Christmas family holidays

Take the family's great holiday offerings

It's Christmas Time... There's no need to be afraid (even if you leave booking your Christmas break until late, we always have plenty of great late deals.)


With relatives decending en mass, shopping days rapidly depleting, and the ever increasing Christmas hard sell...you may well feel like taking a Yuletide (or pre-yuletide) break. It's also the perfect excuse to recharge the batteries and make, perhaps, the best use of all those bank holidays in the whole of your working history! Plus if you book early enough there are still some savings to be made too.

If you don't fancy the prospect of extended family sulking at home whilst you laze on a beach or sprint down the slopes, then consider taking them with you. Look out for some great Grandparent offers for 2009 in the uk and abroad, consider large villas or multiple rooms/chalets/lodges, with terrific savings.


But with so many fabulous destinations to choose from, where do you begin? Well, a great place to start is Rhonda Carriers' feature article 'A City Christmas '; A family-sized travel bag full of all the family fun that London and Paris have to offer at Christmas time.


We have more than enough ideas to keep the family happy until well after the January Sales, with ideas for Egypt and North Africa , Dubai , Australasia , South Africa , Skiing holidays , More European holidays , Christmas Adventure & Activity holidays , the Caribbean , the USA and Special UK Christmas offers .

Yuletide destinations

View all Long haul & Winter sun offers

Egypt and North Africa beach holidays

Egypt and North Africa family holidays Ideal if you want almost guaranteed sun at any time of year!, (it hasn’t rained in Sharm el Sheikh for years – in fact for some it is too hot!). We can also offer you some spectacular deals to Tunisia and Morocco too.

In Egypt Christmas is celebrated on January 7th, although lots of hotels and restaurants have parties on and around the 25th December, to cater for those on holiday. There are also big celebrations for New Year's Eve.

Check out our destination guides to Morocco , Tunisia and Egypt .

 

Dubai and the Middle East family holidays

Luxury family holidaysChristmas is a great time of year to visit the bustling and innovative city of Dubai . The weather is much milder, so you won't end up being the turkey roast, and a city so excellent at luxury is a great place to go, to feel looked after and enjoy a good Christmassy pampering.

Check out our destination guide to Dubai, Jordan , and Oman .

 

Australasia family holidays

Australia Christmas holidaysBeing in the southern hemisphere, Australia 's summer starts in December and stays 'warm' until April, so try not to pin all hopes on having a white christmas. Schools have January off and Universities have most or all of January and February off. As well as Christmas, Boxing day and New Year holidays, the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th is also a public holiday. Christmas is big news in Oz, so you are guaranteed all the usual fun and festivities. Check out our guides to

Check out our destination guides to Australia , Sydney , New South Wales , Queensland and New Zealand .

 

South Africa family holidays

South Africa Christmas HolidaysCities such as Cape Town , in are all about having fun during Christmas time. In December, School's out, it's summer, and Christmas temperatures will be an average of 25°C. The sun will rise at about 5:30am and not set until 8pm, so Father Christmas had better get a wriggle on!

Check out our destination guides to Cape Town and South Africa .

 

Family Skiing and Winter holidays

Family Skiing holidays at Christmas timeSkiing over the Christmas period could well be one of the only sure-fire ways of guaranteeing your family a white Christmas, and there are many great destinations to choose from...but hurry, the best offers are selling out fast!. Whistler has the longest ski season from early December to early May, whilst in most European resorts it is from mid December to mid April. You are guaranteed all kinds of in resort Christmas festivities around Christmas time, and Father Christmas is sure to make an appearance.

Check out our destination guides for Bavaria , Chamonix , Courchevel , Kaprun , Morzine , St Anton , Sainte Foy , Saas Fee , Tignes , Whistler and many more.

View all Winter Sports holiday offers

 

Europe family holidays

European family Christmas holidays during Christmas timeBelieve it or not warmer climes can still be found in Southern Europe and the Canaries over the Christmas period, such as Cyprus , The Algarve , Tenerife , Gran Canaria , Madeira and many more, if the sun's gentle glow appeals.

Check out our destination guides to Cyprus , The Algarve , Tenerife , Gran Canaria , Madeira and more..

TAKE A LOOK at some of our Favourite Hotels near Christmas Markets, in conjunction with Active Hotels:

  • Cologne - Four Christmas markets, the best being ‘Am Dom’ with 160 stalls.
  • Vienna - Classic 700 year old market with drop in daily workshop for kids in the Town Hall to make presents and bake Christmas cookies whilst parents shop.
  • Brussels - A great choice for foodies, childcare in the Town Hall, street musicians and the fish market temporarily an ice rink.
  • Munich - Alpine choirs, 140 stalls, a crèche in the town hall, and ‘Heavenly Workshop’ - a free area for children to paint, make Christmas cookies and dress up as angels.
  • Berlin - contemporary, edgy and traditional, with artists and antique and contemporary jewellery around Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche
  • Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens with 60 stalls, glögg - Danish mulled wine mixed with liquor and spices, hot apple dumplings, pony rides and Santa with lots of leprechauns.

 

Christmas Adventure & Activity family holidays

Christmas Adventure & Activity family holidaysOr why not cut out the Christmas middle man altogether and head for colder climes and get Christmas straight from the horses (or reindeers'?) mouth, and visit Father Christmas himself in Lapland with partners Esprit Santa's Lapland

Check out our favourite Adventure trips with partners Activities Abroad and Esprit , with trip departures from December to March. Trips include, Wilderness Christmas - 7 day, Lapland , Kiruna & the ICEHOTEL® Adventure - 5 day , Traditional Norwegian Christmas at Karasjok, 5 day, Lapland , Traditional Finnish Christmas at Kuhmo - 7 day, Finland , Gallivare Snowing me Snowing you Adventure - 6 day, Sweden , Ruka & Kuusamo Snow Business Adventure - 8 day, Lapland and lots more...

Don't forget that you can also be in the driving seat and create your own tailor made trip. Choose the length and activities for your family to try on your winter wonderland holiday.

Check out our destination guides to Lapland , Sweden , Finland and see our favourite Christmas adventures..

 

Caribbean family holidays

Caribbean Christmas family holidaysChristmas is a magical time to visit the Caribbean. The weather will be sunny and dry, a host of local celebrations will be in full swing, and the air filled with music, even radio stations start playing Christmas music in late November. It is also peak season, so not an ideal time to find low season prices.

If you are a fan of Christmas pudding, you may be pleased to know that the dried fruits will most likely be soaked in local rum, as well as brandy and wine. Traditional Christmas lunch is roast turkey or roast or stewed pork, ham, rice and peas, candied sweet potatoes and salads...yum!

Check out our destination guides to Cuba , Jamaica , Barbados , Antigua , the Dominican Republic , St Lucia and Grenada .

 

USA and North America family holidays

Atlantic family holidaysIf you fancy heading to America over the Christmas period, a country that probably puts the most and longest festive preparations in, then there are tons of destinations and events to choose from. In New York , watch the polar bears open their presents in early December at Central Park's Wildlife Center, watch the Rockafella's Christmas tree lights go on, join 1 million curbside spectators at the annual Rose Parade on New Year's day in Los Angeles, or even visit Graceland for Elvis's birthday celebrations in early January. Or why not take advantage of some great offers to Disneyland, Orlando , to bring out the festive kid in everyone.

Check out our destination guides to New York , Washington , Orlando, Florida Keys , Northern California , Canadian Rockies , or an Alaskan Cruise .

 

Special UK Ideas

Save Up to 20% at UK Center ParcsWhy not make the most of all those bank holidays and treat yourselves to a family break at one of our UK family favourites. You are guaranteed festive fun over the whole Yuletide period, and with someone else preparing the Christmas spread, you can look forward to either putting your feet up or if you have more energy having a right old knees up.

Check out our destination guides to Devon , Dorset , Cornwall , Wales , Pembrokeshire , Snowdonia and North Wales , London , Belfast , Brighton , Cardiff , Suffolk , The Channel Islands , Kent , Eastbourne , Rutland , Northumberland , Yorkshire , Peak District and Derbyshire , Scotland , Edinburgh , Perthshire , and more..

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Take the Family Blog by Dea Birkett