Christmas holiday ideas

[NightPuffins]

I’m looking for ideas for a holiday over Christmas please. Where have you been at Christmas that was good?

We are five adults, needing three rooms, no kids with us but no objection to kids being there (as in, don’t specifically need an adults only place).

Want Christmas to be acknowledged, but doesn’t need to be party-filled.

Sunny! Over 25 degrees. Ideally with beach, but failing that, a nice pool.

Suggestions welcome 🙏🏻

I’ve been to Mauritius and Maldives the week before Christmas and seen decorations going up, posters about the Christmas meal etc - pretty much all international resorts do
celebrate Christmas for their guests. Definitely warm enough. Be prepared for the price uplift, top season prices tend to kick in on the 23rd and last till after new year so if you can time your visit for say 19th-26th you’ll do better than say 23rd-30th.

Sri Lanka was great at Xmas, can do lots and also RnR
Vietnam too.

I think we’re prepared for the price hike. Would prefer to pay the extra and enjoy the Christmas relaxing than have to pack up on xmas day ready to fly home on the 26th 😵‍💫

Singapore is hot all year round, they put a LOT of effort into xmas decorating and the food is amazing. So so many fun things to do and eat there

Cyprus or the Canaries perhaps

Canaries at Christmas was too cold for me. Have done Barbados for the last few years

Dubai! 100%
no one does it like Dubai

We would love to get away for Christmas but I’m concerned it won’t be warm enough .

In the canaries

@Madformaltesers Any particular recommendations for Barbados? Good places to stay or good location? I’ve never been anywhere in that part of the world so it good be a good choice for us.

Are there beaches in Dubai or Singapore? Love the idea of both of them if we can get a good swimming pool, but a beach would be amazing.

Only to go all inclusive as it is expensive to eat out if you are doing it for every meal. Have stayed in Bridgetown, St Peters and Worthing. Easy to travel round the island on local buses, it is a beautiful place.

Somebody posted this on MN

We go pretty much every year. I would say that staying in any of the hotels would be hell on earth - food there pretty shit and 4/5 star is nothing like you’d expect it to be. Barbados isn’t about hotels at all - it is all about private villas. People tend to stay on one villa and socialise with friends in other villas or on the beach. Expect to strike up conversation with other brits on the beach/ in beach bars - that’s what the whole vibe of Barbados is about. Your 7 year old will meet kids of similar age on the beach. People tend to have big lunches, and dinner served early in restaurants - 6.30 not an unusual time even in top restaurants. Everyone back in their villas by 9.00 - very quiet. Not much to do other than chill on the beach, but doing that is fab if you are the kind of people who love the social side of things and make friends easily.
If you want a nice hotel-based holiday I’d recommend islands other than Barbados. Anything from Dom Rep to Antigua, depending o your budget.

Dominican Republic. Xmas day on the beach was amazing 🌞

Been in Sri Lanka, was really good, even went to midnight mass. Food was Sri Lankan though, my choice, didn’t want sub standard turkey

Goa was the best.nativity scenes along the roads and the midnight mass was very moving even tho it was in Konkini ..we used to stay with a family in Benaulim very magical..

Dubai and Abu Dhabi do Christmas fabulously.

Beaches generally aren’t great (compared to Barbados) but fabulous food, endless champagne and all the trimmings from carols round the Christmas tree, Santa chases on the beach/golf course, gingerbread house decorating and eggnog

How about Mexico.

Or a wild card, Doha, they are into Christmas there.

West coast of Mexico. Brilliant at Christmas, and whale watching the Humpbacks in Banderas Bay. Puerto Vallarta is my go to place - every Christmas.

Definitely New York 🥰

@mumofoneAloneandwell I’ve done Christmas in New York before and it was amazing! Loved it so much! Really magical. This time we want some warmth though.

These responses are all so helpful, thanks all! Some ideas I hadn’t thought of at all.

I bet is was, christmas in new York is my dream 🥰

@mumofoneAloneandwell As dreams go, it’s one to keep following. Start off working towards covering flights, accommodation and food, but even if that’s all you can get to, it’ll still be magical. The city is full of lights and you can enjoy just wandering around. Most of the time we were there was walking around the streets looking at Christmas trees, browsing department stores. Anything above that such as ice skating, theatre shows, gifts, whatever else, it’s a bonus.

Caribbean - Barbados, Grenada, Nevis, St Vincent & the Grenadines (Bequia), St Lucia, all very special at Christmas/New Year. The weather should be lovely and not too hot.