Tierra Santa, Argentina
This is South America's equivalent of the Holy Land Experience in Orlando. The Buenos Aires theme park has areas dedicated to the different stages of Christ's life, and shows such as "The Creation". There are Last Suppers open to all, and many faux historic buildings housing craft shops, museums and restaurants serving, er, empanadas.
• tierrasanta-bsas.com.ar
Holiday World, Indiana, US
The address of the Holiday World theme park in southern Indiana should tell you all you need to know: it's at 452 East Christmas Street, in the town of Santa Claus.
The story goes that the town originally wanted to call itself Santa Fe, but the postal authorities said that name was taken, so the residents held a town meeting, on Christmas Eve 1852, to decide on an alternative. During that meeting a mysterious figure dressed all in red suddenly burst into the room ... and so on.
There was little to do in Santa Claus until in 1946 the founder of Holiday World opened Santa Claus Land, which it now claims was the world's first theme park. It changed its name to Holiday World in the 1980s to incorporate other celebrations (though not other religions). Now, as well as the Christmas bit, there are themed areas and rides for Thanksgiving, Independence Day and Halloween, plus a water park. Live shows include diving, country dancing, Santa's story time and Rejoice! – "25 electrifying minutes" celebrating contemporary Christian music.
Don't think of paying a festive visit though – it's closed for the whole of December, and indeed until next May.
• holidayworld.com
Santa's Village, New Hampshire, US
Children can sit on Santa's knee all year round at Santa's Village in New Hampshire, and if you want to really confuse them, do as this theme park encourages and take them on a visit on their birthday. Other highlights include feeding cookies to reindeer, a Jingle Jamboree with singing elves (Elfin-John and Elfis among others) rides on a Christmas carousel and Santa's Express Train, and live shows at the Polar Theater.
• santasvillage.com
Crazy Christmas lights
• "Every day is Christmas Eve and the snow falls every night" at Lights on the Neuse in Clayton, North Carolina (lightsontheneuse.com), a Christmas lights park. It has dozens of trees all lit up with neon, and the best way to witness the spectacle is with a mile-long, tractor-pulled hayride, with Christmassy music. Don't miss the 3D show in the Christmas Barn, marshmallows round the campfire and Santa's Sweet Shoppe.
• Who'da thunk it but Hawaii celebrates Christmas like nowhere else, with a feast of festive tat in Honolulu (honolulucitylights.org).
• The hundreds of Christmas lights covering Monte Ignino near the Umbrian village of Gubbio, Italy, in the (rather wonky) shape of a tree are so important they were switched on last week by the Pope. He actually did it virtually, over the internet using an Android device, but his button-pressing was broadcast live to the little town and he called the lights "a sign of universal peace and brotherhood among peoples".
Christmas shops, UK
Baubles, angels, robins, wreaths – whatever you need for the festive season you will find in a specialist Christmas emporium. The Christmas Shop (020-7378 1998, thechristmasshop.co.uk) in Hay's Galleria, London, has every Christmas knick-knack imaginable. Wonder In Wood (12a Otley Street, wonderinwood.co.uk) in Skipton, North Yorkshire, specialises in German woodcraft – mainly nativity scenes and tree decorations.
