Christmas Around the World 2012

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People enjoy the Christmas lights on the Royal Treaty street in Warsaw, Poland.

Janek Skarzynski/AFP/Getty Images

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The world's biggest Santa Claus is seen in the mountain village of St. Niklaus near Zermatt, Switzerland. Every year the 350-year-old clock tower is transformed into St. Nick.

Fabrice/Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

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The world's tallest fir tree is seen in central Stockholm, Sweden.

Claudio Bresciani/AFP/Getty Images

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People attend a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Cathedral hall in downtown Vilnius, Lithuania.

Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images

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An abstract light installation replaces the traditional Christmas tree on the Grand-Place square in Brussels.

Marthe Deleersnyder/AFP/Getty Images

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Christmas decorations and holiday lights on the streets of Vienna, Austria.

Alexander/AFP/Getty Images

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Holiday lights hang in a street of Seville, Spain.

Cristina Quicler/EFO/Getty Images

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Crowds line Oxford Street as the Christmas Lights are switched on in central London.

Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

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The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is lit in New York.

Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

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A Christmas tree stands at Berlin's Sony Center in Germany.

Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images

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The Holiday Tree is seen at the 5th annual tree lighting at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Matt Sayles/Invision for AEG/AP Images

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Young children light candles on the ice sculpture of a large Christmas tree and decorations in the garden of Tokyo's Takanawa Prince Hotel.

Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

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A giant Christmas tree stands in Concorde square in Paris.

Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images

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A young girl looks at a tree honoring presidential first ladies that is on display in the Grand Foyer of the White House.

Susan Walsh/AP

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The Oslo Christmas tree is lit in Trafalgar Square in central London. The tree is a present from the Norwegian capital of Oslo to the citizens of London, given as a gift for over 60 years as a token of gratitude for Britain's support during the Second World War.

Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

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A digital Christmas tree is unveiled in Times Square on the Toshiba Vision screen. The tree will deliver high-tech holiday greetings to the "Crossroads of the World," 24 hours a day, every 10 minutes through January 13, 2013.

Diane Bondareff/Invision for Toshiba/AP Images

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People walk through the Christkindlmarket in downtown Chicago.

Nam Y. Huh/AP

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A man dressed as Santa Claus embraces girls during the Christmas lights illumination in Colombia.

Raul Arboleda/AFP/Getty Images

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Students dressed as Santas and angels gather for their annual pre-Christmas gathering in Berlin, Germany. The students from Berlin Technical University have completed a Santa workshop and will visit company parties in December and families on Christmas Eve as a way to make a little money to help fund their studies.

Carsten Koall/Getty Images

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Charity runners dressed as Father Christmas participate in a "Santa Run" charity run in Battersea Park in London.

Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

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Hundreds of people dressed like Santas and Reindeers prepare to run in the annual "Race of the Santas" in Breckenridge, Colo. The fundraiser benefits Adopt an Angel to give money towards families in need.

Nathan Bilow/AP Images for The Breckenridge Resort Chamber

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A group of clowns take turns posing for photos with Santa Claus at "Flight to North Pole," a holiday event for young cancer patients in San Antonio, Texas.

Eric Gay/AP

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A shop employee dressed as Santa Clause waits for customers in Shanghai, China.

Eugene Hoshiko/AP

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Sergei Krysanov, 25, a kindergarten teacher, sits in a costume of Father Frost with other fairytale characters during training at school of Father Frost in Moscow, Russia. The school trains people to perform Christmas and New Year holiday characters.

Misha Japaridze/AP

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Santa plays a saxophone to serenade Juno, a 10-year-old male beluga whale, at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut during the Winter Waterland celebration.

Mystic Aquarium, Abigail Pheiffer/AP

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