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Tag: Christmas Alternatives View All Tags

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Cancel Christmas To Suck Face In Venice Instead

Where: Venice, Italy
December 11, 2009 at 10:33 AM | by Jennifer Kester | 0 Comments

Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn have the right idea in the movie Four Christmases; ditch the family for a romantic vacation this holiday. Venice is a reliable spot for a you and your mistletoe partner to get away for some alone time. And it's not too late to buy tickets. Kayak is offering round-trip airfare to the starting at $1,099 during the holidays. That's expensive for the rest of the year, but not during this season—it's a bargain.

Of course, the obligatory romantic thing to go is take a gondola ride in the canals, but that's the number one offense on our list of what not to do in Venice. While riding a gondola with only two people can get pretty expensive, don't let that deter you from enjoying the canals, even if it's by vaporetto, or water bus. The canals are a big part of the city's mystique and being on the water in the winter will give you a reason to snuggle with your honey.

Or do more than snuggle...

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Settle in for a Long Winter's Nap on Dominican Republic Beaches

December 3, 2009 at 9:04 AM | by Jennifer Kester | 0 Comments

Spend your holiday in a hammock.

When December hits, people get excited for snow, treats and spending time with family. But for many of us that translates into non-stop shoveling, nasty fruit cake and yet another family screaming match. Forget Christmas this year—and the stress that comes along with it—and head to the Dominican Republic.

And how about this for a relaxing non-holiday: an all-inclusive vacay at Excellence Puta Cana that costs $123 a night for stays through December 23.

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We're Dreaming Of A White (Sand) Christmas Down Under

November 20, 2009 at 2:25 PM | by amandak | 0 Comments

Think a white, sandy Christmas might be better than a white snowy one? All you northern hemisphere people can be guaranteed a very different experience if you decide to celebrate Christmas in Australia, where temperatures can easily reach over the century mark and a swim at the beach is way more likely than a snowball fight.

The nice thing is that it's not even too late, if you decide skipping the drag of family festivities is what you want. There are still plenty of packages available to get you Down Under for a few days around Christmas time, including heaps of lastminute.com travel packages from LAX to Sydney, including airfare and accommodation for a week for around $2,000 for a five-night stay.

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What Napa's All About: Bed and Breakfasts and Wine Tastings

November 17, 2009 at 2:24 PM | by Heidi Atwal | 1 Comment

Gift giving, twinkling lights, and plenty of booze often make for a festive holiday season, but going overboard with the latter wouldn't garner a stamp of approval from Kris Kringle. Leave it to Napa's wine producers and humble Bed and Breakfast proprietors to class up those awkward, alcohol-tinged family gatherings and raise some money for charity in the process.

Plenty of Napa Valley wineries are having holiday Open House events on weekends, but to experience a smorgasbord of varietals, vintner offerings, and enjoy the quaint charm of Downtown Napa, buy a ticket to the annual B&B Tour & Taste Event. The four-hour affair will take place on December 5th from 2:00-6:00 PM, when ticket-holders will go from one B&B to the next to "ooh" and "aah" over wreaths, ornaments, and tinsel decor.

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Help Costa Rican Families This Holiday Season On A Volunteer Vacation

October 7, 2009 at 4:02 PM | by cmb | 0 Comments

Who needs another awkward family Christmas watching Aunt Betty get drunk and grandpa fall asleep? Instead, why not spend the holidays spreading some much needed holiday cheer in Costa Rica and participate in fun activities like zip lining and river rafting?

Tropical Adventures has created a special tour, dubbed The Holiday Project 2009, which mixes fun adventures with much-needed visits to diverse communities to spread the joy of the holidays. The trip is open to families and children of all ages are welcome to join in on the fun. As part of the package, families will spend a total 9 days/8 nights in Costa Rica, 2 nights will be spent in a hotel in San Jose, 4 nights in Puerto Viejo with a host family and the final 2 nights are spent on an Indigenous Reservation. The trip also includes all on-the-ground transportation, most meals, 3 holiday parties with local children and retirees, and 3 adventure tours.

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Join Richard Branson Under The Moroccan Mistletoe This Christmas

October 5, 2009 at 12:53 PM | by amandak | 0 Comments

We're not ashamed to be fans of all things Richard Branson, and with the Christmas season approaching scary fast, we're thinking Richard's ideas on how and where to spend Christmas sound pretty good. If you want to avoid the shopping mall headaches and escape the northern hemisphere cold, Virgin's Kasbah Tamadot Resort in Morocco has some very tempting Christmas deals.

There are five or seven-day packages over the Christmas and New Year period, and they'll certainly be a little bit different from your average gift-swapping, carol-singing festive season. Packages include festive Berber feasts, guided walks in the Atlas Mountains, market excursions and a ride on the resident mules. Booking soon would be a great idea, because these are special, limited-capacity vacations.

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Go To Goa, But Don't Party On The Beach This Xmas

Where: Goa, India
December 22, 2008 at 9:00 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

Since we mentioned the cool idea of a Christmas vacation in beautifully-decorated Goa, India, the local authorities have been making important decisions.

We're still keen on the idea but wanted to let you know that they have now banned beach parties from December 23 through to January 5, based on security fears. However, the authorities say that all the hotel-based functions will still go ahead, as will the local traditional celebrations we were swooning over.

So while you mightn't get your midnight swim in, the beach party ban probably makes it a bit safer for everyone. And we're really glad they haven't done anything really crazy like banning the cashew cakes and baklava-esque pastries. That'd make us revise our travel advice for sure.

Related Stories:
· Beach Parties Banned in Goa Over Terrorist Fears [The Age]
· Xmas in Goa: BYO Grinch [Jaunted]
· India Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Poo-tee-weet?]

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Wake Yourself Up In Barcelona

Where: Montalegre 5, Barcelona, Spain
December 18, 2008 at 4:05 PM | by egw | 0 Comments

Aunt Mary's Christmas sweaters may provoke discussion this year, but will that really carry you through to New Year's Eve? Find something you can really argue about (besides religion or politics) at Barcelona's BAC! International Festival of Contemporary Art, through December 28.

The Spanish fashion scene is practically homegrown in Barcelona, considered the hip cousin to slightly stodgy capital Madrid. The theme of BAC! 08, held at the Centre de Cultura Contemporŕnia de Barcelona, is "Réveille-toi" or "Wake yourself up"--a rallying cry for conscious cultural consumption and a re-valuation of society that takes into account more that just superficial value.

Pieces on display include a film exhibit of surrealist satires curated by Chilean and New York filmmakers and Phil Toledano's neon art.

Related Stories:
· Réveille-toi! [Official Site]
· Movie Set Travel: Vicky Cristina Barcelona [Jaunted]
· Barcelona on a Budget [Jaunted]

[Photo of original art from BAC! 08: doloreshorrores]

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Xmas in Goa: BYO Grinch

Where: Goa, India
December 17, 2008 at 2:03 PM | by egw | 0 Comments

If taking off for India means missing the yearly round-the-clock viewings of Christmas "classics" like "Miracle on 34th Street" and that horrible cartoon "Frosty The Snowman," we'll be packed and ready to go in 10 minutes. Instead, keep Christmas the Goan way, in honor of the west-coast state which maintains enough of its Portuguese roots to honor the holiday in the majority-Hindu country.

The streets are decorated with lights and elaborate paper stars, pictured. A Goa Christmas typically begins with Missa de Galo, late-night masses that bleed into the early morning hours, after which party-goers eat cashew cakes and a baklava-esque pastry with coconut called bebinca. Since there's no snow, your only worry is how long you'll have to wait after eating to hit the beach, although that's more of an adopted-tourist tradition than long-standing Indian rite.

Note: While the terrorist attacks in Mumbai have dampened tourism all over India, we're standing with Peter Greenberg and defending a visit to the country, on the grounds that common tourist haunts are on high alert. This could also translate into some mean last-minute deals on the ground. Still, travel at your own risk.

Related Stories:
· Super World Travelers Go to Goa [Jaunted]
· So, Just How Safe Is India? [Jaunted]
· Christmas in Goa [Travelblog.org]
· A Lovely Christmas in Goa [Seattle Times]

[Photo: pjhaveri]

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Over The River And Through The Woods

December 10, 2008 at 4:50 PM | by egw | 1 Comment

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, why just dream? Britain's National Trust features events all over its parks and landmarks during the holidays, for those times when cabin fever threatens to get toxic.

Using their event finder, we're pitching ourselves to Cornwall to visit Lanhydrock, the Victorian country house which is sponsoring a nature walk among its formal gardens on Christmas Eve. Forget last-minute shopping; if you come by from 11 to 4, you could win a special prize for completing the "Hidden Nature" challenge. And afterwards, there'd still be time to see some of the house's 50 rooms open to the public.

In case of inclement weather, curl up at home with a copy of the National Trust's Men At Work calendar ($11.77), featuring real Trust employees hard at work. Proceeds go to the restoration of Seaton Delaval Hall, a country house in northern England.

Related Stories:
· Summer Fun: Duck Into A Cornwall Beach [Jaunted]
· The Safest Way To Spend A Night In A Tree [Jaunted]
· Celebrate Our Men at Work [Nationaltrust.org.uk]

[Photo: ennor]

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Another Asian Destination Convincing Us It's Christmassy

December 10, 2008 at 9:35 AM | by amandak | 0 Comments

And next on our list of unlikely places to spend Christmas … after you've soaked up the Christmas soul of Seoul you can move on to Hong Kong. They're putting on their annual Winterfest that's meant to encourage us all to spend the Christmas season spending Hong Kong dollars in all their great shopping malls.

Well, that's not exactly what they're saying. The Hong Kong Tourism Board wants us to see their ten-story high Christmas tree and perhaps best of all, get into the Christmas carol singing. Spread across various parts of Hong Kong, it sounds like you won't be able to turn around without tripping over a carol singer and they'll also be on open-air buses, trams and trucks.

Do you ever get the feeling these tourist boards might just be conning us by hyping the Christmas spirit of their city? Whatever. We're suckers for a good bit of Christmas spirit so we'll sing along if a Hong Kong caroler comes close.

Related Stories:
· Hong Kong Winterfest [Official Site]
· Seoul Says Celebrate Here [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: Gerald Garcia]

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Stop By Santa's House

Where: Ivalo, Finland
December 8, 2008 at 4:20 PM | by egw | 1 Comment

This time of year most people are trying to flee the cold weather instead of embrace it. But British tour operators are pushing trips to the region of Sápmi--classically but incorrectly known as Lapland--as a way to see Santa before he embarks on his RTW trip.

Being from the uncouth continent, we have no idea whether a trip to see Santa's house that doesn't involve a megamall and Polaroids is traditional, but we can't help but be intrigued by offers of Husky safaris and Arctic Circle crossings. Santa Park falls firmly on the tourist-trap side, but Polarfleece addicts might enjoy a toboggan-riding day trip that caters to their inner child. (And we mean inner because seriously, bundle up!)

Related Stories:
· Are Lapland Ski Resorts Finnished? [Jaunted]
· Foxy Lights in Finland [Jaunted]

[Photo of a reindeer in Rovaniemi, Finland: infeite]