Today is one of the darkest days of winter — and an important part of the Scandinavian Christmas season: Santa Lucia Day. All over Nordic Europe, little candle-bearing Santa Lucias are bringing light to the middle of winter and the promise of the return of summer. To capture the celebration for our European Christmas special, we traveled to Drøbak, where Santa Lucia Day brings everyone out to dance around the trees…with their crowns of real candles. Just up the fjord, in Oslo, we had one night t

To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras, and behind-the-scenes notes from my one-hour special, “Rick Steves’ European Christmas.” My favorite feature of the show’s structure is how in each culture, we stop just before Christmas arrives. With this clip, Christmas Eve is finally here — and all across Europe, people are celebrating in their own unique ways. In England, families await the arrival of Father Christmas; in Norway, friends join hands in song; in Burgundy, a toast starts the c

To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras, and behind-the-scenes notes from my one-hour special, “Rick Steves’ European Christmas.” Today we travel to the Swiss Alps, which seem to shout the glory of God. Up here, where villages huddle under towering peaks, Christmas fills a wintry wonderland with good cheer. Traditions are strong and celebration comes with families, friends, and fun. It may be cold outside, but as the sun sets, it’s impossible not to linger in this cozy setting. Throug