Did I tell you we've booked to go to Disneyland Paris in a couple of weeks? OK, only for the day, but we can't wait. Going away at Christmas isn't very practical in our family for various reasons (animals, grandmother, niece and nephews etc) so we try to get a few days somewhere gorgeous just before the main event. It seems to add to the magic of the whole thing - and sometimes it's also great to get away rather than stay at home stressing out.
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If you're planning a last minute getaway, here are some of my favourite destinations:
New York: The Big Apple is a wonderful family break destination all year round, but at Christmas it’s especially magical. See the ice-skaters and tree at Rockefeller Plaza, explore one of the world's best toyshops, FAO Schwarz and marvel at the decorations and lights. Virgin Holidays has some fantastic deals to NYC.
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Cologne: You'll find a lovely Christmas market in the Cathedral Square, with stalls selling everything from handmade wooden toys to gingerbread houses. And an added attraction is the Chocolate museum – where you can discover how chocolate is made, plus sample lots of yummy Lindt. lastminute.com has some great offers to Cologne.
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Lapland: The ultimate Christmassy destination. Trust me, there’s nothing quite like seeing your child’s face light up as they meet what appears to be the real Santa Claus – and playing around in proper, deep white snow. Plus they’ll get to do activities like reindeer and husky rides. Thomas Cook has availability on a couple of daytrips (for December 5 and 12) but you’ll have to be quick.
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Disney World, Florida: No one does Christmas quite like the Americans – and at Disney World they’ve got it down to a fine art, with incredible firework displays, decorations and parades. And it's warm! The bad news is that there is hardly any flight availability for December – Thomas Cook has some seven night holidays left for departures on 13 December, but remember, if your child is at school you’ll have to get permission from the head.
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I also love vicarious travel, too, so if you're planning to go away this Christmas, do let me know! And remember if you book any holidays through KidStart you get money back for your kids.
Have a fabulous weekend x