Okay, so I’ve been thinking about spicing up my winter this year, and I figured, why not dive deep into some awesome winter celebrations and festivals? I mean, we all know the usual Christmas and New Year’s stuff, but I wanted something more, you know?
So, first thing I did was hit up my good friend, Google. I just typed in something simple like “best winter festivals around the world”. I didn’t want anything too fancy, just a starting point.
My Research Journey
I started scrolling through the search results. I ignored any Ads to jump directly to real suggestions. Many websites all mentioned a few common festivals, so I figured those were the big ones to check out.
I Grabbed a pen and a piece of paper – yeah, I’m old school like that – and I jotted down the names of the festivals that popped up repeatedly and sounded cool. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see giant snow sculptures or crazy light displays, right?
- Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (China): This one kept coming up, and the pictures looked insane. Massive ice castles and sculptures? Count me in!
- Sapporo Snow Festival (Japan): More snow sculptures! It seems like Japan and China are really into this, and I’m here for it.
- Winterlude (Canada): Skating on the Rideau Canal, ice sculptures (again!), and some kind of “bed race”? Sounded quirky and fun.
- Up Helly Aa (Scotland): Okay, this one sounded completely wild. A Viking fire festival in the middle of winter? Definitely a change of pace.
- Carnival of Venice (Italy): Mask, Costume, It is totally attracted me. I decide to check this one.
Digging Deeper
Once I had my list, I started looking into each festival individually.I typed each festival’s name. I wanted to know the dates, the typical activities, and, most importantly, if it was something I could actually experience. I’m not exactly made of money, so I needed to be realistic.
For each festival, I made notes about:
- Dates: To see if they even fit into my schedule.
- Location: How far away is it? How much would it cost to get there?
- Activities: What’s there to actually do at the festival?
- Vibe: Is it family-friendly, super traditional, or more of a party atmosphere?
Making a Decision (and a Plan!)
After all that research, I narrowed it down. A few of the festivals were just too far away or too expensive for this year. But a couple of them seemed doable!I made my mind to experience the Carnival of Venice.
So, that’s where I’m at! Research done, a potential festival (or two!) picked out, and now I’m in full-on planning mode. I booked a flight to Venice. I started looking at flights, accommodation, and maybe even some local tours. It’s still a few months away, but I’m already getting excited. This winter is going to be way more interesting than just sitting around at home!
