Welcome to the most Christmassy places on the planet

LONDON. December 19. KAZINFORM If your Christmas is too often one of tacky decorations, over-cooked turkey and bitter family feuds, now may be the time to put the baubles back in the attic and plan yourself a yuletide getaway.
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To help you along, we offer our top picks for the most Christmassy places around the world.

Lapland, Finland

While legends dating as far back as the 1820's may cite the North Pole as the official home of Santa Claus and his jolly missus, Finns would have us believe otherwise. For them, Rovaniemi , Lapland, located just north of the Arctic Circle, is Christmas headquarters . Here, children can make gingerbread cookies with Mrs. Claus, enroll in Elf School, or take a calligraphy class and learn to compose their Christmas wish-lists with a traditional quill.

Other area attractions include the Ranua Zoo  -- home to baby polar bears, wolverines, and moose; Sirmakko reindeer farm, where visitors can take a sled-led reindeer safari; and the Arktikum , a science center where the mystery and the magic of the Northern Lights is revealed.

Those in search of a truly frosty experience can stay in the Arctic Snow Hotel, made entirely of snow and ice, but equipped with saunas and hot tubs in which to thaw.

Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg's series of themed Christmas villages  morph the city into a visual and gastronomic wonderland. Hedonists can head to the Village of Alsace Farmhouse to taste prune, apricot, and other holiday-inspired variations of farm-fresh foie gras.

The nearby Village of Bredle is supplied aplenty with its namesake traditional Christmas biscuits and copious amounts of mulled Alsatian wine to wash them down with.

From the Strasbourg Philharmonic, to gospel, to Django-Reinhardt inspired gypsy jazz, Strasbourg's Christmas program is packed with concerts and a special selection of cultural events from Georgia, the guest country of Strasbourg's Christmas celebrations this year.

Quebec, Canada

If you're the type of person who likes to celebrate Christmas around a tree made from recycled sheet metal, with lights powered by the pedaling of nearby cyclists, then Quebec  is your destination. A haven for environmentally friendly, outdoor enthusiasts, the city bustles with activity, offering a holiday program for all tastes.

Modern-day Victorians can enjoy a candle-lit evening of stories from Charles Dickens, detailing the Christmas traditions of yore. Sausage and roast chestnut lovers can browse the wares at the German Christmas market, and the more religiously inclined can wander exposition of nativity scenes from around the world.

The nearby Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix  offers family-friendly hiking, snowshoeing and skiing, while speed devils can spend the day zooming around in a snowmobile from Nord Expe, Inc .

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