Top Ten Holiday Delicacies from Around the World

Ever wonder how people in other countries celebrate winter festivities, and what they eat? These international holiday delicacies show us a little bit about how others celebrate winter and religious festivals at the close of the year. Journey around the world and get a taste of ten traditional holiday foods unique and special to distinct countries.

Sorrel Recipe from Vegetarian Times

Jamaica – Sorrel

Sorrel is a traditional Christmas drink made from dried parts of the sorrel (a meadow plant), cinnamon, cloves, sugar, orange peel and rum, served over ice. The warm tropical weather of Jamaica means iced drinks are in order for the holidays, and incorporating native plants creates a recipe unique to the island.

Chili – Cola de Mono – Chilean Eggnog
This Chilean eggnog is a part of both Christmas and New Year’s Eve traditions. Usually homemade, the recipe varies but popular ingredients include milk, sugar, alcohol, coffee, cloves and vanilla beans.

United Kingdom - Christmas Pudding

United Kingdom map from mapsales.com

A traditional treat in England, Christmas Puddings are made from many dried fruits, spices, alcohol and held together by egg. The high content of alcohol allows the pudding to be aged for a month or even a year without spoiling, enhancing the flavor.

Greece – Loukoumades – Donuts

Loukoumades are pastries made of fried dough, soaked in sugary syrup or honey, and then covered with cinnamon and sometimes powered sugar. These pastries are often made as treats for Hanukkah in the Jewish tradition.

Mince Pies recipe from FoodHub

New Zealand – Christmas Mince Pies

Historically, ground beef with dried fruit and alcohol were baked into pie dough, though today mincemeat pies are usually made without meat at all. Strongly associated with Christmas, the three spices traditionally used in mince pies –cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon- are said to represent the three gifts given to the Christ child by the Magi.

Korea – Duk Gook – Rice Cake Soup

Korean Duk Gook, a soup filled with Korean rice cakes is eaten on the Winter Solstice or New Year’s Day. It is considered good luck to eat as many rice balls from the soup as years you have lived.

South Africa – Malvapoeding – Marshmallow Pudding

South Africa map from mapsales.com

Malvapoding, or marshmallow pudding, is smothered in a heavy cream and sugar-filled sauce, creating a spongy texture similar to marshmallows. The name ‘Malva’ came from Malvacea wine that Dutch colonists used to serve with the pudding in the 17^th century.

Medianyky recipe at The Ryersonian

Ukraine – Medianyky – Honey Cookies

These honey cookies look like lace and are cut into stars, crescents or circles. A popular tradition is to hang them on low branches of the Christmas tree for children to eat.

Hungary, Germany, Austria – krambambuli - Spicy Punch

This spicy punch is made with chamomile flowers, chopped fruit, candied orange peel, walnuts, sugar, rum, brandy and more. The specific recipe varies from family to family and country to country, but always a popular warm choice for wintertime festivities.

Philippines – Tsokolate – Hot Chocolate

Phillipines Map from mapsales.com

On Christmas day, families in the Philippines gather and drink tsokolate, a native chocolate drink made with egg yolks, milk and chocolate. Traditionally a batirol, a whisk with a spiky head, is used to make the hot chocolate.

Interested in Exploring the World on Wall Maps of your favorite countries and locations? Wall Maps make great gifts; use coupon code GIFT5642 at checkout to receive 15% off your order! Offer ends Tuesday, December 17th. 

Fun and Educational Wall Maps: Gifts for Kids

Looking for the perfect gift that is both fun as well as educational? We've picked out the top educational wall maps as perfect gifts for kids this holiday season! Give the gift that looks awesome on their bedroom wall and is a useful tool for homework reference and exploring the world! Educational wall maps are available for every grade level and age.

Cindy is halfway through first grade. We’re choosing a colorful World Deluxe Political Wall Map with protective lamination. We used poster putty to adhere the laminated wall map close to the ground, next to her coloring table. She has special dry erase markers she can use to decorate the world wall map.

Jennifer is in the fifth grade. She has a big test at the end of the year in which she has to write down every state and its capital by memory. The US Flags Wall Map has more than enough information to help her study! We recommend the US Wall Map with wooden rails so the map can be pulled down and revealed for study time.

Abraham is entering high school next year. He’s already into WWII weapons and machinery, so the World War II Europe Wall Map is the perfect choice for his interests as well as his World Cultures Class. We choose the magnetic wall map so he can track the location of troops as he reads more about the war.

Find Wall Maps for Kids

• Wall Maps on wooden rails
• Shop Wall Maps by Grade
• World, USA, Continent, State Wall Maps
• Historical, Social, Political and other wall maps
• Wall Map Bundles for classrooms or gifts

Gift Guide: Contemporary & Stylish Wall Maps for Her

Welcome to our series of Gift Guides for the Holidays 2013.

Looking for the perfect gift for her? From the most popular wall décor to practical travel items, mapsales.com offers a wide selection of gifts for every personality!

The Most Popular Gifts for Wall Map Décor

• Recognizable Wall Maps of the World
• Popular Wall Maps of the USA
• In political, physical, satellite and antique styles!

Give Her Inspiration for Her Travels

• Over 200 countries around the world
• Explore Canada
• Maps of Every State in the USA

Invite Her to Explore the Outdoors

• National Park Maps
• Topographic Maps for hiking
• Any map can be printed on synthetic paper, perfect for traveling and hiking in any weather

Personalize her gift with her name and a special date; simply call us to personalize her wall map! 

1-888-434-6277

Texas State Maps: Best Wall Maps of Texas

Texas State Maps with roads, cities, counties, outlines, colors and more!

mapsales.com has compiled a list of our favorite Texas State Maps. Whether you're planning a trip, marking business locations or decorating your home, if Texas holds a place in your heart, the beautiful state terrain belongs on your walls too!

Texas Satellite Wall Map 

This Texas State Map shows what TX looks like from space! The striking map combines images obtained from NASA's Landsat satellites with 3-D shading to provide an image of Texas unlike anything you've ever seen. High resolution satellite imagery and clear visibility of individual crop fields  rivers, urban areas, and even large airports make this Texas Wall Map stand out in vivid detail. Order the largest size which will fit your wall to enhance the visibility of detail. Enjoy the natural beauty of the state of Texas with a Texas Satellite Wall Map!

Texas County Outline Map

This Texas State Map features county names and boundaries with major cities. The clear county borders and lack of clutter make this state map great for businesses! Use dry erase markers to write on this laminated map. Color in your county, or your business's market areas on this Texas County Outline Map.

Texas Zip Code Map with Cities

This Texas State Map features a beautiful red colorcasting of all major highways and roads across Texas. Find all major cities on this Texas Map with cities. Insets feature road maps of 17 metro areas. With 5 digit zip codes and a zip code grid locator, the Texas Zip Code Map shows the details you need for finding locations and planning road trips!

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Napa Valley Winery Map: Plan a Visit to the California Country

Explore Napa Valley Wine Country on this beautiful wall map! World over, Napa Valley is popular for its wines, wineries and vineyards. Located just north of San Francisco in northern California, Napa Valley boosts beautiful sunny weather and lush fields.




Planning a trip to Napa Valley this summer? Use this beautifully designed Napa Valley Winery Map to plan your trip!

Find the locations of Napa Valley wineries & vineyards. The vineyard location legend tells you accessibility features, hours, contact info and cross-referenced locations. This Napa Valley Winery Map is perfect for planning your vacation to visit the Napa Valley County in California.


There are over 150 Vineyards & Wineries on the Napa Valley Winery Map, including these popular locations:

• Joseph Phelps Vineyard
• Bravante Vineyards
• Domaine Carneros
• Artesa Vineyards & Winery
• Silverado Vineyards

This Napa Valley Winery Wall Map features:

• Vineyards
• Cities
• Interstates/Highways
• Secondary Roads
• Physical Terrain
• Latitude/Longitude lines
• Points of Interest
• Legend
• Index
• Elevation Info

Zoom in on the Napa Valley Winery Map to see the stunning detail. Great for planning, this wall map also makes a wonderful keepsake that will display the memories of your trip for years.

Places on Earth that Look like Mars

Landscapes of Mars? Some photoshop trick? No, these weird places are real...and a lot closer than they look. On earth, in fact! Take a look at these places on earth that look like Mars and see where they are really located on wall maps.

Rio Tinto, Spain 

The tinted waters of Rio Tinto in Spain give an eerie martian glow. Acidic with a pH of 2 and a deep redish hue, Rio Tinto looks both alien and beautiful. The extreme conditions in the river are analogous to other locations in the solar system thought to contain liquid water, such as subterranean Mars. The Rio Tinto is located in southwestern Spain, originates in the Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia and flows to the Gulf of Cádiz at Huelva.

Lake Natron, Tanzania

The red coloration in lake Natron occurs as salt-loving microorganisms are colored red and use photosynthesize with red pigmented accessories. See it on a Wall Map of Tanzania!

Yellowstone National Park, USA

The weird colors of Yellowstone National Park are caused by the extremophiles living in very hot water. The landscape of Yellowstone National Park is varied and unusual due to the high concentration of geothermal features including geysers, volcanic activity and earthquakes.

And, finally, see a physical wall map of Mars, with all the physical features we have mapped despite the 50-100 million kilometers of distance between Earth and Mars.

Where Are NASCAR Race Tracks Located?

Brand New Map Shows Where NASCAR Race Tracks are Located

Ever wonder where all the racetracks across the USA are located? Visualize your favorite and new racetracks with the new Racetracks of the United States Wall Map from publisher MarketMAPS. 

This racetrack map features 29 major racetrack locations across the USA and everything you need to keep track of your favorite races!

Answer these questions with the Racetracks Wall Map!

• What's the longest race track?
• Which auto race track has the weirdest shape?
• Where's the closest superspeedway to your location?
• What's the schedule for the 2013 NASCAR races?

Imagine planning a cross country road trip to visit all 29 major racetracks! 

We love the bold, bright colors on this map and the starting flag symbols representing cities. The larger flags represent higher-population cities.

Explore the Racetracks Wall Map in greater detail at mapsales.com!

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New Baseball Map - Track Your Favorite Teams this Season

Baseball season has begun! Track your favorite teams this season with mapsales.com’s comprehensive Baseball Map. This wall map compliments collections of baseball memorabilia, brings a favorite sport to offices in a professional display and encourages children’s interest in Little League. The new baseball map from publisher MarketMAPS shows the city stadium locations of 303 teams from 26 Major, Minor and Independent Leagues across the US and Canada.

Explore Favorite Teams and Discover New Favorites
Marvel at the sheer amount of teams and stadiums across the US and Canada. Find your favorite team on the wall map and learn about lesser known teams, spring training leagues and baseball popularity in any area. Track their travel as favorite teams play at different stadiums throughout the season. This comprehensive wall map includes team classes, baseball symbols for league types, city sizes, state boundaries, and major highways. 24 smaller maps showcase each league and the locations of their teams’ stadiums.

Decorate with A Baseball Wall Map
This baseball map comes in a range of sizes, starting at 3x3 feet, perfect for any wall. The wall map’s color scheme embraces the green of the field balanced with sophisticated warm tones. mapsales.com recommends an executive frame for this wall map for professional and decorative display!

Where was Pope Francis Born? On Argentina Wall Maps

Where exactly was Pope Francis born? mapsales.com takes a look at Argentina wall maps to find out.

 Pope Francis was born on December 17^th, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was one of five children born to Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sivori. He graduated from a technical secondary school before deciding to become a priest at the age of 21.

Zoom in to find Buenos Aires on this Wall Map of Argentina

Pope Francis was elected on March 13^th, 2013. He is the new head of the Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State after Pope Benedict’s abdication. He is the first non-European pope and also the first Jesuit pope. At 76 years old, Pope Francis is in good health, and expected to bring a new era to the Church.

Explore more wall maps!

Congo Map: Thousands Flee Fighting in East Congo

Mapsales examines these Congo maps as thousands flee their homes. The fighting in east Democratic Republic of Congo between rebels and government forces continues today, despite an overwhelming death toll.

Death Toll at 70, Possibly More

The fighting began last week in the town of Kitchanga, which is in Nord-Kivu, found on this Democratic Republic of Congo Map. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa by area. The Democratic Republic of Congo features a variety of geographic features including mountains, the Congo River, rain forest and savannas.

Map of the Democratic Republic of Congo

The rivers and mountains are seen on this physical Democratic Republic of Congo Map. The Albertine Rift Mountains experiences volcanic activity which has exposed an enormous amount of mineral wealth. Gold, copper, diamonds, cobalt, cadmium, silver, and coal are just a sample of the plentiful supply of minerals. However, where there is wealth, there is also conflict.

Brief History of African Conflicts 

The Second Congo War, also known as the African World War, began in 1998 and involved nine African nations and twenty armed groups. As fighting surges and decreases in neighboring countries, refugees on the losing side flee to nearby countries, sometimes restarting conflicts. Countries such as Rwanda and Uganda may sound familiar due to the amount of fighting in recent decades. Take a look at the Democratic Republic of Congo's neighboring countries on this political Africa Wall Map. Although peace treaties were signed in 2003, the fighting continues in the east. Ethnic tensions and battles over resources add to the complexity of the conflict.

Over 10,000 people have gathered in front of the UN base in Kitchanga, fleeing the fighting and torched homes. It appears that fighters on both sides of the conflict are accused of violence toward civilians, killing 5.4 million people since 1998.

Hawaii Wall Map: View the Happiest State in the USA

The Hawaiians are the happiest people in the nation according to a new Gallup-Healthways poll. mapsales.com takes a look at the survey and the best Wall Maps of Hawaii.

It’s no surprise: Hawaii is a prime vacation location and Hawaii Wall Maps are popular travel keepsakes, reminding visitors of the lush greenery, beautiful beaches and surfing. Although we usually imagine only travelers having great experiences in Hawaii, apparently the residents make this the happiest state in the USA. At the bottom of the poll, West Virginia represented the lowest overall well-being among US States.

Our Favorite Hawaii Wall Map

Learn more about the happiest state in the USA with this Hawaii Wall Map. The poll used telephone interviews conducted all last year.  A total of 353,564 random American adults were polled from all across the USA, and even the District of Columbia. They measured six elements of happiness: life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behavior and basic access.

Hawaiian residents reported the highest score on life evaluation, which included self-evaluation about your present life situation and anticipated one in five years. They also scored high for emotional health: they were more likely to have smiled or laughed a lot the previous day, and the least likely to have daily worry or stress.  Although they didn't score the highest in each category, Hawaiian happiness overall makes Hawaii the happiest state in the USA.

The Happiest State: Hawaii Wall Map

Another great wall map of Hawaii, FindIt Hawaii shows all roads and topographical features, perfect for the traveler. Explore, plan and travel across the major islands: Hawaii, Maui, Oahu and Kauai with this Hawaii Wall Map. Where would you go first? Or would you prefer to live all year in Hawaii?