Tag: Christmas Travel

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Merry GIFsmas, from Jaunted

December 24, 2011 at 6:54 PM | by | Comments (0)

Happy Holidays to you, our awesome readers. We've already got everything we wanted—you guys.
Safe and awesome travels this long weekend!

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Foreign Grocery Friday: The Ponche Crema of Venezuela

Where: Venezuela
December 23, 2011 at 10:11 AM | by | Comments (0)

When we travel, one of our favorite things to do is to pop into a local grocery store and check out the food products and candies we'd never find anywhere else. So we're trying out this new feature, Foreign Grocery Friday, where each week we'll feature some of our (and your) favorite overseas treats. Got a recommendation? Let us know!

Hope you like rum. Since Venezuela is the producer for some of the world's best rums, it only makes sense that they've have a far better version of egg nog than most of the rest of the world. Their boozy, creamy holiday drink is called the Ponche Crema, and it's not just limited to Venezuela either; this is a drink enjoyed in the southern Caribbean as well, and since so many travelers head to spend Christmas break in the balmy weather, a Ponche Crema or two may be part of the holiday feasting.

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It's Okay to Shop for Holiday Gifts in Airport Vending Machines

December 22, 2011 at 12:07 PM | by | Comments (0)

This may seems like the jankiest holiday gift shopping suggestion ever, but trust us for a moment; airport vending machines are a viable option for Christmas and Chanukah presents. We know because we've seen quite a variety of vending machines in our travels, and felt the pressure to buy last-minute hostess gifts just before jumping on planes.

No terminal has a better variety of random vending machines than JetBlue's Terminal 5 at JFK, but SFO's T2 and Tokyo-Narita are up there as well. What you want to look for are variety machines like the "U*Tique" machine pictured above. It's got everything from Jonathan Adler ceramic salt & pepper shakers to kits from The Art of Shaving, to those sparkly Lady Gaga bud headphones. Some super easy stocking stuffers in there.

A step up is obviously the Best Buy machine, with its iPods, Bluetooth headsets, GPS and gadget cases.

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TSA Critics Ring in the Holidays with Their Own Christmas Music Video

December 21, 2011 at 3:23 PM | by | Comments (0)

As we wind down the year in TSA and airport security, we can't help but notice that the agency has made very tiny steps in the direction of sanity. They've gone from generic terrorism alerts to targeted social media alerts. They've gone from defending the intrusive screening of 6-year-olds to not doing that any more. They've gone from delaying scanner safety studies and potentially covering up cancer risks to seeking public comment over the devices. And they've publicly launched investigations of their "few bad apple" agents, who seem to pop up everywhere from Charlotte to Honolulu.

So it's with a tiny tinge of regret that we post this video from the libertarians at Reason.tv, who hate airport security theater the way we hate inflatable pillows (we really hate inflatable pillows). One problem is that the TSA is really trying. It's just that it'd be nice if they'd try a little harder.

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Three London Christmas Markets That Nod to the German Tradition

December 20, 2011 at 3:32 PM | by | Comments (0)

Christmas markets are an advent of countries like Germany and Austria, but the honored holiday tradition has been adopted by cultures the world over.

In London, there's yuletide market merriment to be found stretching from the Thames to Columbia Road. Sprinkled throughout the city, these shopping fairs feature vendors hawking everything from fresh mulled wine to crafts to handmade jewels, offering ample opportunity to shop for presents and partake of seasonal cheer.

There are only a few days left to peruse the "chalet" stalls for last-minute gifts as you take in the sight of strung lights and sip on hot cocoa. We've highlighted three of the city's best Christmas markets:

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Foreign Grocery Friday: The Glögg Mulled Wine of Scandinavia

Where: Sweden
December 16, 2011 at 1:26 PM | by | Comment (1)

When we travel, one of our favorite things to do is to pop into a local grocery store and check out the food products and candies we'd never find anywhere else. So we're trying out this new feature, Foreign Grocery Friday, where each week we'll feature some of our (and your) favorite overseas treats. Got a recommendation? Let us know!

With only so much time left before the holidays, it's now that we get serious about winter treats. Gingerbread houses and candy canes are all well and good, but going farther afield to foreign Christmas traditions yields such yummy drinks as Glögg. This mulled wine is a decidedly Scandinavian tradition, but Iceland and Estonia like to get in on it as well.

Since Glögg is essentially just one version of mulled wine, other country's attempts at the beverage are also totally fine if Glögg isn't available. Germany/Austria/Switzerland's Glühwein is, for instance, an excellent substitute, as is the vin brulé of Northern Italy (especially the ski resort towns). Just be sure to serve it with a bit of gingerbread or a few ginger snap cookies on the side.

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Jingle All the Way to Paradise, PA for the National Christmas Center

December 9, 2011 at 9:55 AM | by | Comments (0)

Unfortunately Santa doesn’t open up the North Pole in the offseason for a behind-the-scenes look at what takes place in his workshop, but we might have found the next best thing. If the holiday stress and shopping is taking a toll on you this season, just consider taking a holiday timeout to visit the National Christmas Center. There’s no official museum all about Christmas, but this is pretty darn close.

Located in Paradise, Pennsylvania—right in the heart of Amish country—the place is dedicated to preserving and sharing memories of Christmas present and past. We don’t think there's exhibits dedicated to embarrassing holiday sweaters or home movies, but there are 15 different galleries and exhibits—along with a handful of smaller displays. In total there’s like 20,000 square feet of stuff to see and displays to wander through.

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Santa's In-Sleigh WiFi is Faster Than Your In-Flight WiFi

December 8, 2011 at 12:35 PM | by | Comment (1)

These days, with so many WiFi-equipped planes criss-crossing the skies, we definitely think twice before booking flights not equipped with it. In-Flight WiFi is just so...integral to keeping our mobile lifestyle moving, but also it's becoming expected. We're happy to report that someone else joins in this thinking—none other than the jolly elf himself, Santa Claus.

Earlier this month, Gogo gave Santa the Christmas gift at the top of his list: an upgrade to the newest ATG-4 onboard internet, including the new media platform to allow Santa to watch movies and TV shows while on those long, transocean crossings on Christmas Eve.

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The Polar Express is a Real Thing, for the Next Month Anyway

December 7, 2011 at 10:04 AM | by | Comments (0)

If your ride aboard the commuter rail just isn’t giving you that warm and fuzzy feeling this holiday season, it might be time to look for a different kind of train. The Polar Express is certainly an option, especially the one offered by the Grand Canyon Railway in the days leading up to Christmas.

All your favorite aspects of the children’s book—and none of the creepy ones from the feature film—come alive as you board the train just outside the Grand Canyon in Williams, Arizona. After a customary declaration of “All Aboard,” the train chugs off through the woods and wilderness on its way to the North Pole. Cookies and hot chocolate are served on the train while enjoying a rendition of the classic story, and then the main event arrives when it's time to visit Santa and his reindeer.

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Bologna Flips the Switch to Light Its Own Twin Towers for the Holidays

Where: Bologna, Italy
December 5, 2011 at 3:27 PM | by | Comments (0)

You know how Christmas decorations can somehow seem a little tacky? (Yes, Oxford Street and Regent Street in London, looking at you.) Well, over in Italy, everything's done a little more classily.

In Bologna this weekend, the first thing we noticed was just how touchingly lovely the Christmas decorations are. A massive Christmas tree in the main Piazza Maggiore, by the statue of Neptune. Classy white lights dripping down the main shopping street, Via Indipendenza, and little icicle-like streams in the smaller streets.

And then there was the Garisenda tower—one of Bologna's twin towers—which was all lit up from top to bottom, looking all glitzy yet restrained. Perfectly done, Bologna, perfectly done.

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How and Where to Catch a Ride on Chicago's Annual Holiday Train

December 1, 2011 at 11:45 AM | by | Comment (1)

When you think of the holiday season and big cities you probably think of New York City and its window displays and oversized Christmas tree. Well it’s time to consider Chicago as well, because they certainly get into the holiday spirit in their own Midwesterny ways. Especially since every season they totally remodel the inside and outside of an El train with lights, decorations, and more.

The Chicago Transit Authority has done this for a few years now, and the trains even come complete with Santa and his elves, on hand to pass out candy canes and other treats. In additional to the holiday treats, the train is decked out with lights from top to bottom along with projections and other displays. It doesn’t stop there either, as the inside of the train also gets a holly jolly makeover that can put a smile on the face of even the biggest Grinch.

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Warm Weather Holidays: Four Ice Skating Rinks Found in the Southern States

November 29, 2011 at 9:56 AM | by | Comments (0)

The scene in downtown Raleigh...

Rolling hills covered with snow might be the typical scene around the holidays up North, but that’s usually not the case down South; however, that’s not stopping Southerners from celebrating the season. Here’s a few places where you can strap on a pair of ice skates and go for a spin in some southern spots:

· Dallas – Frisco Square’s Lights on Ice:
Apparently it’s been like a decade or so since the greater Dallas-Ft. Worth area has hosted an outdoor skating rink, but things are changing this year. The Zamboni has hit Frisco, Texas, as the ice rink is open in Frisco Square between now and January 8. It’s just $10 per person to go for a spin, and that even includes skate rental. If you and your holiday crew want a more intimate skating experience, they’ll even rent the whole place out to you for around $200 an hour. The rink is open pretty much every day—except for Christmas—and is open until 10pm each evening.

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