Holiday Celebrations Worldwide

Britain%26%238217%3Bs%20Prime%20Minister%20David%20Cameron%20%282nd%20R%29%20points%20to%20the%20top%20of%20the%20Christmas%20Tree%20during%20the%20official%20lighting%20ceremony%20outside%20the%20door%20to%20No.10%20Downing%20Street%20in%20London%20on%20December%201%2C%202011.%20%28Credit%3A%20ADRIAN%20DENNIS%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

MANCHESTER%2C%20ENGLAND%20%26%238211%3B%20NOVEMBER%2030%3A%20%20during%20the%20Carling%20Cup%20Quarter%20Final%20match%20between%20Manchester%20United%20and%20Crystal%20Palace%20at%20Old%20Trafford%20on%20November%2030%2C%202011%20in%20Manchester%2C%20England.%20%28Photo%20by%20Alex%20Livesey%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Andreas%20Rentz%2FGetty%20Images%29

Lebanese%20gather%20around%20a%20giant%20Christmas%20tree%20decorated%20with%20Christmas%20greetings%20in%20different%20languages%20during%20the%20launch%20of%202011%20Christmas%20Festivities%20in%20Beirut%20on%20December%203%2C%202011.%20%28Credit%3A%20ANWAR%20AMRO%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20group%20of%20people%20dressed%20as%20Santa%20Claus%20participate%20in%20the%203rd%20%26%238216%3BSanta%20Run%26%238217%3B%20in%20Michendorf%2C%C2%A0eastern%20Germany%20on%20December%204%2C%202011.%20More%20than%20700%20people%20took%20part%20in%20Germany%26%238217%3Bs%20largest%20costume%20race.%20%20%28Credit%3A%20BERND%20SETTNIK%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

FORT%20WORTH%2C%20TX%20%26%238211%3B%20NOVEMBER%2029%3A%20%20during%20the%20Annual%20Tree%20Lighting%20and%20Speedway%20Children%26%238217%3Bs%20Charity%20Ceremony%20at%20Texas%20Motor%20Speedway%20on%20November%2029%2C%202011%20in%20Fort%20Worth%2C%20Texas.%20%28Brandon%20Wade%2FGetty%20Images%20for%20Texas%20Motor%20Speedway%29

WASHINGTON%20%26%238211%3B%20NOVEMBER%2025%3A%20The%20official%20White%20House%20Christmas%20Tree%20arrives%20via%20horse-drawn%20carriage%20at%20the%20White%20House%20on%20November%2025%2C%202011%20in%20Washington%2C%20DC.%20The%20tree%2C%20a%2019-foot-tall%20balsam%20fir%2C%20was%20grown%20on%20Schroeder%26%238217%3Bs%20Forevergreens%20farm%20near%20Neshkoro%2C%20Wisconsin.%20%28Photo%20by%20Brendan%20Hoffman%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28DEC.%203%2C%202011%29%3A%20Justin%20Bieber%20performs%20a%20medley%20of%20songs%20from%20his%20new%20holiday%20album%20Dec.%203%2C%202011%20while%20taping%20a%20segment%20for%20the%20%C3%92Disney%20Parks%20Christmas%20Day%20Parade%C3%93%20TV%20special%20at%20the%20Magic%20Kingdom%20in%20Lake%20Buena%20Vista%2C%20Fla.%20The%2028th%20annual%20%C3%92Disney%20Parks%20Christmas%20Day%20Parade%C3%93%20airs%20nationwide%20Dec.%2025%2C%202011%20on%20ABC-TV%20and%20features%20performances%20by%20a%20variety%20of%20stars%20from%20both%20Disneyland%20Resort%20in%20California%20and%20Walt%20Disney%20World%20Resort%20in%20Florida.%20%28Mark%20Ashman%2C%20photographer%29

BEIJING%2C%20CHINA%20%26%238211%3B%20DECEMBER%2001%3A%20A%20general%20view%20of%20Christmas%20decorations%20at%20Wangfujing%20Street%20on%20December%201%2C%202011%20in%20Beijing%2C%20China.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20ChinaFotoPress%2FGetty%20Images%29

BEIJING%2C%20CHINA%20%26%238211%3B%20DECEMBER%2001%3A%20%20A%20general%20view%20of%20Christmas%20decorations%20at%20Wangfujing%20Street%20on%20December%201%2C%202011%20in%20Beijing%2C%20China.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20ChinaFotoPress%2FGetty%20Images%29

SHENYANG%2C%20CHINA%20%26%238211%3B%20DECEMBER%2001%3A%20%20%28CHINA%20OUT%29%20A%20general%20view%20of%20Christmas%20decorations%20at%20a%20shopping%20mall%20on%20December%201%2C%202011%20in%20Shenyang%2C%20China.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20ChinaFotoPress%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Chip%20Somodevilla%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Chris%20Jackson%2FGetty%20Images%29

Druid%20Garth%20Reynolds%20blesses%20this%20years%20crop%20of%20mistletoe%20at%20the%20annual%20Tenbury%20Wells%20Mistletoe%20Auction%2C%20on%20November%2029%2C%202011%2C%20Tenbury%20Wells%2C%20England.%20Ancient%20druids%20believed%20mistletoe%20had%20magical%20properties%20because%20of%20the%20way%20it%20grows%2C%20never%20touching%20the%20ground%20and%20without%20taking%20nourishment%20from%20the%20earth.%20Tenbury%20Wells%20has%20been%20the%20traditional%20mistletoe%20capital%20for%20over%20150%20years.%20Druids%20blessed%20this%20years%20crop%20before%20buyers%20put%20their%20bids%20in%20for%20the%20festive%20plant.%20The%20tradition%20of%20kissing%20under%20the%20mistletoe%20at%20Christmas%20comes%20from%20the%20belief%20that%20mistletoe%20has%20fertility%20magic.%20%28Credit%3A%20Christopher%20Furlong%2FGetty%20Images%29

View%20of%20the%20Christmas%20tree%20set%20at%20the%20Puerta%20del%20Sol%20square%20in%20Madrid%20taken%20on%20December%201%2C%202011.%20%28Credit%3A%20DOMINIQUE%20FAGET%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20picture%20taken%20on%20November%2026%2C%202011%2C%20shows%20a%20giant%20Christmas%20tree%20%20during%20the%20opening%20of%20the%20Strasbourg%20Christmas%20market%2C%20which%20is%20the%20largest%20and%20one%20of%20the%20oldest%20French%20Christmas%20markets.%20With%20over%20300%20market%20chalets%2C%20Strasbourg%20attracts%20over%201.6%20million%20visitors%20during%20the%20Christmas%20season.%20Beginning%20in%201570%2C%20Strasbourg%20opened%20its%20Christmas%20Market%20around%20its%20prestigious%20Cathedral.%20Since%20that%20time%2C%20its%20reputation%20in%20Europe%20has%20only%20increased%2C%20thanks%20to%20its%20merchant%20tradition%20as%20well%20as%20its%20spirit%20of%20tolerance%20and%20humanism%20that%20constitute%20its%20history%20and%20identity.%20%20%28Credit%3A%20FREDERICK%20FLORIN%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Jason%20Kempin%2FGetty%20Images%29

First%20Lady%20Michelle%20Obama%20%282nd%20L%29%20decorates%20Christmas%20cookies%20with%20children%20of%20active%20duty%20military%20personnel%20during%20the%20press%20preview%20of%20the%20White%20House%20Christmas%20decorations%20in%20Washington%2C%20DC%2C%20November%2029%2C%202011.%20The%20White%20House%20chose%20a%20theme%20of%20%26%238220%3BShine%2C%20Give%2C%20Share%26%238221%3B%20celebrating%20the%20countless%20ways%20we%20can%20lift%20up%20those%20around%20us.%20%20%20%20%28Credit%3A%20JIM%20WATSON%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Johannes%20Simon%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Johannes%20Simon%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Johannes%20Simon%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20picture%20taken%20on%20December%202%2C%202011%20shows%20a%20building%20decorated%20with%20Christmas%20lights%20in%20a%20Barcelona%20on%20December%202%2C%202011.%20Streets%20of%20the%20Barcelona%20are%20decked%20out%20in%20lights%20every%20year%20ahead%20of%20Christmas%20celebrations.%20%20%28Credit%3A%20JOSEP%20LAGO%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

U.S.%20President%20Barack%20Obama%20participates%20in%20the%202011%20National%20Christmas%20Tree%20Lighting%20on%20the%20Ellipse%20in%20Washington%2C%20DC%2C%20on%20December%201%2C%202011.%20%28Credit%3A%20Mandel%20Ngan%2FGetty%20Images%29

Santa%20waves%20from%20the%20roof%20of%20the%20Queen%20Victoria%20Building%20on%20November%2028%2C%202011%20in%20Sydney%2C%20Australia.%20Santa%20landed%20at%20the%20Sydney%20building%20and%20will%20set%20up%20inside%20the%20shopping%20centre%20to%20greet%20Children%20until%20Christmas%20Eve.%20%28Credit%3A%20Mark%20Kolbe%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20%202011%20ABC%20Family%2025%20Days%20of%20Christmas%20Winter%20Wonderland%20event%20at%20Rockefeller%20Center%20on%20December%204%2C%202011%20in%20New%20York%20City.%20%28Credit%3A%20Neilson%20Barnard%2FGetty%20Images%29

%28Credit%3A%20Sean%20Gallup%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Rockefeller%20Center%20Christmas%20Tree%20is%20lit%20November%2030%2C%202011%20in%20New%20York.%20%20%20%20%28Credit%3A%20STAN%20HONDA%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Rockefeller%20Center%20Christmas%20Tree%20is%20lit%20November%2030%2C%202011%20in%20New%20York.%20%20%20%20%28Credit%3A%20STAN%20HONDA%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Estelle%20switches%20on%20the%20Kenneth%20Cole%20Christmas%20tree%20lights%20at%20House%20of%20Fraser%2C%20Westfield%20London%20on%20December%201st%202011%2C%20World%20Aids%20Day%20to%20support%20amfAR%20and%20MTV%20Staying%20Alive%20Foundation%20December%201%2C%202011%20in%20London%2C%20United%20Kingdom.%20%28Credit%3A%20Tim%20Whitby%2FGetty%20Images%29

Santa%20Claus%20trainees%20of%20the%20%26%238220%3BSanta%20Claus%20academy%26%238221%3B%20take%20part%20in%20a%20parade%20in%20Tokyo%20on%20November%2027%2C%202011.%20%28Credit%3A%20YOSHIKAZU%20TSUNO%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

US%20President%20Barack%20Obama%20and%20First%20Lady%20Michelle%20Obama%20arrive%20for%20a%20Hanukkah%20Reception%20December%208%2C%202011%20in%20the%20Grand%20Foyer%20of%20the%20White%20House%20in%20Washington%2C%20DC.%20%28Credit%3A%20MANDEL%20NGAN%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

US%20Vice%20President%20Joe%20Biden%20and%20his%20wife%20Jill%20Biden%20arrive%20for%20a%20Hanukkah%20reception%20on%20December%208%2C%202011%20in%20the%20Grand%20Foyer%20of%20the%20White%20House%20in%20Washington.%20%20%28Credit%3A%20MANDEL%20NGAN%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29