As live in a constant state of wanderlust, I am always looking to plan my next holiday. One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon is to leaf through the glossy pages of travel magazines and scour Pinterest for inspiration, my travel to-do list is never ending. As the weather gets colder and we head towards Winter, my desire to seek the sunshine only gets stronger, so this year for Christmas we have planned to do something a little different!
For our fill of ‘Winter Sun’ we are off to Egypt and it’ll be the first time ever we are spending Christmas abroad. I know this can be traditional time for some, but call me a scrooge – this year I’m just not feeling festive. Luckily for me, I’ve never really had a family who sticks to tradition – when I was growing we would have an Indian meal on Christmas Day, so when I told my parents we wouldn’t be around over Christmas, they weren’t too horrified. To me, it’s just a day in the calendar and I will still make sure to have special day with my family when we get back that will just as nice.
So, as we are going away right over Christmas we thought we’d make the holiday a special one. It’s one of our dream bucket list holidays and will be total adventure. We are planning to go down the Nile by boat, taking in the breathtaking sights of the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings and everything ancient Egypt has to offer, I can’t wait, I’ve always wanted to visit Ancient Egypt. We even have a full day of sightseeing booked for Christmas day, there won’t be a Christmas tree in sight! Only sun, sand and…. the sphinx. Perfect.
So, if you are thinking of booking up some ‘Winter Sun’ this year, here are my top tips:
1. Better Value
Now is the time to snap up the bargains, yes it can be a little pricey actually over Christmas (depending on the destination) but the rule of thumb is that winter is off-peak and is when some of the best deals can be found – meaning you can splash out and get a bit more for your money. For example, the other day whilst browsing for a winter getaways I found these gorgeous boutique hotels in France, which I lust to stay in one day. The amazing thing about travelling off-peak is you can stay somewhere really plush, most of which would usually be totally out of my price range during the summer time. In Egypt we’ll be staying on a Nile Cruise boat, so that’ll be a different experience too!
2. Sunshine, Sunshine, Sunshine!
Who wants to be in the UK when the weather gets cold, rainy and grey? This is the perfect time to get away from it all and get some sunshine. Summer holidays are fab but you’ll really notice the difference if you go during the winter, not to mention make everyone envious of your sunkissed tan when you get back.
3. Do something different
Christmas is such a busy time; the pressure to see everyone, go to hundreds of Christmas parties and to buy presents for everyone on time can pretty stressful. Our motto this year is to get away and avoid all of the pressures, we’ll buy unique and different gifts abroad and then share our photos and stories with family in our own time when we get back, much better.
4. Avoid the crowds
Going away in the winter is a great way to avoid the crowds. Not only will your destination be quieter, but you’ll miss the crowds at home too as everyone races around to beat the rush and get their Christmas shopping done. It’s such a crazy time, I’m glad to be getting away!
5. Avoid awkward Christmas parties and family situations
Who hasn’t embarrassed themselves at their work Christmas Party? I’m sure a lot of us have done, for some people it’s better to avoid the temptation of that last jaegerbomb and avoid the party all together! On a serious note, Christmas and the winter can be a really sad and lonely time for people, who may have lost family, friends or loved ones they wish they could be with or they have situations at home they’d rather avoid. Getting away from it can be the perfect break from it all and a way to celebrate in style and do something different that will create new happy memories.
I’ll leave you with this – just for fun…. here’s my last years Winter Sun holiday (yes I made a Youtube, shock horror!) Enjoy with the sound up!
Would you like to go away at Christmas or do you prefer it to be a traditional Christmas at home?
I’m so jealous, I’d absolutely love to go to Egypt!! It’s definitely on my bucket list too. I hope you have an amazing time!! xx