It’s officially December and here in the UK, it’s bloody freezing. I’m always a little jealous this time of year as my friends and family back in Australia are coming into the summer months and it makes me miss going to the beach everyday and just being in hot weather. Although, I have come to absolutely love a cold and “white Christmas,” I love getting comfy and warm with lots of blankets, heat packs and hot water bottles, watching a Christmas film. The snow too makes winter so much more enjoyable!
Speaking of which, I thought I’d do my own version of the “12 Days of Christmas” post and talk about all things travel related around the Christmas and holidays season. Hopefully you can use this as a little guide that will either help you on your own travel journey, to reflect on your own experiences, or even just be a comfort read that entertains a part of your day.
Without further ado, get yourself a drink and a snack to have a little read! If you ever want to chat or ask me a question, you can DM me on my Instagram the_runawayredhead.
Enjoy…
1.
Travelling in the shoulder months:
Travelling in the shoulder months is a must! This is when flights, accommodation and activities can be cheaper; places are a bit more quiet, less touristy and still incredibly beautiful. Little getaways can be so much fun either by yourself or with friends and family. It doesn’t have to be overseas, it can always be somewhere near your hometown. The shoulder season for a lot of countries over the world will be around March to May and then from mid September to November with June to August usually summer time (peak season) and December to February winter time (off season.)
Travelling in the off season can be so much fun too, winter havens such as Canada, America, Japan as well as many places over Europe, the UK, Iceland, New Zealand and even Australia have many places to snowboard, ski and experience snow or the “White Christmas.” Snowboarding in Canada around Christmas time are days I’ll never forget.
Some spots I’d recommend visiting in the shoulder months:
- Rome, Italy
- Banff, Alberta, Canada
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- London, England
- Lisbon/ Sintra, Portugal
- Lake District, England
- Snowdonia, Wales
- Madeira, Portugal
- Lanzarote, Canary Islands
- Sydney, Australia
2.
Edinburgh Christmas Market
Edinburgh Christmas Market is such a fun and exciting event that I got to visit just this year. My boyfriend Deejay and I met up with some good friends of ours, Rich and Leslie, and we explored around the Princess Street Gardens Christmas Markets at night. They have a few rides such as the Starflyer, big wheel and Techno Power ride, as well as countless, amazing stores full of food and drinks, hand made gifts, trinkets and souvenirs. You can easily spend quite a few hours wandering around, taking in the festive atmosphere. There are also more local and family run Christmas Markets on both George Street and Castle Street that are definitely worth checking out.
You can also venture around the popular sights of Edinburgh and check out all the Christmas decorations dotted around the city. I love how cozy Edinburgh felt on a winter’s day and there are plenty of cute cafes to sit in and have a drink to warm up.
3.
London Christmas Market
I got the chance to visit the London Christmas Markets this year with my friends Aine, Molly and Katie. We took a wander around the Southbank Centre Winter Markets, which are right by the River Thames, where you can find the opportunity to feast on all different kinds of food and snacks as well as mulled wine, hot toddies, cider and hot chocolates. The Christmas lights and decorations are awesome and you get the best winter/ holiday season atmosphere.
You can also check out the Spitalfields Christmas Markets, Leadenhall Market, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Kingston Christmas Market and King’s Cross Christmas Markets. London is such a cool place to be around Christmas time, just make sure to stick to weekdays as travelling to and around London on a weekend can mean FLOODS of people and tourists- so be organised and prepared!
4.
Manchester Christmas Market
Another one of my favourite Christmas Markets to visit around the holiday season. I got to visit quite a few times back in 2021 and have also been able to walk through the markets briefly this year. There’s something about the Christmas Markets in the UK that create the most warm, cheerful and snug vibes for the holiday season. Piccadilly Gardens hold the main Winter Markets but food and gift stalls are dotted all over Market Street, Cathedral Gardens, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, The Corn Exchange and King Street.
With the same as London, try and stick to going on a weekday if you don’t like crowds of people and tourists. The food there is awesome and the hot chocolates are delicious, there’ve been some good finds for Christmas presents and we always make sure to stock up on some cheese for our annual cheese board over Christmas time.
5.
Winter Hikes
One of my favourite parts about winter and the holiday season are winter hikes. I remember hiking Mount Kosiosko (the highest mountain in Australia) when I was little and doing a fair bit of hiking in the Blue Mountains and around my farm whilst growing up in both autumn/fall and winter time. When I was 19, I found myself hiking in deep snow amongst the Canadian Rockies and fell even more in love with winter. From living in England for the past four years, I’ve experienced the rough weather that can happen in the winter on top of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales, The Lakes and The Peak District.
There’s something magical about winter hiking especially if you hike for sunrise, you’ll start in the dark and watch the sky slowly turn pink and orange, brining a big flask of tea or coffee with you up the mountain being able to sit and have a hot drink in front of the gorgeous scenery. That’s only on a perfect day… being in England you can be up a mountain experiencing rain and wind that blow you sideways and make you more eager to get back in the car and go home haha!
Walking is great for our mental and physical health and so is being out in the mountains and in nature, so I’d definitely recommend visiting your local National Park or mountain/ hill range this holiday season to get out for a stroll and adventure.
6.
The Lake District
The Lake District is a true favourite of mine to visit during the autumn/fall and winter time. You have the gorgeous backdrop of the mountains wherever you go and the little towns such as Keswick, Windermere, Kendal, Coniston, Ambleside and Grasmere which are all so lovely to visit. There’s plenty of hiking and wild swimming to do, beautiful views and lots of activities to do such as white water rafting, caving, canyoning, ghyll scrambling, kayaking and canoeing to name a few- all which can be done in the autumn and winter times.
There are also some truly wonderful places to stay throughout the Lakes, from hotels to cottages, hostels, bothies, caravans and airbnbs. It can be a perfect holiday getaway for someone solo travelling, families and couples too. You can also just wander around the towns, do some shopping and visit some cozy, local cafes. Keswick is popular for delicious pasties that we always have to stop and get whenever we go up and the iconic Kendal mint cake.
7.
Australia at Christmas Time
When a lot of people are used to the classic and stereotypical “White Christmas,” it’s actually Sumer time in Australia and we have the opposite. Our holiday season is spent by the beach, having lots of barbecues, sunbathing, bright early mornings, and bare feet 99% of the time. From travelling over the past few years, this concept can be so hard for people to comprehend- especially when they’ve never experienced a warm Christmas. A lot of my Christmas days growing up were spent with family, having a big barbecue with lots of meat, seafood, salads, pasta dishes instead of a hot Christmas roast. I’ve also spent Christmas Day lounging about on the beach, and one year I visited Bondi Beach with family (which was absolutely packed!) My sister Cath and I used to get up super early too on Boxing Day to do some Boxing Day Shopping in Sydney. We’d get a 6am train into Wynyard and be done by 10am leaving the flooding and crowded streets of Sydney.
Things to do in Sydney in the holiday time:
- Visit the Northern Beaches
- Boxing Day Sales in Sydney (if you don’t mind big crowds)
- New Years Fireworks at the Harbour Bridge
- Walk around Circular Quay/ The Rocks
- Bondi Beach
- Visit and wander around the QVB, Sydney
8.
Self Care/ Mental health
From living in cold climates over Christmas and the holiday period, as well as just growing up and seeing how much pressure the Christmas season is put on people, self care and taking care of our mental health has never been more important. The truth is: Christmas and the holiday season isn’t enjoyable for everyone and in fact be a hard time for a lot of people. Whether its the reminder of a family member that has passed away, sick, or even just personal troubles, money troubles its vital to be kind to each other and support each other. Christmas isn’t just about gift giving and having to drain your bank account. It’s about spending time with family friends and even just yourself- however you’d like to. Don’t feel the need to follow society’s “expectations” and it’s completely okay to spend your Christmas Day differently than someone else.
Some tips to look after yourself and others throughout the season:
- Get outside (even if it’s for a walk!)
- Be a listening ear for others
- Don’t live outside your means
- Kind/ nice gestures don’t have to cost money (whether that’s to yourself or someone else)
- Keep up your hobbies!!
- REST.
9.
Christmas in Banff
Christmas in Banff was like no other Christmas I’d ever experienced. It was quite literally the definition of a “White Christmas.” There were all sorts of activities to do around December and January which made the holiday season so much fun, as someone who used to really hate winter, being in Banff helped me discover how brilliant the winter could be.
Living in Banff also made my first few Christmas’ by myself. Coming from a family that always had family gatherings and lots of celebrations around Christmas, it was weird to not be with them. If you do celebrate the holiday season and end up away from family and friends, it can feel strange and sometimes “lonely” around this time of the year. I was very fortunate both winters to work with great people that became like family to me whilst I was living in Banff. Spending Christmas Day with those people who I lived and worked with made me feel at home and created some wonderful memories. I also made sure to do get involved with the activities happening around Banff such as Ice Skating, checking out the ice sculptures, snowboarding and hiking which I thoroughly enjoyed and it felt really nice to be able to do these things with both my friends and by myself.
Try:
- Ice Skating at Lake Louise, Vermillion Lakes, Lake Minnewanka and Banff High School
- Tubing/ skiing at Norquay
- Ice sculptures at both Lake Louise and in Banff town
- Skiing/ snowboarding at Sunshine and Lake Lousie
- Winter hikes (Johnston Canyon, Marble Canyon, Tunnel Mountain, Sulphur Mountain and Troll Falls to name a few.)
- Banff Hot Springs
10.
Essential Winter Travel Tips
12 essential winter items to have:
- Thermals
- Beanie/ Good gloves
- Thermos Flask
- Compression bags/ packing cubes
- Sunscreen
- Swimmers/ flip flops
- Waterproof Clothing
- Hiking boots
- Comfy pair of slippers
- A good book
- Thick socks
- A hobby you enjoy
11.
Travelling on Christmas Day
- Be organised and prepared to travel on Christmas Day.
- Research public transport changes in your area.
- Research shop opening times in your area.
- Contact friends and family.
- Keep your routine (whether that’s your morning or nightly routine or any during the day.)
- Make time for yourself.
- There’s no “specific way” to celebrate Christmas- do whatever you want!
- Rest.
- Continue your hobbies.
- Treat yourself.
12.
5 Memorable Christmas Moments
1. Banff on Christmas Day
Banff on Christmas Day are days I’ll never forget. The snow and the weather was so perfect and was exactly like the classic “White Christmas” I’d only ever seen on tv and in movies. It was absolutely gorgeous and I had so much fun calling it my home for two years. Everyone in Banff is so friendly and everyone looks after each other… it was fun to navigate the day with my housemates, friends and other locals in Banff. Both winters I worked Christmas Day, but it didn’t really feel like work, and it makes me laugh now how much I got paid for not doing a lot- working on Christmas was almost a novelty. The first winter I went to a friends house who I worked with, and we all had a big Christmas dinner, played beer pong and had a little house party of our own. It was so much fun to be in good company, eating and laughing all night long. My second Christmas, we had a big dinner at the hostel with all the staff which was brilliant. Everyone had made something and it laid out like a buffet so you could go and get whatever you wanted. I remember making a delicious brownie and it being pretty popular!
- Snowboarding on Christmas Eve Eve
Being able to snowboard on Christmas Eve Eve was a day I’ll never forget. Coming from Australia and being 16/17 years old the first time I saw snow, to be on top of Goat’s Eye snowboarding with good friends was certainly a “pinch me” moment. It feels so awesome to have been able to experience Christmas time in different temperatures, from 30° degree heat to -25/-30 and snowing.
- Christmas Day with Deejay
Every Christmas I spend with Deejay is so much fun and I’m always left feeling incredibly grateful and lucky for him and his family. Deejay and I love to adventure, so some Christmas’s we have gone to visit the different Christmas markets, gone for a hike, or travelled in the shoulder / off peak season. Not to mention the classic Christmas dinners we’ve had and the food we’ve consumed has always been a winner.
- Christmas in July Aus- Jenolan Caves
Something different, but very memorable, one year in July, my mum, brother and sister visited the Jenola Caves for a special Christmas in July dinner, where they served a roast dinner (similar to a classic English Roast Dinner.) As in Australia our winter time is from June- August, we got that winter Christmas feeling which felt so special and we got to explore the phenomenal underground caves. It was so much fun and it definitely made me interested in how others spend a cold Christmas/ holiday season.
- Catching up with Aine, Molly and Katie around Christmas
I love catching up with friends around Christmas and back in 2021 I was able to meet up with my good friends Aine and Katie at the Nottingham Christmas for a night, it was great to explore the Christmas markets and have some good company. This year Aine, Molly, Katie and I were all able to meet up in London for a meal and a walk around the Southbank Christmas Markets. Meeting up with friends means so much to me especially around the holiday period, it’s nice to be surrounded by people I love. Growing up in Australia on Christmas meant big family gatherings and from them I’ve made some truly awesome memories. From travelling, the friends I’ve made have become my family so their company always means a lot and is always special to me.
