12 of the best places to spend Christmas

From Mexico to Malta, northern lights to sunny skies, these places are doing Christmas better than the rest this year. Bath, England There are few cities in the world where you can celebrate the birth of Jesus and the birth of Jane Austen with the same amount of fanfare, but Bath happens to be one of them, CNN reports. The Theatre Royal, which Austen mentions in "Northanger Abbey" and "Persuasion," is home to a musical celebration accompanied by mince pies and mulled wine in honor of the literary doyenne. There's also a varied program of holiday drama, musicals, opera and concerts, including Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin. A seasonal favorite, the 18-day Bath Christmas Market has over 170 wooden chalets selling distinctively British handmade crafts in a quaint Georgian setting. Straddled between the imposing Bath Abbey and the venerable Roman Baths, the market offers a festive way to discover the character of Bath, which is the only entire city in the UK to have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bath on Ice is a great excuse to bundle up and lace up your skates, while the Thermae Bath Spa is the perfect reason to strip down and savor the steam emanating from the thermal mineral-rich waters of an open-air rooftop pool with spectacular views over the city. New York Rockefeller Center lies at the core of the New York Christmas. Its famed ice rink has been around for 78 years; the decorated tree is an 81-year-old tradition. Across the street, Radio City hosts the annual Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes. On the southwest corner of Central Park, Columbus Circle hosts more than 100 vendors selling clothes, gifts, snacks and drinks at the Holiday Market. Central Park has two ponds for skating and horse-drawn carriage rides. Fashion's biggest names join in the festivities, setting up impressive Christmas window displays. The most glamorous cases, at the Fifth Avenue flagships and department stores like Saks and Bergdorf, are impressive enough to melt the heart of Anna Wintour. Full list