Seasonal stories and festive fables: Mike Wendling strongly disagrees with the thought that New York City is the world's most magical place at this festive time of year; why Yolande Knell in Bethlehem is looking forward to two MORE Christmases in the coming weeks; Nick Thorpe meets a Gypsy 'Santa Claus' on an allotment in southern Hungary; Petroc Trelawny on how the glittering New Years's Day ball in Vienna has its roots in a dark era of Austrian history and in Paris, Joanna Robertson tracks down a seasonal delicacy which, while delicious, carries the unmistakeable whiff of ... gunpowder!