Am I being a spoilsport?

[ByeByeLilSebastian]

Dh is desperate for us to go away for a long weekend with the kids to Norway for the Christmas markets.
Sounds good yeah?
Not to me. The children are young (one is a toddler, one has behavioural issues). I'm stressing already at the thought of it. The getting them through the airport, the flight, bustling them through busy markets, everyone sleeping in one hotel room....

It sounds like hell wrapped up in a nice bow to me.

If I say no he'll go on about how I need to be more spontaneous. He's probably right but I like being boring and safe.

Aibu?

[pictish]

Oh God the Edinburgh Christmas market is a nightmare. I live just outside Edinburgh now but did live in the city for many years. It's jam packed and full of tat. Nicely presented tat in their wee log cabins, but still tat.
And the food is extortionate.

[gingerboy1912]

Yanbu wait until the younger child is old enough to be left with someone else and you and Dh go by yourselves.

[ample]

YANBU to think of your Dc's and their needs. It can spoil a holiday if you can't relax (even if the holiday is for them - would they remember it other than by looking at photos?)
Plenty of other ways to be spontaneous < quickly attempts to think of some..>
We did the 'Christmas in London' a few years ago, 20th - 23rd December. Lovely lights, beautiful Trafalgar Sq and great late night shopping but not a holiday or a anywhere near a spontaneous mini break. I just wasn't relaxed, then again I don't think I was expecting to be. But I was shocked by how much a needed a rest on our return.

Norway sounds lush though without young children. What I'm trying to say is...I'll go!
Perhaps when your Dc's are older?

[LuckySantangelo1]

I'd go but then I have one child who is 15 months. What about choosing somewhere less cold for a city break and going S/C? That way the kids can have their own room and you can eat dinner etc and be free to enjoy yourselves in the evening. Madrid and Seville both are great st Xmas, very festive.

[pictish]

Jam packed with people that should say. You can't bloody move. It's horrible.

Having said that - Edinburgh is beeee-yoo-ti-ful at Christmas. It really is.

[MrsJayy]

Tbf all Christmas Markets are full of tatt i love looking at festive Tatt though

[ClarkL]

pictish I adore Edinburgh at Christmas, we go every year at the start of December and for us it kick starts the Christmas season. I do agree most is tat, and actually the products are repeated, so you only really have to force yourself down one line of stalls and you've pretty much seen it all.
It's worth all the crowds for the carousel bar though!

[JennyOnAPlate]

Birmingham has a lovely xmas market. Busy as hell though...I tried to push a pushchair through it one year and it was horrendous!

[pictish]

I certainly wouldn't recommend flying to Edinburgh for the Christmas market alone, it really isn't that good...but for a general city break including a short wander round the stalls, great.
If you came for the market itself you'd be disappointed.

[CryingShame]

Christmas markets are really busy so there is a risk of children being seperated from you if you let go of them at all e.g. to pick something up from a stall or pay. There's also the risk of them being justled against the edge of the stalls if they are the wrong height.

Most of what the stalls sell are not of interest to small children - bottles, ceramics, beer etc. or are too expensive for them to touch - think about stacking sets of Russian dolls for example.

I wouldn't take DS (now 7) to an Xmas market in this country never mind in Norway. He's a fussy eater though which would also add to the joy.

[HellsBellsnBucketsofBlood]

I went to cologne when DD was 1. It was ok, but way too crowded and frankly it's not a 'family event' - just a bunch of stalls and Glühwein.

Either leave the kids at home, or go when they're older. Or go to Brum because at least you can spend days at he sea life centre etc so the kids aren't totally bored.

[selfishcrab]

Is that £150 each or for all of you? If it's for all of you it sounds wrong, I pay just less than that for a flight to Oslo.
Norway is lovely but it is very expensive.

[Matchingbluesocks]

Oslo is pretty easy actually- small city, you can walk around, regular cheap flights and good transfers.

I have been to Oslo 3 times mid December and it wasn't cold at all- about 7/8 degrees and raining. So much for a snowy wonderland!

The people are wonderful and it's a great city

[Bringmewineandcake]

Sounds awful! Stay home and be a much more relaxed spoilsport

[YelloDraw]

ChazsBrilliantAttitude makes a good point

[gingerboy1912]

What is the obsession with Xmas markets. I don't get it. I went to the big one at Bath a few years ago. It was full of overpriced bog standard stuff like cheese, cider, candles, doorstops, foot stools, chutneys, jams, herbs and spices, homemade jewellery etc really really expensive and nothing special

[Tomorrowisanewday]

I agree with pictish - go for Edinburgh, but not the Christmas market itself, it's woeful

[KoalaDownUnder]

Children that young don't give a shit about 'experiencing other countries'.

Just sayin'.

[HereIAm20]

Do share details of where we can get a fab trip to Norway at Christmas for only £150!

I'll go with my family instead and let you know how it was.

[ShowMeTheElf]

Norway is very expensive. We visit friends there regularly and have a wonderful time but the salaries are huge, the taxes are huge and the prices are much much more than here: think a pound of mince=£10, bottle of mediocre wine £20 etc.
The flights may be cheap but the accommodation and food won't be.

Spend the same money on an overnight trip to one of the lovely Chirstmas markets in the UK, a day at Lapland UK (or a local garden centre if you have a good one) or one of the theme park Santas.

[Jaxhog]

MilkTwoSugars - that's the best idea. Send him on his own with the kids. Say you'd like a spontaneous weekend relaxing in front of the fire.

[FleurThomas]

Norway is lovely. We're taking my dn this Christmas but she's 4

[Peach9876]

I'm another one who doesn't like Christmas Markets. Too busy and too much tat for ridiculous prices.
If my DP really wanted to go to one, or a certain one I would do it but not with 2 little kids. Sounds like at least 3 of you would be miserable!
I'd insist that you do it when the kids are actually old enough to remember it AND enjoy it. So IMHO would vary depending on your kids, maybe between 6 and older teens! haha

[LeninaCrowne]

Everything is very expensive in Norway and I'm sure the recent currency fluctuations won't have helped. Also, its very cold in December and you need proper winter clothing and footwear to be able to walk on ice/snow.

Having said that Norway is a beautiful country even in the winter, and the public transport in Oslo is fantastic. We got the tram to the end of the line and were out in country side with pine trees covered in snow and frozen lakes. You can get the metro on one line that goes up a hill and you can toboggan down the hill after eating delicious apple cake with hot chocolate at the top.

[ByeByeLilSebastian]

Oh god he's in one of those entitled moods
"Lil Sebastian, if I wanted to go to London id have suggested it. I want to go abroad and as it is my birthday I think I get to decide do I not? Xx"
Forgot to mention he wants to go on his birthday.

I've had a quick Google and the only way to get flights close to that price is to go with Ryanair...