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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if anyone has gone away for Christmas? Where did you go?

48 replies

Joyousjobhunt · 03/08/2018 12:46

And how did it work out? Did you "do" presents before you left or take them with you?

I would love to do Christmas differently this year. We've gone NC from the only extended family we have, that we usually spend Christmas with (and have for the last 18 years) last Christmas wasn't great as it was building up to NC so it was a bit of a crap one and I want to make this one better for DC.

I know if we're still here everyone might be reminiscing of what we had previously, so I just wanted to do something different. It needs to be dog friendly (just one) so I thought maybe a cottage or something would be best, but somewhere with activities. It feels like a huge wishlist just for being away for a few days.

I've looked at caravan type places with activities but they don't seem to have enclosed areas we could let the dog in, and the cottages I've found with enclosed garden don't have activities. Or maybe I'm over thinking it all, I've not planned a holiday in years so probably am. And I don't think we could stretch comfortably to over a grand - found some lovely cottages for around £3-600 surprisingly, but nothing seemed "right" yet.

What did you do?

OP posts:

onyourmarks2017 · 03/08/2018 18:39

Unfortunately not in your budget I don’t think but we have had Christmases at Bruern Cottages (private indoor pool, full size Wendy house for children, games room, gardens, log fires...) and they decorate and provide s tree and everything. Stress free, you just cook (wonderful kitchens) or order in.

www.bruern-holiday-cottages.co.uk/

trojanpony · 03/08/2018 18:44

Absolutely no queues for anything
we waltzed past the “3 hours from this point” signs and saw all 18 (or more?) museums on the multipass in 3 days l.
We saw midnight mass in st marks.
The whole place looked like a film set.
No crowds.
The cold damps down the usual (frankly horrific) smell of Venice.
It was just magical.
We did Airbnb just because we wanted a room each (and there were 4 people)
The food isn’t amazing there so either buy and cook your own dinner or stick to sensible priced restaurants (tripadvisor is your friend. vapiano pizza was great price and good quality near the square)
Fine dining restaurants are a rip off by London pricing so smash the budget on accommodation instead.

I’d go again in a heart beat, it was perfect

Lindalee3 · 03/08/2018 18:47

Yep went to New York last year. And also Canada (On a trip to Niagara, and Toronto and Buffalo.) We have got adult children, and we met them a week before Christmas, had a meal at the pub with them and their partners, and all went back to the house of our eldest, and swapped presents there.

Then from 21st December to 3rd January, we were away. (Me and DH.) Loved it. Don't understand the desperation that some people have, to HAVE to spend Christmas day and Boxing day with extended family. All I can think of, is that they don't see them much during the rest of the year, and they're trying to overcompensate.

We see our family at least once a week anyway, have a meal together once a month, go on daytrips with them, meet them for lunch etc, so don't feel that desperate need to HAVE to spend Christmas day and Boxing day with them.

In fact it's lovely to see them (and the rest of our family) the week before Christmas, and have fuck-all to do, and no-one to see on Christmas day and Boxing day. We can get up at 11am, eat mince pies for brekkie (at midday,) and have a buffet for lunch (which is at 3.30pm!) Then scoff quality street and mint thins at 8pm with a bottle of port.

Bliss.

NorthernSpirit · 03/08/2018 18:58

My OH and I go skiing over Christmas every other year and love it. We take presents with us and exchange on Christmas Day.

mineisarossini · 03/08/2018 19:02

You can take the dog on the ferry and drive to ski resorts in France very easily.

IggyAce · 03/08/2018 19:10

We went away last Christmas to a cottage in Yorkshire it was lovely. We packed a small number of gifts into the car and moved them to a cupboard in the cottage once DCs (6&11) were in bed. The cottage already had a tree up. I believe the cottage we stayed in would allow dogs as there was a dog bed.

ForalltheSaints · 03/08/2018 19:11

I've gone to family abroad but never to a hotel. If you are not religious or just want something without loads of presents, why not?

MrsAidanTurner · 03/08/2018 20:58

@thewayoftheplatypus

I have been to efteling in summer, it's beyond magical! Will you report back somewhere to say what it's like at Xmas please... I'd love to go in winter but interested in atmosphere... Rides open! Are all the restaurants open...

It will be amazing.

MrsAidanTurner · 03/08/2018 21:01

Thank you trojan pony. We did Venice in February once so I was wondering if it was that initial beauty of Venice or whether you had been before etc. Where the decorations nice too and places open... I always thought it would be quite seasonal..

Tattycorum · 03/08/2018 21:36

Op we are in the same situation as you so am watching with interest. We live in the southern hemisphere so Christmas is hot and sunny, am seriously tempted to bugger off and camp.

Raines100 · 03/08/2018 21:42

@trojanpony What did you do and where did you stay that made it so magical? My DH would love Xmas in Venice.

trojanpony · 04/08/2018 08:00

I had been before years ago and not enjoyed it (too hot, too crowded, too smelly)

it was still more the “city+timing” rather than it being extra Christmasy (But midnight mass in St Mark’s and the square was amazing and v christmasy)

Absolutely everything was open which surprised me (shops, restaurants, supermarkets, museums, hotels, there were even overpriced gondolas )
the hotels were beautiful decorated (we went to the bars of a few fancy ones).

It was just was very wintery/atmospheric and was misty so you felt like you were on a film set all the time.

I loved how we could enjoy it without the throng. For example, we went to doge’s palace and the chamber of the great council was actually empty when we were in it. It’s an incredible room and it was just very special - we had a few different moments like that.

@Raines100
We rented a rather fancy airbnb if you look now there are still loads available (go for modern /Renovated, not historic - it’s freezing so decent heating and hot water was a must!)

If you are just a couple you might want to take a look at hotels (there are some truly fab ones!)

There is great art there as well as tonnes of history, there’s lots of walking so something for everyone.
Highlights were: everything was in the multipass including the cheesy film museum featuring matt Damon’s talented mr ripley outfit . The Christmas classical music concerts aren’t also not to be missed they were fab!
I found Murano glass island trip very “meh” both times but still love the ott chandeliers they make each to their own. (My friend thought it was THE highlight of the trip )

andadietcoke · 04/08/2018 08:10

We've been skiing in Switzerland, and to India. I took a box of decorations and some small fairy lights and decorated 'something' in the apartments to represent a tree. We took small presents with us, for each other mainly, but things that we could make use of there or that would entertain.

missyB1 · 04/08/2018 08:11

There are a few lovely dog friendly hotels that will do Christmas well. Look up Luxury Family Hotels group. They own Woolly Grange (near bath), Moonfleet Manor (Dorset), and one in the New Forest - that would be gorgeous at Christmas.

violetbunny · 04/08/2018 09:04

I have been in numerous different countries on Xmas day. I think the best Xmas day I had abroad was in Bangkok, we spent the day doing a street food tour by tuk tuk. The entire tour group were wearing Santa hats which made it a little more festive

MrsAidanTurner · 04/08/2018 09:13

Thank you once again trojan pony. I would love to take dc to Venice, its a really good different memorable idea to take the for Xmas.

kernowsailor · 04/08/2018 09:29

Tall and Bay Hotel in Cornwall is lovely and dog friendly. They do Christmas packages.

kernowsailor · 04/08/2018 09:29

Sorry that should say Talland Bay - bloody autocorrect!

DoingTheBestICan · 04/08/2018 09:32

We went to NY last Christmas Day, it was great. Our Christmas lunch was a slice of pizza in a fab Italian restaurant just off Broadway. Loved it!!

Mercurial123 · 04/08/2018 09:53

I love to travel at Christmas so far we've been to India, Thailand and the Baltics catching the ferry from Stockholm.

Mercurial123 · 04/08/2018 09:55

Forgot Borneo but that was a disappointing trip.

Cavort · 04/08/2018 10:20

We went to Barbados last Christmas with our two DC (4 and 2).

We took 10 presents each for the DC, which sounds a lot but they were all only small cheap items which we removed from their packaging before wrapping to save space in the suitcase. Even though we were away we still wanted the DC to feel Santa had been 'properly.' DH and I took a few small personal gifts for each other. We opened other gifts from family members when we got home.

For our dog we use a lovely lady who does licensed home boarding. She lives on a farm and has 2 dogs herself. She regularly sends me photos of our dog curled up in front of her fire. I think our dog has a better holiday than us when we're away, which massively eases the guilt burden of leaving him. We have used kennels before for short trips but we'd feel awful at the thought of him in kennels for 2 weeks.

Branleuse · 04/08/2018 10:28

I went to spain one christmas but it didnt feel christmassy at all, because its a religious festival in most of spain, and low key. Im not even a massive christmas fan, but it was a bit disheartneing
Most of the xmas decs were up by ex pats

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