Tell me about your Christmas holidays!

[FunnyOrca]

We are wondering about going away for Christmas but can’t really decide on where we might go. We have never gone abroad for Christmas before so we don’t really know what to look for and how shut down places are likely to be or what people do on these sorts of holidays. Very keen to hear from anyone well has good experiences or recommendations!

Two adults and a 13 month old (yes, we are running away from the horror experienced with a newborn last Christmas!)

This might sound weird but one of the best Christmas holidays we had was in Iceland. So only about 4 hours of daylight each day. But we had such a gorgeous time, lazing about in natural hot springs by moonlight, stargazing at night, with very brief sightings of Northern Lights. By day, seeing the geysers and waterfalls and wild horses. We visited the Blue Lagoon, climbed the Hallgrimskirk church tower and looked out over all the coloured roofs of Rekjavik, and went to a (free) jazz concert in the church. Icelandic people are very friendly.

You might be inadvertently walking into another Christmas disaster with a toddler. They will be dangerously mobile, don’t mess with their sleep routine (even if they have one by then) so would avoid long haul for that reason as well as the horror of a wriggling fractious toddler for 8 hrs on your lap. I found hotels rubbish as you don’t have another room to sit in when they are having their daytime nap and when they go to bed. Also sharing a room again is disruptive. Also hotel restaurant / buffet is a PITA with a baby in a high chair.

I would go full on luxury lodge on some glam resort in UK with lots of facilities / spa etc on site.

https://tregenna-castle.co.uk/self-catering/ Just remembered we stayed here when kids were little - across road from beautiful beach with fabulous restaurants. Lots to do in St Ives but the cottages, castle grounds and facilities were great. You can also do BnB with a cottage.

If you want some sun The Canaries are your closest destination - these have villas within a hotel:

https://thetaishotels.com/bahia-del-duque/

https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/tfsrz-the-ritz-carlton-abama/overview/

We spent Christmas in Prague a couple of years ago and it was wonderful. I absolutely love Christmas, had never been away for Christmas before, and worried that it wouldn’t feel the same. It was lovely, very festive, we had a brilliant time. Might not be the kind of holiday you’re after though?

We’ve done a Caribbean Christmas the past few years and going again in December. Ds was 13 months the first time we did it. Love it.

We've had some great Christmas holidays, New York, Iceland, Finland but I wouldn't want to do them with a 13 month old. I would stick to a holiday in the sun, with a good beach, great pools and lovely restaurants and keep it low key and relaxing. Perhaps Princess Yaiza in Lanzarote?