Only one more sleep till Christmas now and you may have already had your fill of TV ads, Christmas music in shops and Christmas meals with the office or groups of friends. The Christmas build-up seems to come earlier and earlier these days. What can we learn from all this?
Well, as avid travellers, we could jump on the bandwagon and start thinking about Christmas 24? Have I gone mad? No, in fact, many of the world’s most desired resorts and villas get booked up a year in advance by repeat customers. As soon as they leave the resort for home, clients secure it for the following year. This is why some places never seem to be available over the festive period! Well, two can play at that game! Don’t forget that you can secure your booking with a deposit now and then you have about ten months till you need to pay the balance.
In addition, flights go on sale in early January, and you may never see these sale prices again. More than ever before, these genuine sale fares are to be snapped up. It is no longer a case of hedging your bets and waiting to see if prices come down later in the year. I’m prepared to stick my neck out and say that they will only go up.
The holiday season is always expensive, but leaving booking until the last minute makes it more so. So, be savvy and plan now.
Do you want to know how other nations celebrate Christmas?
Well, most Europeans have their big meal on Christmas Eve. Some have already had a celebration on December 6th, and some will have another on January 6th or 7th.
Although Turkey is traditional in the UK, it is not the case elsewhere. In the USA, they will have already had their Turkey meal on Thanksgiving, so they might opt for something else on the 25th. In Japan, it’s usually KFC for Christmas dinner! In the Nordic countries, it’s a hearty reindeer stew in Norway or a fishy feast in Sweden, never, ever forgetting the herring!
In Barbados, the table is not complete without Jug Jug, a dish inspired by the Scottish influence on the island combining pigeon peas, guinea corn flour, herbs, and salt.
Decorating is popular almost everywhere, with fake cobwebs in Ukraine (hoping they will turn to gold) but we all stand with them in wishing for the end of war this Christmas. In Germany, Saint Nicholas leaves coins in the shoes of good children and the Philippines holds a giant lantern festival in San Fernando. In Iceland, children put their shoes on the windowsill each night in the run-up to the big day and if they’re good, they find a candy in them the next morning, but if they’re naughty, it’s a rotten potato! In South Africa, traditional fir trees are decorated with handmade beads. And in Venezuela, it is traditional to head for the Christmas church service on rollerblades!
So, whether Christmas is celebrated for religious reasons or just to bring joy around the world, in the spirit of the movie Love Actually, it seems that Christmas is all about families and friends coming together to give thanks, eating together and spreading love.
Wishing our great big global family, a very happy Christmas and let’s never stop hoping and praying for Peace on Earth.
Feeling inspired? Book your next escape now. Get in touch with Lizzi by emailing [email protected] to book your dream trip!
by net effect