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It might not be long until Christmas now, but it’s never too late to decide that you’d rather be spending the festive season on a fun trip than slaving over a hot turkey all Christmas Day.
Even if you don’t want to go away for the whole season, if you’re lucky enough to have some time off, there are lots of shorter trips you could take to really get you in the festive mood or help you recover in the aftermath of the big day!
If you’re up for a little festive travel, here are some festive trip ideas that are sure to have you Ho, Ho, Ho-ing…
Visit a European Christmas Markets
In the run-up to Christmas and New Year, many parts of the UK and Europe are taken over by stunning Christmas markets that induldge all the senses and make you feel like a little kid again. Visiting one or more of these, when you have the time is a sure-fire way to top up your Christmas spirit and get you ready for the festive season. So loved are these markets where you can sip mulled wine, by unique gifts for your family and even pet reindeers, that some people even take Christmas market tours by chartered jet, visiting the biggest and best of them all. So, if you have some time to spare, visit a Christmas market before it’s too late.
See Santa in Lapland
If you love snow, but you haven’t been lucky enough to see any yet here in the UK, and if you love Christmas and you want to feel like a big kid again, you really can’t beat a trip to Lapland. You’re pretty much guaranteed to see snow, you’ll definitely see Santa and his reindeers and, if you’ve been a really good boy or girl this year, you might even get to see the Northern Lights too! Trips to Lapland are understandably pretty popular at this time of year, so it can be hard to get flights and accommodation at the last moment, but it isn’t impossible! So, if this sounds like fun to you, get moving on it now!
The Scottish Highlands
What could be more magical than taking a Christmas trip to the Scottish Highlands via train? You’ll see snow-capped mountains, spectacular natural scenery, including endless locks and rugged hillsides and best of all, once you get there, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the relative solitude of the area. Of course, you’ll also be able to enjoy sledging (if you’re lucky) hiking (wrap up warm) and the warmth of real log fires! If you time your trip right, so you’re there for Hogmanay, you’ll have the time of your life. Guaranteed! You don’t have to fly to have a great time!
Zurich, Switzerland
If there’s one thing you can bet on, you’re going to experience a winter wonderland if you head off to Zurich this festive season. Not only is there likely to be lots of snow, but the biggest city in Switzerland likes to put on a show around this time of year when it turns on no less than 12,000 twinkling lights, for truly magical scenes, especially in the dark evenings. The skiing is pretty good at this time of year too. Just be sure to act fast, because again, it’s a popular place to be.
New York, New York
If you’re less of a rustic snowy getaway type and more of a city slicking shopping lover, then spending some time in New York over the festive season is a no-brainer. Not only is the shopping good, and the sales amazing, but the city tales Christmas pretty seriously with lots of huge light displays, temporary ice rinks, shows of holiday classics like The Nutcracker and of course, the huge Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to get you into the spirit. Just remember to load ‘Fairytale of New York’ onto your phone – it’s a Christmas classic!
Orlando, Florida
If it’s not the turkey, but yourself that you want to be baking this Christmas, then Orlando, Florida is hard to beat. Why? Because even though the weather is amazing – it’s usually at least 20 degrees, they still do Christmas pretty well. I mean Disneyland at Christmas with its winter carnival – complete with ‘snow’, Scrooge and lots of other festive characters is a joy to behold and Universal Studios puts on a similarly impressive display for the holiday-time vacationers too.
Wherever you go this Christmas – I hope you have an amazing time.