Have you ever watched the festive film Christmas with the Kranks? It’s one of my favourites that I watch every year and with good reason: the couple in the film decide to go away on a cruise for Christmas – a venture that will actually save them money compared to their normal festive spending – and that sounds really appealing to me.
I’m really intrigued by the idea of going away for the whole holiday period – preferably somewhere snowy, of course! Even though I love all the festive fun with family and friends that comes during those two weeks over Christmas, it’s also really tiring and can be rather expensive.
So, I began to wonder whether it actually would be a money-saving or time-saving venture to be taking a road trip or boarding a cruise in December and go away for Christmas. Here’s a list of my reasons for taking a break this Winter…
1. Making the most of annual leave
Most of us get a limited amount of annual leave to use throughout the year. And often we have to take some of those days over Christmas. That could be because the whole company closes over Christmas or maybe there’s just no practical work to be done during those Twixtmas days. Perhaps you would be the only one not taking the time off, so you’d have no colleagues to have meetings with until after the New Year.
Whatever the reason, many of us find ourselves with nearly two weeks off at the end of December every year and we might not even want that time off as it’s using up our allocated annual leave. So, why not make the most of those enforced days off (and not feel like your vacation days are wasted) by actually going on a holiday during that time?
2. A chance to actually rest
When you’re at home over Christmas there are countless demands on your time and you may get to the end of the holidays and realise that you didn’t actually get a chance to rest and relax at all. You might b starting the New Year more frazzled than ever, especially if you’ve been rushing around visiting family and attending events for the whole festive period.
Decorating for Christmas, cleaning the house, getting the air bed out of the loft in preparation for guests, fighting your way through bustling crowds on the high street, doing the crazy ‘big food shop’, cooking Christmas dinner, party buffets, baking cakes – the list of festive tasks is endless.
If you were away for the whole festive period, all you’d need to do is pack your suitcase and head to the airport or train station. Then, as soon as you check in, you’re on holiday and there’s nothing more for you to do than relax. No cooking, no cleaning, no hustle and bustle. Maybe you’ll even start January feeling refreshed and ready for the year ahead?
3. A money-saving option?
Now, I know that holidays are often a big expense, but it doesn’t have be – even just going somewhere in the UK would give you the rest and peace that we’ve been talking about. And, it might be more affordable than you think – especially if compared with the cost of staying at home over Christmas.
If you add up all the food shopping, the fresh Christmas tree, the festive days out, the work Christmas party, theatre shows and panto tickets, seasonal events, Christmas markets, and the travel to and from destinations as you visit friends and family, I bet the amount you spend on Christmas would give you a good budget to book a holiday with.
Once you’ve done your calculations, if it turns out that a holiday is a more frugal option, you can book a getaway guilt-free, knowing that you’re cutting the cost of Christmas simply by treating yourself to a break haha!
4. New experiences
And lastly, if you need any further reasons to book your break, it gives you the chance to see a little more of the world this year. If you haven’t had a chance to go away at all this year, you can still squeeze in a trip to somewhere you’ve never been and have some new experiences before the new year.
This’ll help give you a sense of achievement for the year and give you some new memories to remember the year by, rather than the last 12 months just being a blur of work and home tasks. If you want to do something a bit exotic, like the Kranks from the movie, you could get some Winter sun. A trip to warmer country let’s you escape the chilly temperatures of the UK to enjoy some sunny weather – always a good mood boosting option.
For an extra-festive feeling over Christmas, head to somewhere snowy. I’d love to go on a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords and Artic Circle or somewhere equally Wintery so that I can guarantee a white Christmas. Wouldn’t that be magical? I don’t mind feeling chilly on holiday when I’m somewhere special for my Twixmas holiday.
I hope these suggestions have got you thinking about your Christmas holiday and I hope you have a wonderful time, in whatever way you decide to spend your annual leave this December. Let me know in the comments below if you have any money-saving hacks for holidays during December, I’d love to hear your tips!
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