Spending Christmas Abroad?

[Bookaholic73]

Has anyone ever spent Christmas abroad? What did you think? If it was a warm place, did it still feel like Christmas with the heat?

We are thinking of it for next year.
Any suggestions for where to go, on a reasonable budget? Less than 3k preferably.

DH doesn’t have his younger kids next year, my kids will be 18 and 22.

@HeronLanyon sorry to hijack the thread - I would love to go to the Andaman Islands - have you got any tips/recommendations?

marking place as would love this

Were currently in Dubai for Christmas (for all the haters, we had to have a negative Covid test a maximum for 72 hours before departure and another one (which was free 😵 the minute we got off the plane, which gave the results 8hours later so before we left the hotel room on the morning) and we need to have another tomorrow morning before flying home. Mask wearing is compulsory for everyone including children indoors and outdoors unless at a table or settled in your spot in the beach or by the pool and there’s absolutely no non-compliance. No wonder the U.K. is fairing so much worse than other countries!).

In terms of it being Christmassy, there were plenty of options for Christmas ‘brunches’ (that seem to happen at anytime of the day) and some very dressed up people yesterday morning! There was also plenty of more relaxed options. We had a swim in the morning, then a wander around the mariner then we went to SkiDubai as we ski/ DS snowboards. We had Christmas dinner at the restaurant next to it at 9:30pm 😂 by which time people back in the U.K. were already posting that Christmas was over! I think Christmas Eve is more of a big deal here and Boxing Day isn’t really a thing. Everywhere is decorated for Christmas though and everyone wished us merry Christmas.

We took a few presents for DS but he’s 11and par Santa ace so he’ll have the rest when we get home.

We only booked a week and a half before we went so I’d already bought his presents but if we’d booked earlier, I’d have tailored his presents more to a holiday in the sun!

Def going to go away in future as I love. Have done Prague and Tenerife over Xmas, also Paris on Boxing Day.

Last year flew to Vietnam for 2 weeks on Boxing Day which was fab, great time to go, very low key xnas then hop on a plane.

We’ve spent it in southern India, Syria, Madrid, Maine, Switzerland — the latter three with friends.

We were in Barbados a couple of years ago at the start of December and although it was absolutely gorgeous, hot weather and they decorated tropical themed Christmas trees it didn’t feel like Christmas.
We got back home to the U.K. Mid December and I had the holiday blues and didn’t feel Christmassy at all. I wouldn’t go away early December to somewhere hot again.

lurker tips -
Organise early - special permits took a long time then my passport was lost for short while and Indian bank taking payment said they had no record of it. All was fine in end but by far and away the most complex trip I’ve organised.
Stayed in havelock island mostly.
The famous beach there is actually not great by comparison with some in Maldives Caribbean etc.
Stunning that jungle - huge mahogany etc - ones down to beach and elephants and king Cobras etc wander around. Also famkus swimming elephants.
Take earplugs - jungle is deafening at night - amphibians.
New Taj resort at far end of beach (I’ve forgotten name) may mean it is busier but perhaps also cleaner than it was.
Village no 5 and 7 lovely. Evening markets.
Better snorkelling and marine life at say Neil or ingles island.
Food not great but ok.
Port Blair - airport hub island - hotels bit grim - book as good as you can afford - my rule for India generally anyway but think there was only one ‘passable’ hotel. Know this was about to change. Lovely town. Excellent Indian restaurant on main road (Himalaya?).
Short ferry from port Blair to north island nature reserve worth it.
Ferries to islands - either old open deck or new hydrofoil. Despite cockroaches everywhere on old I far preferred old ferry. Lifetime memory as sun starting to go down passing uninhabited pure jungle islands with flying fish everywhere.
Take really good medical including just in case things like dental and anti biotics etc. Medical on islands skant and journey to port Blair long.
Good shoes for walking as unusual insects and snakes.
Altogether really glad I went. Stunning. Rougher and more wild than I had expected even though I expected both.
For pure beach marine life diving etc not a patch on other places but was an adventure !
If you do go have fun.

We’ve done it twice (apart from the years when we were living abroad anyway.)

First time was in Austria, skiiing, dds still fairly young. We chose to go away because both my DM and FiL had been widowed within the previous 18 months (we took them with us) and it helped to avoid memories of happy Christmases at home.
They didn’t ski but enjoyed it anyway, in a nice little snowy village.

2nd time was several years later, Cuba, which was only just opening up for a lot of tourism, and at the time was considerably cheaper than other, reliably warm, long-haul destinations at Christmas.

We all enjoyed it, but nowadays I like Christmas at home. But then I love Christmas, always have - it’s bound to be different if you dislike or actively hate it.

We have spent Christmas in new York some years ago & had thought about returning this year but covid put paid to it. We've also been in Australia
I don't like Christmas in the heat & far prefer colder weather.
Next year we're thinking of Budapest or Prague travel restrictions depending
We've been to both before but not at Christmas though the last time we were in Prague it was mid December so we know what it's like in colder weather

Thanks @HeronLanyon lots more to research 😊

We spend every year abroad (obv not this year). Do it, so worth it.
Hot countries we have been to include thailand, hong kongm australia, ?spain (not that hot), Gran canaria. We have been to a lot of winter places too.
I would say try to avoid the british holiday resorts as the oldies on their 3 month holidays do tend to spoil things a bit.

Other places - austria, andorrra, france, slovenia, bulgaria etc for skiiing - pretty at xmas! Stockholm is lovely too.

One word of warning for ski trips, we have friends in Switzerland and they report less and less snow in December. You may have slopes with artificial snow but not necessary snow everywhere as a guarantee.

Die-hard skier in my friendship group go to Canada every couple of years but it costs a small fortune.

I think I would go for proper snow, Scandinavia, Canada, northern USA if I want a wintery Christmas. I once went to Hawaii beginning of December and had no Christmas feeling at all despite the decorations everywhere.

@reluctantbrit

One word of warning for ski trips, we have friends in Switzerland and they report less and less snow in December. You may have slopes with artificial snow but not necessary snow everywhere as a guarantee.

Die-hard skier in my friendship group go to Canada every couple of years but it costs a small fortune.

I think I would go for proper snow, Scandinavia, Canada, northern USA if I want a wintery Christmas. I once went to Hawaii beginning of December and had no Christmas feeling at all despite the decorations everywhere.

That true about Swiss snow in recent years, at least in the places where friends we stay with are. Mind you, skiing bores the bejasus out of me, but if that’s what I was there for, I’d often be disappointed.

Having said that, I think Andorra is one of the dullest places I’ve ever spent time.

I dont ski! We always go somewhere with a pool for me :)

My husband and I spent our first Christmas together on Mexico. It was a lovely holiday, the weather was fabulous, but it wasn't the Christmas that I enjoy. I wouldn't like to do it again. We spent Christmas in Florida when I was younger, and that was very good, but I was with family so it was more what I was used to.

I've spent a few Christmases in the UAE, but only because my dad used to live there. They were always brilliant, loads of parties, more decorations than you could shake a stick at. Plus the weather! Nothing best the Boxing Day hangover better than a few beers round the pool.

Sigh... I'll go back to looking at the rain and forcing fererro rocher into my gob.

Yes, many times. In the warm sunshine. Mainly Morocco or India. I love Christmas at home but on Christmas Day abroad I don't want to be doing the festive things I'd be doing at home. Christmas Day abroad is mainly just spent on the beach.

I have often spent Christmas in Spain as some of my family live there. It feels like an English summer when sitting in the daytime sun. As my family are English we still had the traditional English Christmas so still felt very festive - obviously it would be different if not staying with family.