European Holiday Celebrations

‘Tis the season of celebration all around the world, and for many European countries, December 13th starts off the holiday season with the feast day of Santa Lucia! This holiday, though most commonly associated with the Scandinavian countries, originated with the birth of one Lucia in Syracuse, Sicily!

While each country has their own unique traditions [...]

Europe’s Christmas Markets

Christmas markets became widely popular during the late Middle Ages in the German Empire. In fact, there are accounts of a certain priest of Nuremberg who complained that his Christmas Eve service was neglected because all the patrons were shopping at the market!

While commercial by nature, the sense of holiday materialism is actually diminished at [...]