Christmas Destinations

"The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others' burdens, easing other's loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas."
WC Jones

 

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence
of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
Burton Hillis

Holidays are a time for staying home, especially if your family is in the same area as you.  I know a lot of people have to travel at Christmas, just to be with the ones they love.  But if you all live in the same area, then you will probably be home for the holidays.  But even so, there are day trips you can take around the holidays, that will put you in the Christmas spirit.

Hotel Del in Coronado, Calif.

Here in southern California we have several places that are famous for Christmas.  We live in San Diego, and we have the Hotel Del Coronado.  It has become a tradition in our family to go to the Hotel Del (as it is known locally) during the Christmas holidays, just to see the decorations.  They have the hotel lighted during the Christmas season, and there is a huge tree in the lobby area, which is several stories high.  Every year the decorations are different.  On the 6th of January they actually sell those decorations to the public, but you have to be in line early to get them, as they are very popular.  I have some decorations on my tree that came from the Del, and they are favorites of mine. 

Riverside, California is only a few hours from San Diego and is also a great Christmas destination.  There is a hotel in Riverside called the Mission Inn.  It is designed after the old missions that are located in California.  The hotel is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year, but at Christmas it is decorated for the holidays and is a fun place to go and explore.  It will certainly put you in the holiday mood.  And the streets surrounding the Mission Inn are filled with antique shops and other types of unusual shops, all of which are also decorated.  It is a great place to get some of your holiday shopping done.



Christmas in Leavenworth, Washington

I grew up in Washington state and I visit up there at least once a year.  There is a town in Washington that is known for its Christmas spirit.  The town is Leavenworth.  This Bavarian themed city is located in the central part of Washington State and provides all the necessary ingredients for a fun-filled time during the winter months and holiday season. You’re sure to find plenty of snow, kids sledding in the heart of town, horse-drawn sleigh rides. live holiday music, shops serving warm treats, and of course, plenty of Christmas lights.

Living in southern California I do have a hard time feeling like it is Christmas, because quite often it is warm enough to spend the day at the beach. I grew up where it was cold at Christmas, quite often snow on the ground.  There is a part of me that still feels like it should be cold on Christmas , but just for Christmas eve and Christmas day, then it can go back to warm weather. 

Christmas in New York

Last year my girl-friend and I decided to leave our husbands at home for a few days and head to New York, about 2 weeks before Christmas.  I had been to New York before, but never at Christmas.  I found New York to be a wonderful place to get in the holiday spirt.  It felt more like Christmas, because the weather was cold, although we didn't get any snow.  We saw the Rockettes Christmas show as well as a Broadway play.  We took in the lights and the tree at Rockefeller Center, and we considered going ice skating.  There are Christmas Markets in New York also, which were fun to visit.  It was a great way to start off the holiday season. To read about our trip to New York at Christmas, go to:  http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-trip-to-new-york-december.html

Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany

Speaking about Christmas Markets, I have taken two trips to Europe during the Christmas season, to visit the Christmas Markets.  If you ever have the opportunity to do this, I highly recommend it.  Especially if you are into Christmas.  I am not at all religious, and am quite open about it.  But I do love Christmas, it is part of my childhood memories, part of our traditions.  I don't celebrate in a religious way, but I do celebrate, and it is my favorite holiday.  Besides, if you know anything about history, then you know that there is no way that the Christ child could have been born in December, it had to be in the summer months.  There used to be a pagan holiday in December, and the Christians decided to have there highest holiday celebration to coincide with that, with the idea of taking it over and turning the pagans into  Christians.  For the most part it worked.  The pagan side has the tree, the Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, etc.  Combine that with all of the Christian symbols of the manager and such, and you have todays Christmas.  I personally celebrate more the pagan side. But whatever your beliefs, if you like Christmas, then you will love the Christmas Markets, especially those in Germany.  If you would like to read more about the Christmas Markets, go to:
http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/p/christmas-market-trip-december-2006.html or http://havelistwilltravel.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-markets.html



Christmas in Colonial
Williamsburg

I remember years ago when we lived in Virginia, we went to Williamsburg at Christmas time.  They had the whole town decorated with Christmas wreaths and holly and they told us about the early settlers Christmas traditions.  They still hold their holiday celebrations in Williamsburg, and it would be a great place to go and experience Christmas the way our ancestors did.  There are historic houses with circles of greenery dotted on doors and windows, roasted chestnuts in an open-air market and much more. The jingling of real bells on horse drawn carriages will get you in the spirit, and you might even want to march with the colonial fifes and drums corps and let the crisp early evening chill envelope you. And you can learn about Christmas through a Jamestown settler, or a battle-weary Revolutionary War Soldier, or even a colonial farmer. For more information, go to: http://visitwilliamsburg.com/williamsburg-attractions/christmas-in-williamsburg

This year I am heading to Washington for part of my holidays.  My mom is 94 and she lives in a retirement home.  She won't travel, she says she just doesn't feel up to it, so I can't bring her here for the holidays.  For the past few Christmas' she has spent the day without family.  She has friends at the home, and she says she is fine with that.  My sister lives in Seattle, and she always gets down close to Christmas to see her, but not on the day.  So, this year we will spend Christmas eve here with our family, opening presents and doing our traditional Christmas eve stuff.  On Christmas day, my daughter and I are flying to Washington.  We should (if there are no delays because of weather) get to her place in time for the Christmas dinner at the retirement home.  We will spend a few days with her and celebrate the holidays together.  After all, my childhood memories of Christmas are all about her and my family.  I'm looking forward to our time together.

So, whatever your Christmas traditions, consider making a day trip, or a longer trip, that will get you in the mood, and give you that holiday feeling.  Go visit an area that has special decorations, or go a holiday show.   And have a Happy Holiday!