NEW YORK-
Thinking about spending Christmas away from home?
Good idea! Christmas is more portable than you think. Lots of families take Christmas on the road, and as long as the kids can still count on getting presents the morning of Dec. 25, they’ll love combining their favorite day of the year with a mini-vacation.
With extended families so far-flung these days, many families choose to gather at hotels or resorts rather than imposing on Aunt Irma or Grandma. This way the burden doesn’t fall on any one household to cook, clean and accommodate relatives on sofas and blowup beds in the basement; everyone gets a break. And many hotels take pride in their holiday offerings, from the decorations in the lobby to the menus in the dining room. Call ahead and see if you can ship wrapped gifts ahead to the hotel you’ll be staying at. The staff might even be willing to help you hide them. Or perhaps you can get an empty meeting room or banquet room set aside for your family’s use on Christmas morning so that all the relatives can gather in one place to exchange gifts.
Just be sure to check out what eateries are open near the hotel Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So many restaurants close for the holiday that whatever is open may be booked solid. A hotel with a dining room that stays open throughout the holidays might be your best bet for a Christmas destination. As a backstop, ask the front desk for the name of the nearest pizza place and call to see if they’re open Dec. 24 or 25 and how late they’ll deliver. Another option is picking up rotisserie chickens from a supermarket and making a little takeout feast in your hotel room; big grocery stores often open for a few hours early on Christmas Day.
Some families choose cruises Christmas week, or head to destinations in Mexico or the Caribbean where they can relax in the sun instead of the snow. Travel + Leisure Family magazine’s November/December issue — — a number of recommendations for family Christmas getaways, including historic Williamsburg in Virginia, where there are a variety of accommodations, or the Kona Village Resort on Hawaii’s Big Island, where you can attend the Christmas Eve service at the Mokuaikaua Church.
Indoor water parks, like the Great Wolf Lodge chain — — with parks in Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Wisconsin, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania and the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, are also a great choice. Not only is it a blast to be walking around in your bathing suit inside when it’s 20 degrees outside, but they’re very family-oriented places and often have a range of activities, from Hanukkah menorah-lightings to craft classes, in addition to all the water rides and pools. For grown-ups who get tired of the splashing and screams, head for the hot tub or spa.
If the idea of a snowy getaway appeals, consider a ski resort. This is a particularly good choice for families with a range of ages, because classes are often organized by age group. But check local weather; this autumn has been so warm in some parts of the country that some resorts have delayed their openings. Snowmaking machines cannot compete with 50-degree temperatures.
While some attractions are mobbed over Christmas, others may be empty. Of course Rockefeller Center will be crowded, but we visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., — — Dec. 24 last year, and there were only two or three other people in the entire museum.
If you live in or near an urban area, book a hotel in the center of the city. Many hotels offer holiday packages with discount coupons for various activities. Go ice skating at a city park and get tickets to a holiday show, whether it’s “A Christmas Carol,” “The Nutcracker” or a religious-themed pageant. Zoos and botanical gardens often schedule special holiday events as well, often staying open at night to showcase lighting displays, with hot chocolate and horse-drawn sleighs. Many zoo residents are more active in cold weather, too, so you might also get a spontaneous show from the polar bears.
Retail and entertainment districts in big cities often go all out for the holidays, with festive lighting and decorations. It’s loads of fun to walk around and take in the displays in store windows and the glittering streetscapes, and best of all, that kind of holiday sightseeing is free.
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This week’s advice: Instead of staying home this Christmas, pack up the presents and take a mini-vacation with the family. Options include everything from indoor water parks, to resorts in Mexico or the Caribbean, to ski resorts, to staying in a hotel in the nearest big city, where you’ll be dazzled by the holiday light displays. Just make sure you know where you’ll be having dinner, as many restaurants are closed the night before Christmas and on Christmas Day; restaurants that remain open may require reservations.
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