With a little extra time off work, Christmas is a great time for a family escape. Whether you’re looking for snow, sunshine or city culture, you’re sure to find the perfect family-friendly vacation rental on Kid & Coe, with an added dose of Christmas spirit to keep all the family happy.
New York
It is quite literally the most wonderful time of the year to be in New York City. The classic Christmas poem ‘Twas the night before Christmas’ was supposedly inspired by a New York market at Christmas, and you’ll certainly see Santa Claus in Macy’s, if nowhere else. Book to see a glittering holiday show on Broadway, skate in Central Park (much less crowded than the Rockefeller Center), and peer into the fairytale windows of the city’s major department stores. It’s a hectic, possibly snowy and definitely very festive way to spend the holidays.
Thailand
December falls into the best time to visit Thailand – when the rains are least likely and conditions for diving and snorkelling are at their best – so a Christmas trip makes an incredible family gift. Just don’t expect too much in the way of local celebrations – in this mainly Buddhist country, Christmas is just another working day. Introduce the kids to elephants and temples, haggling at markets and sandcastle building on magical beaches. Children might enjoy local cooking classes; they’ll certainly enjoy the plunging waterfalls and rivers of the country’s national parks and the warm welcome in store for them wherever they go.
South Africa
Most Capetonians celebrate Christmas, but being in the southern hemisphere, it’s a time of eating turkey in board shorts outdoors, and maybe even having a Christmas picnic or braai, rather than gathering indoors around a roaring fire. Carols by candlelight are a big Cape Town tradition, and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are a great place to see them. The family-friendly event on the week running up to Christmas gives you a great chance to see the greenery and tropical flowers on a balmy summer evening. Christmas is the perfect excuse to drag the kids to the Meerendal Wine Estate in the Cape Winelands, around an hour from the city: on Christmas Day the estate’s open air cinema is showing Miracle on 34th Street, so it’s a win-win for parents and kids.
Iceland
Scandinavian countries do Christmas beautifully, with an array of traditions and delicious foods all sprinkled with a light dusting of snow. Iceland has all those traditions with some rather quirky twists: Icelandic children are visited in the run-up to Christmas by 13 different santas, who all bring a small gift, and there’s a legend of a Christmas cat who is rumored to eat children. That aside, December is a fantastic time to see the northern lights – visible from just outside the city of Reykjavik, and you can swim in thermal pools while snow falls around you. Glacier day trips could see you dog sledding or snowmobiling, or just shop on pretty streets with twinkling lights guiding the way. It will be an unforgettable experience.
Colorado
If snow and ski is your thing, there’s no better place to celebrate the festive season than the Rocky Mountains. The postcard-perfect scenes of Breckenridge are known for their seasonal spirit, with the popular Lighting of Breckenridge, santa races and carriage rides to entertain kids. For guaranteed snow scenes, head to Aspen, where they host the 12 Days of Aspen celebration at the end of December, featuring fireworks, magic shows, ice skating, film screenings, or stay in adventurous Telluride, where the whole month is dedicated to fun family Christmas events.
Find a family-friendly Christmas vacation
Whether you’re headed for a snow-topped ski resort or a warm, sandy beach, find your next family vacation rental on Kid & Coe.
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/breckenridge/the-blue-river-road-residence-breckenridge
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/southern-region/the-crib-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/saint-helena-bay/the-beach-house
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/phuket/the-villa-sand
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/park-slope/the-park-slope-residence-park-slope
