Program 738: Christmastime in Bavaria, Croatia, Sweden, Rome, Sardinia, Costa Rica, Amsterdam

Enjoy Old World holiday traditions from Europe, and meet some of Santa's cousins, as we hear about Christmas season events that range from the sublime to the quirky on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. Rick's friends explain how they observe the holidays in Germany's Bavaria, on the island of Sardinia, in Croatia, Stockholm, Amsterdam, and Rome.

And we'll get a taste of a tropical Christmas in Costa Rica.

Brighten your holidays with an international Christmas, from the next Travel with Rick Steves.

The program #738 promo, as well as this week's rejoin theme bed (at 06:00, at the open to segment A) are "decorated" for the holiday with sleigh bells this week.

• Munich-based journalist Stefan Wagner
• Croatia/Slovenia-based tour guide Marijan Krišković
• Stockholm-based tour guide Marita Bergman
• Rome-based tour guides Susanna Perrucchini and Francesca Caruso
• Historian Jeff Biggers, author of "In Sardinia" (Melville House)
• Costa-Rica based tour guide Nikki Solano, author of the "Moon Costa Rica" guidebook
• Amsterdam-based tour guide Dennis Gerrits

• Rick Steves' "European Christmas" one-hour TV special airs on public TV stations this time of year. You can also view European Christmas on demand from our website.
• Tour guide Marita Bergman can be reached through the Guide Stockholm website.
• Jeff Biggers writes about the people and attractions of the island of Sardinia in his book "In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy."
• Nikki Solano writes the Moon Costa Rica guidebooks. She and her husband Ricky also provide custom tours and write the Costa Rica Travel Blog.
• Dennis Gerrits offers custom tours of Amsterdam and Holland.

• TCS_TCS_0040_00801_Everywhere_It_s_Christmas_-_Instrumental_APM
• Schwerin Blechblaser Collegium, "Christmas Symphony in D major (Schiass)," Sunday Baroque Musical Gifts 2 (collection) / Naxos
• KAPT_KAPT_0061_02101_O_Christmas_Tree_Instrumental_APM
• KAPT_KAPT_0123_04201_Douce_Nuit_Instrumental_APM
• Tony Guerrero Quintet, "Silent Night," Jane Lynch: A Swingin' Little Christmas / KitschTone Records
• Paul Hillier, Theatre of Voices, "Still, O Himmel," Carols from the Old and New Worlds / Harmonia Mundi
• The Ringmasters, William Ballard, director, "Caroling, Caroling," San Francisco Choral Artists: Star of Wonder / Reference Recordings
• * Paul Winter Consort, "Joy (var. on J. S. Bach)," Wintersong / Living Music
• Zsuzsa Bálint, "The Nutcracker, op. 71 no. 14: Pas de deux: The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince (Tchaikovsky)," Classical Music for the Reader: Christmas Edition (collection) / Cobra Entertainment
• SON_SCDV_1049_02801_Rejoice_All_You_Nations_A_APM
• Erno Dohnanyi, "Pastorale (Hungarian Christmas song)," Christmas Cocktail Party (collection) / Holiday Classics
• Georgia Kelley and Dusan Bogdanovic, "Bilyana (based on a Yugoslavian folk song theme)," A Journey Home / Global Pacific
• Divna Ljubojevic and the Melodi Choir, "Djeva dnes, glas 3, srpski napev," Najlepse Bozicne pesme Pravoslavnog Istoka / Jade (Serbia)
• MTA_MTA_0083_01501_All_The_Trimmings_a_APM
• Angelo Petisi, "Santa Lucia," Sunny Mandolins Italia / Caravage
• KPM_KPMWM_0059_01901_Nu_a_r_det_jul_igen_b_APM
• Orchestre Giampiero Boneschi, "Astro del ciel," Buon natale / Sinetone AMR
• MPATH_MPATH_0141_03201_Celebrating_the_Season_-_Instrumental_APM
• * Vince Guaraldi Trio, "Greensleeves," A Charlie Brown Christmas / Concord
• MYMA_JUST_0118_00701_Augury_APM
• Paolo Fresu, Daniele di Bonaventura, Orchestre da Camera di Perugia, Grupo Vocale Armoniosoincanto, "Salutiam divotamente (from the 13th century Laudario di Cortona)," Altimissa Luce / Tuˆk Music
• KPM_KPM_2134_05001_Dime_Ni_o_c_APM
• KPM_KPM_2134_03501_La_Morimorena_b_APM
• David Raintree, "Sinter Claus," It's A Wonderful Christmas / Simplicity Records
• JW_JWV_0221_00101_Dutch_Doll_s_Dance_-_Remastered_APM
• Spider Saloff, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," Cool Yule / spidersaloff.com

* Indicates filler music used during breaks between segments

• This week's Christmas-themed program makes references to holiday observances from December 6 and 13 through January 6, in addition to chatting about local traditions for Christmas Eve and Day.
• Rick refers to winter activities "this time of year" when introducing Dennis Gerrits' feature in segment C. At 53:30, Dennis describes backlash from tradition-minded Nederlanders over changing the Black Pete holiday character into Rainbow Pete as being one of the most divisive topics in his country. He suggests the new version will dominate in another five or ten years. Dennis also notes that they haven't seen any snow at Christmas "in the last five years or so."