Xmas

[lawros left foot]

Did Christmas 1984 in the Falklands, not recommended

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Done Christmas in Greece a few times, this year it'll be my first in Costa Rica

 

[EDS]

The two most synthetic, materialistic, and cringy things within this reality......and you put them together......and called it awesome.

wow.

Merry Christmas.

And a partridge up your pear tree

 

[geniarse]

Some years ago took the kids to the Arctic circle (Finland) for a week during Christmas, -28c, Father Christmas grotto, skiing the whole nine yards. Then had almighty argument with kids and then wife on Christmas Day and all four of us just sat there not talking to each other for the entire day. One of the single worst days of my life....

 

[bluenitsuj]

Christmas twice in Nairobi and 2 x New Years in Mombasa - it was visiting family and the most fantastic times. Its all to do with the company rather than location. Also done Chinese New Year in Taiwan which was great.

 

[Nibble]

Doing China next year with my Brother. Done Ireland a few times, family live there. Same as here really.

 

[kingcole]

Never been away for Christmas, but usually get away Boxing day or the day after, as it's easy for me to get away from work over the holidays.

Last few years it has been cruise. They are mega fun and great value when you consider costs of baby sitter and transport to/from Brighton or London and a party etc.

This year I'm leaving home at 0900 Boxing Day, stopping at The Valley on the way to LHR. Overnight Airport hotel, then a flight to the states nice and early on the 27th.

NYE somewhere random in the Caribbean!

 

[pasty]

This year I'm leaving home at 0900 Boxing Day, stopping at The Valley on the way to LHR. Overnight Airport hotel, then a flight to the states nice and early on the 27th.

NYE somewhere random in the Caribbean!

*jealous*

Went on our first cruise 18 months ago and bloody loved it. Can't wait to do another one.

 

[kingcole]

*jealous*

Went on our first cruise 18 months ago and bloody loved it. Can't wait to do another one.

We had our first cruise just 7 years ago. Am now approaching 2 dozen. Been so many places on a wide variety of cruise lines. Is quite simply my favorite kind of holiday, by a country mile.

 

[Captain Haddock]

Not been away for XMas but had New Year in Cuba a couple of years ago. Absolutely superb. Nice beaches, great food and drink. Only problem was that the huge firework display was cancelled due to torrential rain. The only day it rained whilst we were there.

I've been to Cuba for a Christmas / New Year break (my first away from family) and had a good time (circa 2005). We travelled all over the island and had an evening Christmas meal in some random small town, whereby a power cut led to the rather atmospheric addition of candlelight. Meal was still served as planned (a delicious combo of ham and chicken with local veg and a great cake).

New year spent in Havana. Missus was ill but I had a stroll to take in the atmos.....and get propositioned by a male prostitute



Have also spent Xmas / New Year in Japan with "Mrs Haddock's" family (circa 2007). Not much doing there except for a load of family orientated good luck wishing at local Shinto and Buddhist venues for New Year.



Last year I completed a 'Christmas hat-trick' with Christmas breakfast in the bush in Tanzania, after a 5am balloon ride. Now that was qualla!!!!

 

[Captain Haddock]

For the first time this year I'm doing Xmas new yr abroad!!anyone else done it, plusses and minus's pls ?

Plusses: it's a refreshing change; interesting to get a flavour of what others do; no compulsory and obligatory over-eating; no major present buying required with family back home that year (by agreement!).

Minus's: feels a bit weird, especially in hotter climbs; miss certain little family traditions; is a bit unpredictable re: food etc

 

[blue2]

My first Christmas in Italy was amazing. I spent it in a place called Pienza, where I joined a group of locals who lined up to throw snowballs at the congregation leaving the cathedral at the end of midnight mass. A bloke called Pluto then invited about a dozen of us back to his house, where he woke up his wife (at about 2am) to get her to cook us all a meal. The party went on until about 4am, when I was able to sneak off back to the hotel room where I was staying (which was more of a penthouse apartment that had been fitted out specifically for its use a couple of years earlier by the great Italian film director, Franco Zeffirelli, who filmed Romeo and Juliet in Pienza). I got the use of it cheap for the simple reason that a friend of mine knew the hotel proprietor.

I still feel guilty about the trouble that Pluto put his wife to. But, hey! I was in Italy to do sociological research. There was a whole conference worth of stuff that Christmas.

Name dropper

 

[blue2]

*jealous*

Went on our first cruise 18 months ago and bloody loved it. Can't wait to do another one.

Going on our first cruise next June really looking forward to it especially after our last holiday on a small ferry involved getting lifeboats out rescue us I thought getting her on a cruise. Would never happen

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

2 Christmas's away, Portugal, Algarve, not good they dont really do Christmas very well.
The other end of the scale was Stockholm the swedes really know how to do Christmas. All warm and cosy on the inside, freezing on the outside great people simply brilliant.