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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/conehats630.gifDecorations for sale at the Kaethe Wohlfahrt stand at the annual Christmas market at Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin, Germany. Christmas markets are an integral part of German Christmas tradition. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/glassblowing630.jpgA craftsperson works on a glass Christmas bauble at the Biryusinka toy factory in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. The factory, founded in 1942, produces decorative glass spheres which can be found on Christmas trees all over the country and in Moscow's Kremlin, in particular, during the festive season. Photograph: Ilya Naymushin/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/orangeglass630.jpgAn artisan places a newly painted glass decoration in a drying rack at the Biryusinka factory. Photograph: Ilya Naymushin/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/paintingbauble630.jpgAn employee hand paints glass Christmas and New Year decorations at the Biryusinka factory. Photograph: Ilya Naymushin/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/treeofbaubles630.jpgA display of the hand painted glass baubles at Biryusinka. Photograph: Ilya Naymushin/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/bowlerhat630.jpgA figurine of a smoker next to painted heads of Christmas figures on a tray at the Erzgebirgische Volkskunst Richard Glaesser manufactory in Seiffen, Germany. The eastern German region of Erzgebirge produces wooden folk pieces depicting smokers, nutcrackers and pyramids for Christmas decorations. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/blackheads630.jpgA craftsperson with "Magi" Christmas figures at the Erzgebirgische factory. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/onsticks630.jpgAn artisan prepares Christmas figures at Erzgebirgische. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/helicopter630.jpgA traditional wooden Christmas pyramid miniature being prepared at Erzgebirgische. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/oldman630.jpgWoodturner Klaus Weber works on a traditional Christmas toy figure in Seiffen, Germany. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/firstdog630.jpgAn ornament dedicated to the first dog, Bo, on a White House Christmas tree in Washington this year. Military personnel and their families were invited to the White House recently to preview festive decorations. Photograph: Doug Mills/New York Times
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/glassdeer630.jpgA giant reindeer decoration at the Eaton Centre shopping mall in Toronto. Mark Blinch/Reuters
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A festive fantasia
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/12/colombia630.gifPassersby silhouetted against Christmas decorations lit up along the Medellin river, Medellin, Colombia. Photograph: Albeiro Lopera/Reuters
