A few days ago, Shawn Slater of Disney Parks Blog pointed out that the holidays return to Epcot’s World Showcase today – November 29th. Or, should I say that he reported that the “Holidays Around the World” begin today?

I would venture to guess that many of us have enjoyed some aspect of Epcot’s tribute to the holidays at one point or another. For instance, have you witnessed World Showcase’s centerpiece event – Candlelight Processional?

Having said this, I would also bet that a lot of us have neglected the opportunity to watch the Epcot Holiday Storytellers tell their tales.  Who are the Epcot Holiday Storytellers?

Courtesy of WDW’s own website, let’s meet them!

American Adventure – Meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, celebrate the traditions of Hanukkah, and discover the spirit of Kwanzaa.

Canada – Follow the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs (a NEW act featuring members of Off Kilter!) on a musical tour as you explore seasonal customs of the Great White North.  But, will we still get to see “lumberjack” Santa (er, Papa Noel)?  I hope so!

China – Watch the agile Monkey King weave his tall tale with twists and turns while celebrating Chinese New Year.

France – Discover the magic of Père Noël and the joy of the season through a Christmas letter from a child.

Germany – Listen as Helga tells the story of the first Christmas tree and the tale of her first Nutcracker.

Italy – Meet the kind-hearted witch La Befana who arrives on the eve of the Epiphany to grant gifts to good children.

Japan – Hear the fascinating story of the Daruma doll and learn about the Japanese customs of the New Year.

Mexico – Celebrate with Los Tres Reyes Magos, the Three Kings, as they tell the story of their journey and speak of the traditions of today.

Morocco – Join Taarji, a Moroccan drummer, as he reflects on family traditions commemorating the holiday of Ramadan.

Norway – Spend time with Sigrid and learn about Julenissen, the Christmas Gnome.

United Kingdom – Share in the vivid stories of Father Christmas, dating back to 15th-century England.

Frankly, for us, I feel that we were always in a bit too much of a hurry to make our way from attraction to attraction. In other words, we often failed to “stop and smell the poinsettias” – thereby missing this bit of Disney’s magic.

How about you? Are you a fan of these seasonal entertainers? Which is your personal favorite? Or, alternatively, if you haven’t seen them as yet and only had the time to stop and enjoy ONE performance, which one would you stop to watch?

In either case, help us combine our collective opinions and label one of these acts as the All in WDW Readers’ Favorite Epcot Holiday Storyteller!  Go ahead!  Get into the “Epcot holiday” spirit!  VOTE!