport Mansions of the
Preservation Society |
|
Location: USA, Newport, RI |
| Specialty: Collection of Historic
Houses |
| Why
We Like Them: Every
year three of the society’s “Gilded Age” homes provide a glimpse into the
past by offering living history tours. Nineteenth-century Christmas decorations
and actors in period clothing allow visitors the chance to experience what
Christmas was like at the dawn of the 20th century for the
industrialists and corporate movers and shakers of that day. |
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