June 7, 2011. Paul Hixon
credit: aithom2Everyone dreams of a white Christmas and undoubtedly the best and the most magical way to enjoy it is at a ski resort. Solid wooden chalets, log fires, miles and miles covered in a carpet of white snow and majestic mountains as a backdrop.
Truly, a holiday setting doesn’t get better than this. So if you are thinking of doing something special for your Christmas break, choose a ski resort that’s going to make your holiday unforgettable.
A smaller resort town is likely to have a warm and quaint feel and is probably a better choice than going to a resort town with a big-city feel. At Christmas, every resort will be decorated with festive lighting, adding to the charm of the mountain location. After a day of skiing, the evenings too are something to savour. You can enjoy cosy dinners around log fires and sip mulled wine. Or you can check out the nightclubs and jazz bars. There may be some nice bands playing in town as well. A few resorts now also offer night skiing which can be quite an incredible experience. Floodlights make the snow almost glow at night and it’s a sight to behold. Another advantage is that, unlike in the day, there will be hardly any people on the slopes at night.
For some of the best skiing, head to Mount Snow in Vermont or Deer Valley in Utah in the US. Keystone in Florida and Aspen in Colorado are also worthy contenders. Whistler-Blackcomb in Canada is quite easily one of the best ski resorts in North America. Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland all have some outstanding ski slopes. Zermatt in the Swiss Alps and Chamonix and Val Thorens in the French Alps are simply spectacular and offer all that’s unique about an Alpine setting.
If you want to escape the cold during Christmas, then think of going on a cruise or to a beach where the weather is warmer. There are plenty of destinations to explore all over the world. Wherever you choose to go, book ahead because Christmas and New Year’s is peak tourist season. If you haven’t planned in advance, then look out for deals on cancellation cruises and holidays and bag some last minute bargains.
Updated June 7, 2011. Published May 25, 2011. Paul Hixon
