Extreme Decor: Nine Famous Holiday Displays

Thank goodness for the Clark Griswolds out there who spend all year planning and prepping and maxing out credit cards so that the less driven among us can bask in their holiday spirit. Their extreme decorations could make any Grinch’s heart grow. But how do such bright and ornate creations come to be? What fun, little-known facts hide behind the magic of our country’s most famous holiday displays? Related Stories: O Christmas Tree! Trimming Traditions Around the World Tourists Trapped: Quirky Roadside Attractions Six Ways to Minimize Holiday Stress

By Vicki Santillano

Christkindlemarkt Bethlehem

The markets that pop up during the holidays all over European countries like Germany and Austria made their way to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1993. Christkindlemarkt features crafts and goods made by over one hundred artists from around the country. The town’s website claims that sixty-five thousand people come every year to shop and enjoy the music, authentic German cuisine, ice carving shows, and of course, the twenty-six-foot-tall market tree.

Photo source: notfrancois (cc)