Looking for a destination Christmas? It doesn't get much more festive than a visit to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, located in Finland's Lapland region. Photo / @santaclausvillageofficial
Looking for a destination Christmas? It doesn't get much more festive than a visit to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, located in Finland's Lapland region. Photo / @santaclausvillageofficial
Feeling disenchanted after getting rain for Christmas or just can’t stand the thought of yet another year of stuffing the turkey, or your stuffy in-laws?
House of Travel says it is seeing more people packing their bags and seeking out a white Christmas.
When people think of Christmas abroad, many envisage the bright lights of the Big Apple.
With a huge number of Christmas movies, from Miracle on 34th Street to Elf, all set against a backdrop of the festive lights of New York, it is perhaps one of the most iconic Christmas destinations.
There’s the famous Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree, the holiday window displays at Macy’s Herald Square and the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular.
Snow falls outside the Rockefeller Centre and its famous Christmas Tree on December 21, 2024. Photo / Getty Images
Kelly-Ann Patterson from House of Travel Lower Hutt spent the first half of December there with her sister Maria on a trip she says was “nothing short of magical”.
“The best ‘pinch-me’ moments were experiencing the beauty of the iconic Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree as ice skaters whirled around beneath its twinkling lights.
“The other ‘wow’ highlight was strolling by Macy’s world-renowned holiday window display and then drinking coffee and walking through Central Park, which looked like it was the backdrop to a winter wonderland movie.”
Visit Santa Claus in Lapland
In this winter wonderland you can meet reindeer, take a sleigh ride with huskies, go ice fishing, and cross the Arctic Circle.
Most Christmas tours will take you to Rovaniemi, which is considered the official hometown of Santa Claus.
There you will find Santa Claus' Village — an experience Adventure World head of sales Andrew Eddy says can be enjoyed by all ages.
You can meet the man in red himself and visit his official post office.
Cross the Arctic Circle at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. Photo / @santaclausvillageofficial
You may also have a chance to see nature’s Christmas lights, the Northern Lights, which are at their peak during the Christmas season.
“Witnessing the Northern Lights in a snowy landscape with a reindeer sleigh ride and visiting Santa himself — I don’t think it gets much more Christmassy than that,” Eddy says.
Have snow much fun in Europe
The European Christmas markets are perhaps the ultimate festive shopping experience.
This year, Suzanne and Dave Andrews from House of Travel The Square spent seven nights on a river cruise from Nuremberg to Amsterdam, where they were able to visit several Christmas markets and enjoy plenty of Glühwein (mulled wine).
They found hand-blown glass snowmen, Christmas-themed stained glass, and ceramics crafted by local potters.
Other highlights from the pair’s trip included strolling through Rothenburg’s fairy-tale streets while snow fell, marvelling at the twinkling Christmas lights and wafting smells of roasting chestnuts.
Denmark is also a hit for those wanting to visit the Christmas markets, with markets in theme parks, castles and of course old towns.
Liva Polack, a Danish student living in New Zealand, recommends Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, which are decked out with over a million Christmas lights.
Be merry and bright in London
London is steeped in Christmas tradition and come December, it counteracts its grey days with dazzling light displays, ice skating and festive entertainment galore.
The Savoy Theatre in London was where fairy lights were first created in 1882. Photo / The Savoy
Brandon, a Kiwi living in London, says one of the biggest displays to see is Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park.
The park is transformed into an amusement park, and also has (quite literally) cool experiences like an ice bar.
Brandon says the pubs also get into the Christmas spirit and his favourite thing he has done so far is a pub crawl outside London.
The anti-Christmas - relax with friends in Phuket
It’s not just the traditional white Christmas that has people jetsetting at Christmas. House of Travel says millennials in particular are increasingly ditching holiday traditions and family expectations in favour of ticking off their bucket-list travel dreams.
This year Kylie Rutland and two of her best friends are having their third Christmas “girls-cation”, this time to Thailand. They are also celebrating Rutland’s 40th birthday.
“We’re swapping the hustle for pure relaxation — flopping on the beach, enjoying delicious food, sipping Thai cocktails, people-watching to our hearts' content and diving into the books we’ve been meaning to read all year.”
Their Christmas Day plans included an afternoon sundowner at Nomad Beach Club, a family-friendly seaside spot with fresh seafood and cocktails.
“On New Year’s Day, we’ll enjoy a taste of Ibiza in Phuket at beach club, Café Del Mar.
“And for my birthday, we’re heading to the adults-only Yona Beach Club, which is the world’s first floating club — it’s on a boat in the middle of the ocean.”
