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The world’s great cities are shifting into full holiday mode, with London and New York donning their festive best as they prepare to welcome millions of visitors.

In the heart of the British capital, the lights on famed Regent Street have been switched on, officially marking the start of the season. In all, 300,000 LED bulbs and 30 towering illuminated “Angels” now bathe the iconic mile-long thoroughfare in light.

For the dazzling ceremony, the central artery was closed to traffic and turned into a vast pedestrian zone, where thousands of residents and tourists took in the spectacle. Meanwhile, shops across central London have already dressed their windows, bracing for the surge of visitors expected over Christmas and New Year’s.

New York Welcomes the Rockefeller Center Tree

Across the Atlantic, Manhattan’s giant Christmas tree has arrived at its destination. This year’s pick is a striking 75-year-old Norway spruce standing about 75 feet tall and weighing some 11 tons. In keeping with time-honored tradition, it will be adorned with more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights and crowned by the famed Swarovski crystal star, which weighs roughly 900 pounds. The official lighting ceremony, a spectacle watched each year by millions of television viewers worldwide, is scheduled for December 2.

A Dazzling Display in Guatemala

Holiday cheer swept through Ciudad Cayalá in Guatemala, where a glittering celebration drew hundreds of families and friends to ring in the 2026 festive season. A spectacular tree lighting, live musical performances, and décor inspired by classic Christmas movies created a fairy-tale atmosphere as this year’s festivities officially got underway.

When Christmas Meets Berlin Techno

Renowned German light artist Christopher Bauder is unveiling an innovative project this year that blends the reverence of Christmas with the electronic pulse of Berlin.

His installation, “Winterlights 2026,” transforms the venue into an immersive, multisensory experience park. An entire forest of Christmas trees hangs upside down from the ceiling, while below, visitors can glide across an ice rink surrounded by a 45-minute show of light and 3D sound. Designed for all ages, the installation invites guests either to take to the ice or simply to wander and watch.

More Than 8 Million Letters to Santa

As the world’s cities gear up for the holidays, children everywhere have also begun a cherished ritual: rushing to the post office to send their Christmas wish lists. According to official figures from the Universal Postal Union, Santa Claus receives around 8 million letters every year, proof that the anticipation of Christmas magic is alive and well across the globe.