Much as spending the festive season at home can be cosy and comfortable as you snuggle by the fire, put up the Christmas tree with the family and wrap presents while enjoying a glass of mulled wine, spending Christmas and New Year on vacation can turn what is potentially a stressful time of year into one which is as relaxing or as exhilarating as you want. Here are five great places to wait for Santa and bring in the New Year. (Photo "Happy Holidays" by Gioradi)The couples retreat
For those who want to concentrate on spending some quality time with that special someone, Christmas and New Year can be one of the most romantic parts of the year. And, when there’s snow on the ground, New York can feel like the capital of Christmas, well apart from the North Pole of course. You could take a stroll to look at the festive window displays in Macy’s and Bloomingdales before skating on one of the ponds in Central Park and taking a horse-drawn carriage ride. New Year can be spent raising a toast in Times Square.
For solo travellers
Christmas can be a tough time for singles but then again, if you have no ties, you don’t have to spend your festive season arguing about whose family to have Christmas Day with or having to have a glass of sherry with Great Auntie Mabel. Instead, you can spend Christmas exactly as you want to. There are lots of companies dedicated to solo travellers or you could choose an adventure trip like camel trekking in Morocco, sleeping in traditional Nomad tents or how about trekking to Everest base camp if you want to set yourself a real challenge? (Photo "Fireworks" by phostezel)
The family friendly getaway
There’s nothing like being beside the sea, no matter what time of year. In the summer, you can join the bucket and sand brigade while in the winter, you can enjoy bracing walks while watching the waves crash against the shore. It’s the first year Parkdean have opened their site in England’s south-western corner, in St Minver, Cornwall. You could enjoy a stroll on Rock beach before taking the woodland path to St Minver village, stopping for a drink at the Fourways Inn, before cooking Christmas lunch. The New Year’s Eve festival in nearby St Ives is legendary with most people donning fancy dress to watch fireworks over the harbor. And, best of all, you don’t have to worry about leaving family behind. If there are too many of you, you could simply book next-door lodges.
For groups of friends
The festive season can be a great time for catching up with friends. If you’re spending your Christmas and New Year break with a group of friends, then pooling your resources and renting a large house or villa is a great option to give everyone space to get together for lunch and drinks. Villas in Goa, India, are incredibly good value and it’s one of the liveliest times to visit this beautiful part of the world. The Sunburn music festival takes place on Candolim beach, churches are beautifully decorated and parties and raves are organised on the beaches to bring in the New Year.
With your pets
If you can’t bear to leave any of your nearest and dearest behind, including your pets, why not take them with you? There are plenty of holiday homes, villas and guest houses which allow you to take your dogs with you. That way, you can still enjoy a holiday and give your pet their present on Christmas Day. You could get away from the maddening crowd, spending Christmas in the Scottish highlands before traveling to Edinburgh for Hogmanay one of the most famous New Year celebrations in the world.
Wherever you choose to spend Christmas and New Year, and whoever you decide to spend it with, traveling can allow you to experience the festive season in a completely new way.
