Dreaming of a white Christmas? Now is the time to plan it - here's how

I am in Rome, and there are thousands of Santas on bicycles headed towards me. In the background, the Colosseum is lit up in the golden hues of the early morning light. The Via dei Fori Imperiali, flanked by the Roman Forum, is largely deserted, save for jetlagged tourists like my family and a solitary female busker crooning a Coldplay song.

When she sees the oncoming wave of red suits and silver beards, she quickly switches to an a cappella version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The Santas ride past, dozens of them waving at my confused but delighted children.

But then, trouble hits. Police lights flash, and the Santas are cut off, forced to give way to a procession of 37 vintage Ferraris, before they continue their ride into the Centro Storico. Christmas in Europe? It's not always what you expect it to be.

There's no doubt the idea of spending a white Christmas in the northern hemisphere is something that has intrigued most Australians since childhood: sleigh bells in the snow; chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Christmas trees in cobblestoned squares, and warming yourself by an open fire, glass of mulled wine in hand.

The truth is, though, most people get their European Christmas experience wrong. While Christmas markets are hyped to excess and specialist tours promise you the ultimate Christmas experience, after 15 years living and visiting Europe at Christmas, I can guarantee the importance of planning the ultimate white Christmas in the northern hemisphere is to leave room for the magic to happen: the small festival you just have to detour to, that special little shop the sommelier recommends and the unexpected delight of discovering cycling santas on their annual Christmas charity ride.

Many of the Christmas celebrations and festivities held in small towns allow you an insight into everyday life that wouldn't be possible at any other time of year. Gouda in the Netherlands is famous for its signature cheese. However, during the annual Gouda by Candlelight night, thousands of residents draw open the curtains on their windows, switch off the lights and leave a single candle to burn in the front window. About 1500 flickering candles illuminate the windows of the town hall, gluhwein is served in the main square and many locals living in the historic centre host parties that spill out into the street.

While Gouda embraces the serene, another Dutch town, Deventer, goes for full theatre: with 950 costumed locals transforming the historic location into a village from Charles Dickens's stories. What began in 1991 as a dress-up party to counteract limited sales by a bookseller is now the world's largest Dickens Festival, a community-run performance event complete with Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit, as well as the ghosts of Marley, Mr Pickwick and Oliver. Held over two days, the festival attracts more than 125,000 people from across the Netherlands and, amazingly, has remained free (however, the wait is hours to get in). welcometogouda.com; dickensfestijn.nl/en

In Italy, the Nativity is a huge part of the Christmas experience, and a key feature in the shops and squares. The Christmas markets often sell meticulous handcrafted pieces - from mangers and animals to wise men and Christmas stars - for those looking to take items home for their own Nativity scene. However, in certain towns it's common to feature a Presepi Viventi, or living Nativity scene. If you can visit one in person, it's worth the trip. In places like the village of Gangi, in Sicily, more than 200 people re-create the Christmas story and Nativity scene in the village streets. Most famous is the Presepi Viventi performed in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed village of Matera. Known for its caves, the town has a ticketed event on special evenings, with six scenes re-created for visitors.

If you're keen to get in on the action, of course, there are plenty of local traditions you can dive into. Those visiting Ireland might like a Christmas swim on Christmas Day. Famous events are held in Galway and Dublin's Forty Foot in aid of charity - and often swimmers are fortified with more than just Christmas cheer (however, with a surface temperature of about 8-10 degrees, you may prefer it as a spectator sport). materawelcome.it/en/; swim.copegalway.ie

Of course, not every place in Europe will see snow come December, so if you're hell bent on a white Christmas, Switzerland is a safe bet. From early December, you're guaranteed to see snow in places like Mt Titlis, Jungfraujoch and Matterhorn. Switzerland is blessed with stunning mountain scenery, incredible train infrastructure, a Christmas market in what feels like every town and wallet-draining ability beyond the rest of Europe.

Here, one of the most magical Christmas experiences can be found in the early evening. Pack your thermals and rug up warm for a torch walk through the forest. While a torch walk might sound a little sedate, we're not talking the battery-operated kind. Instead, expect to carry a flaming torch through the dark forest as night falls, the flickering light casting shadows, the moonlight glistening in the snowy ice crystals as you walk beneath boughs heavy with snow.

Many small villages offer lantern or torch walks along short groomed hiking trails, often leading to communal fire pits or mountain restaurants offering gluhwein (strictly for hydration purposes). The resort at Appenzell, for example, has 40 lanterns along the trail leading to a traditional Nativity, while the resort at Engelberg offers guided torch trails with dinner at a local restaurant.

Each Christmas Eve in Zinal in the Val d'Anniviers, children are given torches and are led by the three wise men along a lantern-lit trail to a living Nativity, before Father Christmas arrives to hand out sweets.

Of course, if you're not keen to hike groomed snow trails in zero-degree weather carrying your own flaming torch, I highly recommend following the sound of sleigh bells in the snow. I can tell you from first-hand experience, there is nothing like finally taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride - with woollen blankets gathered around your lap - through the snow at Christmas time. While it could easily tip into Christmas card cliche, taking a private sleigh ride through the thick snow in Val Roseg, near Pontresina in the Alps, is an ethereal experience.

The sleigh follows a winding trail through a protected valley where trees are frosted with snow and the only sound is the clopping of hooves, the snuffle of horses and the jangle of bells on the bridle. What makes it even better? The destination is a dessert buffet in the middle of the valley. valdanniviers.ch/en; myswitzerland.com/en-au

The only way to one-up a horse-drawn sleigh ride is with a reindeer-drawn one. For the ultimate Santa Claus experience, visitors should head north to Lapland, far above the Arctic Circle.

Finnish Lapland is a very different Christmas experience to what you'll find in other European countries. The vast herds of reindeer are more than just a novelty up here, they're central to traditional life for the Sami people, and visiting Lapland can offer a unique cultural experience beyond the neat rows of Christmas markets selling souvenirs manufactured in China. If you do go above the Arctic Circle, there's the possibility of seeing the aurora borealis light up at night: something guaranteed to put the old twinkle lights from Bunnings to shame.

Of course, along with your authentic cultural experiences and intense natural phenomena, the Scandinavian countries have a great Santa side-hustle. Towns like Rovaniemi in Finland have established themselves as the home of Santa Claus, complete with an overnight train called the Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to the north, meet and greets with the jolly fat man himself, novelty stores and snowmobile tours.

However, it's worth choosing your Christmas experience wisely; in the much quieter snow resort of Saariselka, you can have a three-hour Searching for Santa package that includes baking gingerbread with elves, a short reindeer-drawn sleigh ride, and then a snowmobile-drawn sleigh ride in search of Santa's home in the forest ... where big (and little) kids can meet Santa in the flesh. If you're travelling with kids or grandkids, it's the sort of experience you can't afford to skip - and the stuff of core childhood memories. visitrovaniemi.fi; saariselka.northernlightsvillage.com

Europe isn't the only Northern Hemisphere destination that can super-size your storybook Christmas - Canada is the perfect alternative to your classic European winter wonderland. The best part? Compared to Europe, Canada is a much cheaper option than Europe thanks to a weaker Canadian dollar.

Most ski resorts have Christmas-themed activities. At Aussie ski resort favourite Sun Peaks, you can go tubing and skiing with Santa, and there are fun family activities through the season, including eggnog making and cookie decorating. Last year they commissioned 12 festive painted windows by a local artist, and each Christmas Eve, there are carollers walking through the village.

In Banff, there's a special holiday hot-chocolate trail, and the famous Fairmont Hotel does a themed Christmas in the Castle celebration, complete with Christmas trees in some of the suites, cookie decorating, performances, bedtime stories with Mrs Claus and more. Along with a Christmas market, Banff also has a ticketed In Search of Christmas Spirit trail that includes local animals telling the story of Christmas (free, but books out).

Back in the cities, in Toronto there's a 120-year-old Christmas tradition called the Original Santa Claus Parade, which has been running since 1905, while just outside of Vancouver, the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is festooned with millions of lights in its annual Canyon Lights event. And if you're pining for a European-style Christmas, head to French-speaking Quebec, where you can ice skate under twinkle lights, explore a Christmas village in Quartier Petit Champlain, and shop at the German Christmas markets. travel.destinationcanada.com