TO WANT TO spend Christmas in Australia

[DropInTheOcean54]

Rather an odd opening sentence I know! This year I took my dd 22, her b/f 22 and ds 13 to stay with my nephew and family - their cousins in Australia. WE had the most amazing time (pre covid..just!). I would love to go there again - pandemic permitting for Xmas/New Year 2021. But I cannot take us all again. dd will be working by then - uni atm and I want to go with my partner and ds. In an ideal world I would love us all to come but I cannot afford that at all. I feel guilty about leaving my Mum home (she will be 88) and we usually have a family Xmas at my house with our cousins in UK. Is this a bad idea? Is it selfish?

Sorry, I see you've said you have siblings. In which case, why not?

If you go ahead with the booking, check the small print in the insurance so it covers Covid.

Are you planning on staying with nephew again, if so speak to him first.

If he gives the green light tell your daughter your plans and that you can’t afford to pay her flight and let her know to start saving of she wants to come. She may want to spend it with her boyfriends family.

Your mum is more difficult. She’s approaching 90. You don’t know how many Christmas’s she has left. Would you feel guilty if you miss her last Christmas or is it not that big of an occasion for her.

I have to agree with others travel may not have opened up between Uk and Aus. If it has the flight costs may be triple what you expect.
No harm in planning your trip, but keep it in mind that it may have to be postponed.

You won’t be allowed in at this rate and it’s going to cost a bomb because less airlines will be flying.

They aren’t talking about opening the borders to Europe or the US till 2022 if they have their outbreaks under control.
It will be both ways NZ then select countries Asia (Like Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore)

Our states aren’t open to free travel with each other yet.
So obviously we have a long way to go.

Small outbreaks of Covid keep resetting the clock (they have to have 30 days of no community spread) between the states.

I have a 95 year old Grandad, my mother has refused to even leave the county for the last 12 years at xmas. He is still in fine fettle. Main reason is he lost his wife shortly after xmas so is a sad time for him. She is always scared it may be his last. But as another poster pointed out this may be the time to go if her health is good. I wouldn't let that stop you as she wont be on her own but I probably would look at another time of year as less expensive. Probably not possible though with work and school. Your dd will be fine if you explain

@Onxob

Christmas in Australia really isn’t that great

Have to agree with this, there is not much by way of lights and decorations and even where there is it doesn’t really work because it is summertime so lights are pointless. Not much acknowledgment of it in the run up, my company used to have the works Christmas party in October. It is too hot for the traditional Christmas lunch, I did a huge seafood platter followed by pavlova one year which was nice but not the same. We have found Christmas much more enjoyable in this hemisphere.

Could you perhaps plan to have Christmas with your mum and then fly on Boxing Day if the borders do open and flights are available? Best of both worlds! We did that once and it worked well. It’s a shame your daughter won’t make it but I don’t think it’s unreasonable not to pay for her especially as she probably won’t be able to get the time off other than the Xmas break. I’m in Sydney and we’re hoping the border opens by next Christmas but not sure how likely that is.

It is too hot for the traditional Christmas lunch,

That depends where you are. It isn't hot everywhere all of the time.

Christmas in Australia really isn’t that great

Have to agree with this, there is not much by way of lights and decorations and even where there is it doesn’t really work because it is summertime so lights are pointless. Not much acknowledgment of it in the run up, my company used to have the works Christmas party in October. It is too hot for the traditional Christmas lunch, I did a huge seafood platter followed by pavlova one year which was nice but not the same. We have found Christmas much more enjoyable in this hemisphere

Christmas is perfectly fine in Australia; plenty of lights and deckers where I am. There are street displays because it, like, gets dark. We eat Christmas food which may not be the same as in the northern hemisphere, but it is our Christmas and is lovely.

Florencex and Oxnob I guess you must have been pretty unlucky where you were then and it perhaps says more about you. Here's just a small taste of xmas lights for those of you that believe Florencex.

Here's another if you can't see babypossum's.

Borders here in Aus won't be open until there's a vaccine & I expect you'll have to have it to come here. Our govt working on late 2020 at the earliest so plan optimistically but cautiously. If borders don't open we'll be a land of travel thirsty, insane zombies by Xmas next year anyway, and if they do well all be travelling so the country will be empty.

Some clarification - whole country is NOT in lockdown. I'm in QLD and life is as close to normal as can be. We're almost Covid free and can now (or soon) travel to some other states like NT and Tassie.... and... Canberra.

It's only Victoria locked down, but NSW spiking in cases. NSW is open to some NZ residents quarantine-free as well.

WA is enjoying the isolation so much they want to become a separate country.

Thanks all, I have reached a decision and that is to stay having Christmas in UK all the time we can all be together. As for Xmas not being the same in Australia, that is the whole point. I travelled for a living during my pre-children days and experienced Christmas's in Barbados, Antigua, Madagascar, Cairns and such like, so the experience would be to spend it elsewhere with family, not to try to replicate UK Christases.. But thanks to you all all. Decision made. I appreciate all your input.

@TravelDreamLife

Borders here in Aus won't be open until there's a vaccine & I expect you'll have to have it to come here. Our govt working on late 2020 at the earliest so plan optimistically but cautiously. If borders don't open we'll be a land of travel thirsty, insane zombies by Xmas next year anyway, and if they do well all be travelling so the country will be empty.

Some clarification - whole country is NOT in lockdown. I'm in QLD and life is as close to normal as can be. We're almost Covid free and can now (or soon) travel to some other states like NT and Tassie.... and... Canberra.

It's only Victoria locked down, but NSW spiking in cases. NSW is open to some NZ residents quarantine-free as well.

WA is enjoying the isolation so much they want to become a separate country.

Thanks for this - so useful to know actual situation from someone living there.

@Bwlch

It is too hot for the traditional Christmas lunch,

That depends where you are. It isn't hot everywhere all of the time.

Whole point would be to experience a different sort of Christmas with family. The weather is another lure rather than a deterrent, I have considered this already.

@AugieMarch

Could you perhaps plan to have Christmas with your mum and then fly on Boxing Day if the borders do open and flights are available? Best of both worlds! We did that once and it worked well. It’s a shame your daughter won’t make it but I don’t think it’s unreasonable not to pay for her especially as she probably won’t be able to get the time off other than the Xmas break. I’m in Sydney and we’re hoping the border opens by next Christmas but not sure how likely that is.

This sounds like the perfect compromise.

My son lives in Perth and we spent Christmas 2019 there. It was wonderful. Had to cancel our trip in April this year and was hoping to go back for Christmas 2021. However he thinks that we won't be allowed back until at least 2023!!

We live in hope that things are back to normal next year and we can go for Christmas 2021. Fingers crossed for us both.

So your DD will be 23 when you're thinking of going? I think she may well make other plans anyway at that age and if not I guess she can spend the day with your nan? At that age there was non way in hell I could afford a trip to Australia as I was working 2 jobs just to make the rent so I'd not assume that paying for herself is an option but maybe it's OK for her to spend the day with other family instead.

In normal times, perhaps, but not now.

I feel a little bad for your DD although yanbu. It was a once in a lifetime trip so you can't take her again, but it's fine to take ds again? He'd be 15 by then so he could stay at home. Anyway I see you are now rethinking it, but if you rethink the rethink just something to keep in mind.