If you’re anything like me, Christmas is a traditional affair. By which I mean, you tend to do the same thing with the same people every single year without question. But what if you fancy doing something new for a change? Here are 5 different places to spend the festive season if you’re looking for Christmas Family Holiday Ideas with a bit of a twist.
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We’re all guilty of it. As much as Christmas is the most magical time of the year, it’s also a time when we do exactly the same as last year. And the year before! Or at least in our house, that’s what we do. Don’t get me wrong, I love a tradition as much as the next person. But what if it’s time to break out of the habit and go wild for a change?
And I’m not just talking about buying a real tree instead of getting the artificial one out of the loft. Or ditching the turkey in favour of beef! I’m talking about ditching it ALL and going on a Christmas holiday!
Imagine this. Whilst all your friends and family are panicking about whether their online food shop will actually be delivered, or are ignoring the fact not a single present is wrapped. You’re packing your suitcases ready to abandon all tradition and are about to embark on the best family Christmas holiday imaginable!
But where will you go? Head to the other side of the world for a Christmas Day barbie on the beach in Australia? Spot the Big Five on Safari, or visit Santa Claus himself in Lapland? Fancy being waited on hand and foot on a cruise, or experiencing the bright lights of the Big Apple in New York? It might just be a cosy cottage in the Cotswolds, but even that sounds amazing as a break from the norm.
Here are a few ideas to whet your Christmas appetite. And I’m not talking about pigs in blankets and brussel sprouts.
Christmas Family Holidays With A Difference
Christmas in Lapland
What a place to visit with kids! You’ll come away with memories that will last a lifetime. Meeting Father Christmas and his Elves, husky dog-sledding adventures through the forest and across frozen lakes, ice-fishing, snowmobiling, moose-watching, seal-spotting from a hovercraft, reindeer encounters and of course seeing the incredible Northern Lights. If your kids are like mine, they’ll have never experienced such snow and the excitement levels would be through the roof! Whether you go for Swedish or Finnish Lapland, you are in for a treat.
If visiting Finnish Lapland at Christmas, take a trip to visit Father Christmas where elves will greet you and guide you to Elf School to make decorations and gingerbread, before your private meeting with Santa. And a top tip for parents, there is a North Pole Post Office to send a magical letter home, guaranteed to keep the magic alive. So dig out your warmest clothes, and get ready to experience Christmas in the most Christmassy place on Earth!
Christmas in Australia
Think of Christmas Day and there’s an image of families sitting in cheap paper cracker hats, eating a huge Christmas dinner, central heating whacked up on full whilst it’s freezing, dreary and raining outside. Then think of the absolute opposite thing you can possibly imagine. For me it’s Christmas Day in Australia.
We’re talking gorgeous hot weather, barbies on the beach in your swimwear, and not a paper cracker hat in sight! You’re tempted, aren’t you? I know I am!
Christmas in Australia throws up literally endless opportunities. I mean, we are talking about a BIG country to visit. So how about trying to squeeze in as much as you can at the same time as being able to relax and celebrate in the most non-traditional British Christmas-style you’ll ever see.
How about a tour such as this Great Family Adventure which covers the south coast and is designed for lovers of the great outdoors? You can experience Australia by road and have the freedom to do exactly what you want. You’ll visit Melbourne and its bubbling culture, the more relaxed Adelaide, well-known Kangaroo Island which the kids will LOVE, then end up on iconic Manly Beach in Sydney (I told you there had to be a Christmas Day barbecue on the beach, didn’t I?)
Christmas on Safari
You don’t get more different from a traditional British Christmas Day, than spending it on looking out for jaw-dropping wildlife on a safari. Forget the cuddly Lion King toys the kids might be getting in their stocking this Christmas – and get them to Africa to see the real thing. What an experience it would be for the whole family!
There are so many family safari holidays to choose from you’ll be spoilt for choice. Whether you want to spot the Big Five in South Africa, combine bush and beach in Tanzania or watch your kids witness the cast of Lion King come to life during daily game drives in Kenya, there’s something for everyone.
Forget the turkey and all the trimmings, and opt instead for picnics en-route to spot lion prides herding their young, watch elephants perform their bathing rituals and meet giraffes at Giraffe Manor. And whilst your friends at home are eating leftovers for supper in front of the Strictly Christmas Special, you can be relaxing under the stars with a candle-lit supper as the sun sets. It sounds like an incredibly special family holiday, doesn’t it?
Christmas on a cruise
Can’t decide which destination you want to visit on your Christmas family holiday? Then why not combine several in one trip by taking a cruise?
Whether you stay relatively close to home on a Mediterranean tour, or go the whole hog and sail around the Caribbean, what an awesome way it would be to spend Christmas. Your every need can be met by cruise ship staff, and whilst the kids make the most of the awesome activities offered onboard, you can relax as you sail from port to port.
Imagine waking up on Christmas morning overlooking the golden sands of some far-flung Caribbean island. And if you don’t like the thought of scrapping the turkey completely, I’m sure you’d still be able to indulge on a cruise.
Discover the land of the Pharaohs and Pyramids on a cruise down the Nile on a steamship, go island hopping in the Galapagos or experience polar landscapes on the Norwegian coast. A cruise at Christmas could be the way forward, you know.
Christmas in New York
If you’ve been to New York, then you can just IMAGINE how amazing it would be to go as a Christmas family holiday. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it! If you don’t find the prospect of New York with kids appealing, then think again. Especially at Christmas!
The Big Apple is transformed into a Winter Wonderland during the festive period, and it’s full on! But with all the iconic sights draped in Christmas lights and decorations, the place is utterly stunning. And there’s no getting away from that festive holiday spirit.
Everyone knows there is a LOT to do in New York, and that’s even more true at Christmas. Head to the Top of the Rock or Empire State Building observation decks to get the most spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline – which is even more breathtaking at this time of year.
(Maybe) impress the kids with your skating skills on the ice rink at the Rockefeller Centre, underneath the biggest Christmas tree you’ll ever see. Or there are two more rinks at Central Park. We’ve all seen them in the movies, and if this doesn’t scream Christmas to you, then nothing will!
You can’t go to New York without taking in a show on Broadway, or keep the festive spirits high with a visit to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. What about pushing the boat out with a helicopter ride (I can highly recommend it!) And if you’re still in New York for New Year you’re in for a serious treat. Head to Times Square for the famous Ball Drop at midnight, and experience a New Year countdown like no other.
Christmas Closer To (but not at) Home
Okay, so I’ve given you some AMAZING ideas for Christmas family holidays. But yes, they’d all come with a price tag. So what if you want to do something that’s a break from the norm but don’t quite have ‘barbie on a beach’ budget?
Why not just adapt the traditions rather than ditch them completely and stay in the UK? Okay, you can’t guarantee the weather (glorious sunshine or heavy snow!) but you can make a Christmas holiday out of it and have a wonderful time. Hire a large house or cosy cottage depending on how many of you there are. Head to the coast for a Christmas Day dip (I live by the coast and still wouldn’t do this!), or book a woodland lodge with a hot tub for a much warmer kind of dip.
Places like Center Parcs or Bluestone turn their sites into spectacular Winter Wonderlands at Christmas, and can be a great option if Lapland is out of reach. It can still be a different type of Christmas, but more realistic.
Whatever you end up doing on your Christmas family holiday, you’ll have a fabulous time and it’ll be one to remember for everyone!
How did I do?
If you liked this post about a Christmas family holiday then you might want to read some more in my Travel Section and get some other ideas for family holidays and days out.
If you’ve got a holiday booked but can’t face the packing, check out this helpful list – Packing List For Babies and Toddlers. And if you fancy a giggle but still on the subject of family holidays, read this – Five Ways A Holiday Is Never The Same After Kids. If you STILL want more after that head over to my Mum Life section for funny rants about all sorts of parenting things. And if you’re local to me in Plymouth, keep up to date with the latest in my Local Stuff section.
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