Whether you’re dreaming of a white Christmas or a sunny Christmas or simply a Christmas spent away from the routine of staying at home, we have some of the best Christmas vacation ideas and destinations for 2022. And to beat some of the rush hour and high prices for Christmas, we would suggest that you start booking your trip now!
Europe
1. Germany
Germany is a popular destination for many world travelers, especially during Christmas due to the infamous weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas markets) that begin four weeks leading up to Christmas day. The country has almost over 2,500 Christmas markets and there are many in Berlin, which then go to Augsburg, Dresden, Erfurt, Frankfurt and more.
Dresden, which is about 2.5 hours from Berlin is still known as one of the largest Christmas markets in the world and one of the oldest.
With many traditions, like mulled wine, advent calendars and plenty of ice skating and Christmas angels, you will find many family friendly activities as well as maybe new traditions that you will want to take home!
2. Austria
Sharing a neighboring country to Germany, Austria also holds a lot of Christmas traditions as well.
Known in Austria as ‘Christkindlmarket’ (Christmas market), similarly, the traditions begin almost 4 weeks before.
Vienna holds a highly sought after Christmas market that can be paired by also touring the old city.
Vienna, Austria’s capital has plenty of activities to do as well. One of those activities includes going to a Strauss and Mozart Christmas Concert, since Mozart is highly celebrated as a resident of Vienna, which his apartment is still memorialized to this day.
3. Georgia
Christmas trees take on a unique meaning in Georgia as they are made from hazelnut branches and are even small enough to carry-on and take home, maybe as a souvenir for a loved one.
Better yet, ‘chichlaki’ also saves the forest because they are not cutting down pine trees, which are sacred to the land. So you can be happy that your buying of a Christmas tree in Georgia is an environmental cause as well.
Moreover, most Georgians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, which falls with the Georgian Orthodox Church. On Christmas day, many Georgians will take to the streets to celebrate ‘Alilo,’ a parade.
However, if you decide to celebrate Christmas, Georgia is sure to get you in the spirit with its cooler winter temperatures and 8,000 year old wine traditions, which are included in the packages by us at Global Tribes where you will be met with modern artisans and tours of a historical past.
North America
1. Utah
If you’re looking for a white Christmas, then look no further than Utah. Utha lights up during Christmas time and there are many things you can do, such as the Electric Parade in Park City, which is a sight to see as there are over thousands of lights…did we say thousands? We meant millions, where there are over 1.5 million lights.
Moreover, if you’re looking to hit the slopes, then Park City can offer the place between sightseeing and being able to go skiing, snowboarding or simply sledding.
2. California
How about heading a bit more west, where a sunny California Christmas is in order! Christmas in California, especially along the coast of Santa Barbara where you can continue to drive up North to Solvang, the little Danish town that is a hidden gem in California’s Santa Ynez Valley.
Lights, pastries, like abelskiver and wine tasting can certainly add a new twist to Christmas traditions without having to venture to Europe.
Moreover, the Julefest, which begins shortly after Thanksgiving, continues all the way to New Years! Then you can continue driving up North, taking in some sun and also some views of the Ocean, maybe even see Santa Claus along the way, who stays put all year round in Oxnard, California and head to the highly sought after Yosemite Valley for nature.
3. Florida
Some of the best places to travel for Christmas may not even take a little bit of planning, but moreover, just a keen sense of childlike wonder, which makes Orlando, Florida, specifically Disney World a great place to visit in 2022 for a Christmas Vacation.
Especially after the pandemic and shut down of many amusement parks, you might be even more excited to take a family vacation that is fun for all ages as well.
The Middle East & North Africa
1. Jordan
Jordan may not be one of the first places that comes to mind for one of the best places to travel for Christmas vacation, however, the country in mid-November and December cools down, which makes seeing some of sites, like Petra and Wadi Rum more accessible than going in the summer with the heat.
While primarily a Muslim country, there is a still large presence of Christians, specifically in Jordan’s area called Fuheis, where a popular event, the Fuheis Christmas Festival takes place each year. Madaba, also known as the city with almost 2 million mosaic pieces also features horse-drawn carriages and a sighting by Santa who hands out chocolates and different candies.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Jordan, during New Year’s eve, then heading down south to Petra and Wadi Rum for a huge celebration is definitely worthwhile.
You can also enjoy lots of different foods and drinks that are only served in Jordan throughout the Winter seasons, such as sahlab, a middle eastern milk pudding or lentil soup, that gets popularly served with fried pita bread and a spritz of lemon.
2. Palestine
Christmas in Palestine is very important as the town of Bethlehem is where Jesus was born. Bethlehem lights up every year during Christmas, where the intersection of festivities and celebrations come together to celebrate the importance of Christmas to Palestinian Christians, with even a lot of people congregating, even if they are not part of the Christian faith, just merely due to its significance.
Many pilgrims also head to Palestine at Christmas due to its religious significance, so you are bound to run into many different nationalities.
The streets are also clouded with scents of frankincense and music is filled on the streets.
Moreover, accessing Palestine through Jordan is very easy as you can get to Palestine through the King Hussein Bridge, which takes you from Jordan to Jerusalem.
3. Egypt
Why not visit historic Egypt for a great Christmas vacation getaway? Similar to Georgia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th and the weather, which ranges from 15 degrees celsius to 23 degrees celsius has been deemed a much more comfortable time to visit with its low humidity.
Similarly, Christmas in Egypt holds a lot of spiritual meaning to Egyptians in the country with the Holy Family’s trip with the infant Jesus. It was said that they spent about 4 years living in Egypt.
Moreover, Christmas, while celebrated by a minority of people in the country, it is still celebrated secularly, which means that there is a ton of holiday spirit to go around.
So if you’re looking for a unique way to travel this holiday season, some of the best places to travel for Christmas vacation on this list may take you by surprise, but provide for wonderful stories back home. So whether it is in the little town of Bethlehem or in the white slopes of Utah, what destination is your go-to spot for a Christmas vacation ideas in 2022.
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