Throw another turkey on the barbie

Santa's little helpers don't need so many clothes Down Under

By Denise Winterman
BBC News Magazine

More people than ever have had enough of the dubious pleasures of turkey sandwiches and are expected to go abroad for Christmas. Why, and what can they expect?

It's the same script every year. Too much turkey, too much booze, too many mince pies, too much television and definitely too much time with the relatives. The traditional British Christmas - don't you just love it?

Some do. Harrods opened its Christmas grotto in August and got customers. Selfridges had decorations on sale in the same month and sold 1,000.

But an estimated 2.5 million Britons are expected to go abroad for Yuletide this year. It's a record number, according to the travel industry.

Wishing they could go on holiday

In fact, holidaying during the last 10 days of the year is now so popular numbers have reached the dizzy heights of Easter, the traditional great UK getaway. Just over 2.3 million Brits went away over both holidays last year, says the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

But while the scenery of a traditional Christmas may be changing, the desire to celebrate with those close to you is still strong. For 47% of travellers, going abroad over the festive season is to visit friends and family, according to a new survey from the Halifax.

Other reasons include wanting to escape the cold, the Christmas "mania" and to get out of cooking the Yuletide lunch. An unenvied 2% travel with a colleague, presumably to spend Christmas working abroad.

Empty streets

But what can you expect? If your destination is like whole swathes of the UK, nothing will be open.

But it's Christmas - Copenhagen is closed Tourism official to Xmas traveller

"Most other countries don't come to a standstill on Christmas Day," says travel writer Simon Calder, who celebrates his birthday on 25 December and travels somewhere different every year.

"They celebrate Christmas but they don't want to sit in and spend most of the day watching television. Museums are open, restaurants are open - there are things to do."

That's not the experience of all travellers. For the large numbers of foreigners who live in the UK, family is not a car journey away. Left to celebrate with friends, they often go abroad.

Want to leave the country now?

New Zealander Megan McLennan travelled to Copenhagen a few years ago with a friend, hoping to find the festive spirit in abundance.

"We arrived on 23 December, the last day of its Christmas market.

"Queuing at the tourist information centre to find out what would be open over the festive period, we overheard an American couple in front asking the same question. 'But it's Christmas,' the bemused tourism official said. 'Copenhagen is closed'."

"That became the refrain over the next few days as they wandered empty streets, noses pressed against the windows of shut-up shops, restaurants and galleries.

"The only eateries open were the purveyors of ethnic cuisines, typically being staffed by migrants who more often than not were also a long way from home - and on minimum wages to boot. Our Christmas Day lunch was falafels at a kebab house. "

Crackers

It's winter sun that most people go for, with 52% choosing destinations such as the Canary Islands, Florida, Egypt, the Caribbean and Australia, says ABTA.

TOP DESTINATIONS Canary islands Florida Eygpt Caribbean Australia India

City breaks are next most popular, accounting for 35% of Christmas trips, while destinations traditionally associated with Yuletide - such as the snow-clad Alps - are only chosen by 13% of people. While people want sun, they don't want to leave all their Christmas traditions at home.

"Places like Canary Islands are really popular because they are hot but cater for the British," says a spokeswoman for ABTA.

"You might find yourself in the unusual situation of sitting in the sun on Christmas Day but you will probably be tucking into turkey and all the trimmings at the hotel restaurant, pulling crackers and donning a party hat. It's the same as Christmas at home, but in the sunshine."

Bah humbug

Others, who adopt Scrooge's approach, actively seek out destinations where the festive spirit is in short supply.

"I don't like Christmas so I went to Saudi Arabia a few years ago because it is a Muslim country and non-Muslim religious activities are banned in public," says Matt Burke.

"December 25 was just a normal day in Riyadh. It was lovely and warm, I dined out in an air-conditioned Pizza Hut and no one wished me Happy Christmas once. It was great.

"For me it's easy to understand why so many people now want to go abroad at this time of year. I think people romanticise Christmas. If they were honest with themselves, they would admit that it is hard work and not that enjoyable - basically it's a nightmare."

Maybe the most conclusive evidence that Britons no longer feel compelled to spend Christmas in the traditional fashion is that the UK's self-styled "Mr Christmas" is thinking of going somewhere hot.

"For me Christmas is about family and fun and you can take those anywhere - in fact a lot of people are much more fun when they are on holiday," says Andy Parks, who enjoys the trappings of Yuletide so much he celebrates Christmas every day.

"I'd be happy to go away as long as I could have mince pies and Christmas pudding. I would gladly swap sitting on the couch looking at the television for sunbathing, but I would insist on watching the Queen's speech."

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Your comments

Hot, exotic, decorations on the unbelievably grand scale, with all the trimmings of a real British Christmas, a Santa Claus village and Disneyland snowfalls - only in Hong Kong!!
Martyn Pritchard, Hong Kong

I'm only 19 but even in my lifetime Christmas has changed. When we used to celebrate it people at least paid a token visit to the church and occasionally we'd recieve a Christian themed card. I'm completely atheist and refuse to go on a spending spree and buying everyone presents just because its the 12 month of the year, I plan to spend the time with family members and enjoy it, not see my credit card bill hit the roof.
Mike B, Essex

I think you'll find the majority of people going away for Christmas are childless. Christmas as a child was a magical thing. As an adult it's the complete opposite. Busy shops, pubs that are rammed, over eating and crap TV. The best Christmas I ever had was with my girlfriend, sitting on Unawatuna Beach in Sri Lanka.
Martin Read, London

we have holidayed abroad for the past seven Christmases and we have had a wonderful time visiting places such as Cuba,India,Egypt and Antartica. I have noticed the travel companies have been upping their prices for this time of year. This year we have to be home in the UK and I am not looking forward to it at all. Sitting at home bored,ripped off and waiting to go back to work. roll on January!
Gloria, Manchester England

Its sad to say but some of us have children who when they grow tend not to want to be in the company of their parents any longer. So you end up having to go away as the lonely quite family home with all its memories is unbearably sad and so hurtful.
annonymous, Birmingham

I went to Oz for Xmas last year and I can honestly say I wouldn't do it again. I missed so much about our way of celebrating the season. Playing cricket on christmas day in the baking sunshine is wrong!! This year, I'm looking forward to eating too much, drinking too much and falling asleep in front of an open fire... lovely.
Dean West, Southampton UK

The wife and I are off to Austrailia to be with friends. Thing is there is something special about a British Christmas - Cold crisp mornings, turkey, traditionally bad TV programs, families arguing and indigestion - I will miss it.....NOT
Mark, Essex

My most memorable Christmas was spent eating goat curry at a plastic table outside a restaurant in Nadi, Fiji, and just watching the world go by as usual.
Tim, Staines

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