Darryl Denicola - Best Places to Celebrate Christmas in 2017

Hi, I am Darryl Denicola. Here I have shared my experience of a few interesting places.

Christmas is no longer a religious festival restricted to practicing Christians. It is more of a global event and people from across communities and religious beliefs are seen enjoying the holidays, savoring the cakes and of courses singing the carols. But what if you are looking to add some fun and excitement to your upcoming holidays and celebrate Christmas in some of the best places on earth. Here is our pick for the best Christmas destinations in the world for the year 2017.

It is easy to get lost in the glitz and glamour of modern Christmas destinations. But nothing compares the real meaning of a pilgrimage for a devout Christian than be at St Catherine's Church in Bethlehem. Take part in the midnight mass and it will be an experience you would like sharing with your grandkids. Lord Jesus Christ was born in this holy place and no Christmas destination gets bigger than this.

We have mentioned Bethlehem how can we ignore The Vatican? The place where lies the heart of every Catholic and celebrating the occasion with more than a hundred thousand people at the mass in St Peter's Basilica is an experience in itself. If you can’t fit in there is always the noon mass on Christmas Day. It’s a different feeling altogether in this ancient city with symbols of Christianity all around you.

If you like to celebrate Christmas in the medieval European style there are few places than can match Prague, Czech Republic. From its gothic architecture to the renowned Christmas markets everything about being on Christmas here is magnificent. If you wish to tantalize your taste buds or pick up some souvenirs for friends and family back home there is plenty of options available here.

Wish to celebrate Christmas before everyone else on earth, you need to head out to the island of Kiritimati in the Pacific. The name itself means Christmas Island in the local language and has the distinction of celebrating first mass every year. It isn’t easy to get there, nor easy to find a place to stay in this small island but if you make it; it’s like celebrating the occasion ‘one-in-a-million’ style.

It’s a beautiful county but we aren’t talking about just any other place in Finland to celebrate Christmas but in the small municipality of Rovaniemi in the Lapland region. There is an amusement park here which is called the Santa Clause Village. While North Pole is said to be the home of Santa Clause, ask any Finn and they would reply with the word ‘Rovaniemi'.

This Croatian capital has the distinction of being voted as Europe’s “Best Christmas Market" not once but twice and hence makes it to our list. It is quite a magical feeling to be here in this city during Christmas with the festivity continuing till the New Year. If you are looking for idyllic holiday alongside this is the place to be.

Not many devout Christians would imagine The Sin City to be on our list. But if you really want to entertain yourself and experience the best of glitz and glamour there is no other place on earth that would come close to Las Vegas. There are umpteen choice of shows and events that you can attend during your trip and create memories to cherish for a lifetime.