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Winter can be cold, and Lea prefers warmth, but the lights, markets, and festivals of the winter months create warm, beautiful (sometimes weird) experiences, terrific travel opportunities to understand the variety of customs and cultures around the world.

Lea reflects on pleasures of winter. She talks of lights and fireworks and remembers festivities in places she has lived, including Miami, Paris and London. Christmas markets are described in Vienna, Prague, Strasbourg, Basel, Krakow, Talinn, Colmar, Heidelberg, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Birmingham, and Florence.

And then there are the festivals around the world: some grand with snow sculptures and costumed pageants; and some wacky fun, with food fights, ending with the weirdest of all -- the cussing festival and the naked man festival in Japan.

If you like hearing about these winter customs and festivals, check out others throughout the seasons, in Episodes 8 (spring), 19 (summer) and 31 (fall).

Wherever in the world you celebrate, Happy Holidays and Happy Travels in the new year!
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Lea Lane is host of the award-winning travel podcast Places I Remember with Lea Lane. She blogs at forbes.com, has traveled to over 100 countries, written nine books including the award-winning Places I Remember: Tales, Truths, Delights from 100 Countries.  She has written over a thousand articles and contributed to dozens of guidebooks. She's @lealane on Twitter; PlacesIRememberLeaLane on Insta;  PlacesIRememberLeaLane on LinkedIn. Her Facebook travel page is Places I Remember with Lea Lane. Her website: placesirememberlealane.com.  Please follow, rate and review this travel podcast!