Where does it snow in December?

[Adultchildofelderlyparents]

I've bought some Christmas cards, same sort of pictures that I always choose, of snowy scenes with Christmas trees and reindeer pulling sleigh through the sky over snow covered roofs, etc. This is the image I associate with Christmas in my mind. Unfortunately, I live in fairly central London! It never snows in December, even if it snows in January or February it's never "proper" snow.
Where can I go in December for a pre-Christmas holiday, where there will be snow on the ground, maybe a pretty village, shop windows lit up, Christmas tree in the centre of town. Snow and pretty lights are important.

Hopeful bump.

Does snow-one () have any suggestions?

The Alps? But even there you cannot guarantee snow in the village unless you go really high.

Switzerland? Parts of Germany, Austria, Italy and France that are in the Alps? Iceland or one of the Scandinavia countries such as Sweden or Finland?

In Europe north, way north for a guarantee. Even the alps aren't guaranteed. Canada is a good bet if finances allow, perhaps Banff

Bavaria might be a good shout?

We did Finland/Lapland last year. Outrageously expensive, but properly fairytale snow! The air literally sparkled, lovely soft snow everywhere, completely magical!

Northern parts of Scandinavia. But it’s £££, dark most of the time and freezing cold

Alps. But you’d need to choose a very high ski resort (1900m+), they’re not usually pretty, more concrete, and even then snow in Dec is hit and miss.

I wonder about somewhere like Tallinn?

this article seems written for you OP!

Unfortunately not for the last few years.
We often visit in December but haven’t had snow there for a bit, although we are going this year.
We even went up into the mountains but there wasn’t any, maybe if we had gone higher?
Its still lovely and Christmassy though

When I lived in Germany it used to snow at Christmas in the North around Hamlyn which is a very pretty old town (Pied Piper) but check the weather reports for the area for the last few years, climate change seems to have changed everything.
I certainly remember snow almost every year in London in the 60's but no longer.

We are heading to Lapland for this reason. It’s quite far into the arctic circle where we will be and a very high chance of fairytale snow. As PP says, not cheap. We booked the trip 2 years ago to pay off in small amounts.

Zermatt? It's car free, fabulous chocolate and you can always get the lift up the mountain if you are unlucky enough not to have snow in the town.

The last proper white Christmas in UK that I remember was 2010, definitely where I live (Gloucestershire) it was anyway. It was over ankle deep in our garden Christmas Day - I have photos!

We went to the Christmas market in Tallin, it was bitterly cold and we had a couple of snowy days. My lasting memory from that trip was the blacksmith in the room museum giving us some smoked vodka and a man walking his borzois through the snow

Aviemore

Inland Aberdeenshire

Finland lapland

we went mid dec and it was metre deep in some places

Well theres never any garantees in UK weather but we usually get snow up here in the penines around about xmas although its more hit and miss and might just be a sprinkling, the majority of thick snow (a food + deep) tends to hits in January.

We once went on holiday to visit santa up the Swiss Alps and that was REALLY snow-y (and a level of cold I have never felt before even in full winter clothing)

back in 2010 it was nearly 4 foot deep in my garden, we got snowed in and out toilet froze solid through the external pipe.

It definately snowed last year here although only lightly (maybe 1cm-ish).

It hasn't snowed in Bavaria for Christmas for many years .I think the last really cold winter and White Christmas was 2010 .It usually snows after Christmas in January and at Easterbelieve it or not.

Essentially; high up or north.

What's the budget? Because Canada is great but not cheap.

Lots of suggestions, thanks. No particular budget but I'm not too excited about an English countryside break so will be looking up the overseas places.
As a post below says though, I'm worried these places will not have snow! I have friends who took their kids to Finnish Lapland for a Santa trip in December a few years ago - it was really cold but it hadn't snowed, and didn't snow until after Christmas apparently. Global warming perhaps.

@Adultchildofelderlyparents it depends how north you go in Lapland. It’s almost guaranteed if you’re in the arctic circle!

There are places where it never melts! But you have to check. Iceland?

Greenland is guaranteed. But remote.

Duluth, Minnesota.
Marquette, Michigan.

Both places to freeze a brass monkey in December.