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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you have ever gone abroad for Xmas and if so what was it like?

86 replies

Glassteacups · 27/12/2021 09:54

Just had another mediocre grey rainy Xmas day spent cooking with difficult family members in attendance.

We have been taking for years about me DH and dcs going somewhere either snowy and Xmassy or hot and sunny on Xmas day. Covid permitting, I think 2022 might be the year we do it.

Has anyone done this and can you share your experiences?

OP posts:
CorvusPurpureus · 27/12/2021 12:26

I live overseas so the dc spend Xmas in the UK with their dad whilst I scoot off on my travels.

Bruges, Romania, Venice & Iceland have all been winners - I live in a hot country so it's nice to be chilly for a change.

Stand out Xmas Eves for me have been an ice hotel on a frozen lake in the Carpathians, & Northern Lights just outside Reykjavik. Both fabulous.

This year I'm with DPs in the UK - haven't been able to get back for 2 years because of bloody covid, so it seemed only polite to hang around for a couple of weeks rather than my usual habit of dropping them in some Duty Free & disappearing back to the airport next day...

I love them & I've really missed them, but the cabin fever is definitely closing in after a week. Back to my wanderings next year, inshallah .

Ragwort · 27/12/2021 12:28

We've done a few ski trips to Colorado, USA over Christmas - wonderful. We don't try to replicate a 'British' Christmas but just enjoy USA traditions. We return to the same place and the local Church always makes us very welcome. (We are Church goers at home). Presents aren't a big issue - the present is the holiday and we would just take a couple of stocking fillers for our DS. One year my DPs came too & my DB has also joined us.

I doubt we will go again, getting too old to ski, but happy memories.

Gumps · 27/12/2021 12:33

We went to the UAE this year and got back on the 23rd. It was perfect. A lovely week in the sun laid by the pool listening to techno carols Grin and I came home so relaxed ready for the family. It made me do all my shopping and wrapping before I left so I was much less stressed. Kids enjoyed it but when I suggested if UK went into lockdown that we stay out there they were beside themselves!

sweetbellyhigh · 27/12/2021 12:36

I've had Christmas in London, Montreal, Sydney, Swiss Alps, California, and NZ.

All amazing. Swiss Alps and Montreal were so pretty in the snow, Australia and NZ so laid back in the sun, California was just amazing with all the lights and the incredible shopping.

GiantHaystacks2021 · 27/12/2021 12:36

I've done quite a few across more than 6 countries and none of them were great, to be honest, due to limited resources, lack of forward planning and being single.

Gonnagetgoing · 27/12/2021 12:38

I’ve been to Tenerife, Bahamas and Goa for Christmas and Wales. It’s good as long as you can get there. Was held at Gatwick airport one year and didn’t get to fly to Barcelona on Christmas Eve. That was fun, not!

FangsForTheMemory · 27/12/2021 12:41

Many times. It depends where you go. I used to want to avoid Christmas, so Tunisia was great for that, Cyprus was awful (full of British ex-pats). Most countries don't make such a big deal of it the way it is in the UK, it is more of a religious thing.

Insert1x20p · 27/12/2021 12:43

In the last decade I've had Christmas in Thailand, Western Australia, Borneo and Canada (skiing). It is a very different experience and I find it works best if give Christmas a bit of a token nod rather than trying to recreate it for a whole day. The years we have been away the DC have had far fewer presents, and obviously no big presents, but have been fine with it. Other than skiing we've always been with at least one other family so have celebrated together.

Nowayoutonlydown · 27/12/2021 12:47

We spent 2017 Christmas in Disneyland paris, which was pretty magical.

Then spent Christmas of 2019 in walt Disney world. This was our favourite Christmas as a family. We had a Christmas pineapple which we put string lights on. We threw pizza in the oven from walmart and hung out by the pool in the evening. It wasn't massively hot, but weather is hit and miss in December.
We've made plans to go back every year for a Christmas after (will once Covid is under control properly- 2020 Christmas was cancelled by no one being able to go and this year we just weren't sure with the Omicron variant etc so cancelled)

RedRum27 · 27/12/2021 12:54

We got back yesterday having skied for Christmas, it was our first time abroad. Loved it, the snow made it feel more Christmassy and the town is decorated with lights, Carol services etc. Hotel put on an amazing Christmas ‘gala dinner’. Would happily do it again as we felt so relaxed and not stressed with the usual Christmas pressures and where and who to spend it with, we did it how we wanted.

supergloo · 27/12/2021 12:56

@FangsForTheMemory

Many times. It depends where you go. I used to want to avoid Christmas, so Tunisia was great for that, Cyprus was awful (full of British ex-pats). Most countries don't make such a big deal of it the way it is in the UK, it is more of a religious thing.
I agree with this.The ones that were the least enjoyable were in the British dominated resorts.
oiwiththepoodlesalready83 · 27/12/2021 13:47

Christmas and New Year in Jamaica is amazing! I’ve done it 4 times now and would definitely recommend Christmas in the Caribbean.

kikipie · 27/12/2021 16:43

We had several hot christmases in Florida, visiting close friends. It was brilliant, I would recommend it.

I now live in Southern Europe and we can have lovely weather in winter (cold at night though) so I enjoy it here too.

AliceAbsolum · 27/12/2021 16:46

1st one abroad and DH and I have said we're definitely doing it again.
Pic attached is my current view. Booze is cheap. No family problems. Always somewhere to wander. No stress. Perfect.

To ask if you have ever gone abroad for Xmas and if so what was it like?
BobMortimersPetOwl · 27/12/2021 16:51

I've often been skiing for Xmas or been in the far east. I prefer to be somewhere that Christmas isn't really a thing because I find it's otherwise a bit crap compared to home.

violetbunny · 27/12/2021 17:00

I live in NZ so have Xmas in summer anyway, but DP and I have 2 weeks of enforced leave at this time anyway (as our employers close for Xmas). So pre-Covid we would often be away for Xmas. Although we often went away for Xmas we when living in the UK as well.

Some of my favourite Xmas trips have been: the Cook Islands, Cambodia, Thailand, Berlin. Thailand was such fun, we did a street food tour by tuk tuk on Xmas day so we're zooming all over Bangkok wearing Santa hats eating ourselves silly Grin Xmas isn't really celebrated there but it was still a blast.

Notadramallama · 27/12/2021 17:00

Barbados and India when I was married, and totally loved it. I hate the cold, miserable weather in the UK at this time of year and it's so relaxing to get away from the usual Christmas stresses. I'm definitely intending to go somewhere hot again when I can.

sociallydistained · 27/12/2021 17:05

I went to Canada with friends to stay with my Canadian friend for Christmas 2017 and all my memories have come up and it was without doubt THE best Christmas I've ever had! So much snow and it snowed Christmas Day. My friends family who id never met hosted us and went all out and it was just pure bliss! ... went to Niagara Falls just after Christmas and Toronto for NYE. Honestly want to do it again as soon as I can!

Brainwave89 · 27/12/2021 17:09

Yes. For various reasons I do not like Christmas, so I really enjoyed it. I was in Malaysia and then Australia around Margaret River, which is a fabulous place. It felt a little odd singing carols about snow on snow in 30 degree heat, but it was a lovely way to spend some time. The only downside is that on returning to the UK you really feel the dark nights, the dampness and the cold, but on balance well worth doing.

Snailhaterz2 · 27/12/2021 17:09

I've done several, and have usually picked holidays where there's been so much going on that you don't really notice its Christmas. I've been floating down the Nile, on safari in Namibia and walking in Cuba. The least successful one was walking in Cyprus, where it pissed with rain and we ended up attending a traditional UK Christmas meal, complete with spectacularly crap cabaret. If you've got children, it probably depends how old they are and how wedded they are to Christmas traditions, as I do think these holidays work best if you don't try and replicate anything traditional and just go with the flow of where you are.

icedcoffees · 27/12/2021 17:15

Yes, twice.

Once to Switzerland which was amazing. We woke up to the traditional "white Christmas" scene, skied on Christmas Day, stopped for hot chocolate on the slopes, had presents in the hotel from "Santa" (organised by the staff) and it was just so lovely and festive and cosy. The town was white with snow and lit up with fairy lights and trees. It was magical.

The other time was to Australia. It was hot (too hot, really) but we were there to see family. We had a BBQ for Christmas Dinner in the garden with all the relatives and went to the beach on Boxing Day. It was lovely but very different to a normal Christmas.

blubberyboo · 27/12/2021 19:30

I’ve never done it but have been tempted, and probably will at some point when kids grow up. However I feel a good option would be a cruise as you will be well catered for and still have a social fun environment ( well when covid is gone or not affecting things as badly)

P and O do some options ie a Baltic cruise or Canary Islands

mrsbyers · 27/12/2021 19:47

We went to Egypt a couple of years ago and it was crap but we both are not fans of package holidays - lots of hassling outside of the resort and FaceTiming family on Christmas Day was a downer - they had celebrated Christmas on the 24th.

Maggiesgirl · 28/12/2021 07:10

We did a cruise on the Nile, Luxor to Aswan. We left from Gatwick in the snow on the 22nd and came back on the 2nd.

It was the best holiday we have ever had. DH had just retired from the Army and I had, had Swine Flu and been in ICU with it a month before so the warmth was a god send.

DS was married and his in laws were over from SA so he was fine, we had a meal with them and gave out presents the Sunday before we left.

Would do it again if we could afford it now.

loopylindi · 28/12/2021 08:01

I have just posted on the NYE thread about our experience of going abroad for Christmas - so apologies if you've read this already.
Back story is that we wanted to break the cycle of who to go to at Christmas. We don't really like it snowy cold, and we prefer to be at a 'normal' summer temperature. So, on a whim we chose Madeira - warm, friendly, very scenic and they really 'do' Christmas.
It's changed somewhat over the years with serious EU investment, there have been many 'improvements' , but all the city centre's streets are ablaze with lights, there are folksy displays in the streets, there is a strong cafe culture with fabulous restaurants, and there's loads of things to do. NYE is the best though.
In short, it depends what you like to do but if you're open to new experiences - give it a try.