It doesn’t matter how old I get, I still love waking up Christmas morning. The reasons have changed over the years...as a child I was anxious to see what Santa had brought, as an adult I look forward to a day with family and friends...but what has never changed is the lure of the lights on the tree, the hush of the world around me, and the anticipation of feast and festivities ahead. What has also changed over the years is where I wake up on this special day...my parents’ home, grandparents’ spare rooms, my own house, even once a castle!...each with their own enchantment. 

Let’s give some thought to the many magical places you might wake up on Christmas morning...this year and in the years to come!

In the mountains

Snowy mountains are almost synonymous with Christmas. I like to imagine that high in the Swiss Alps on Christmas morning, gnomes peek out of burrows with cheerful red hats and long beards to see the fresh snow and holly berries.

Gnomes aside, many Christmas vacations involve trips to ski resorts, hot chocolate at lodges, snowshoeing to find the perfect tree for the cabin, and waking up on the special morning surrounded by majestic beauty, perhaps with some pancakes and bacon on the griddle.

A Christmas in the mountains should be on everyone’s bucket list, from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to the Alps of Switzerland to the Himalayas of India. Here are some ideas for mountain holiday trips for Christmases to come:

• Lake Tahoe, California, USA

• Bolzano, Italy

• Auli, Uttarakhand, India

Beside the ocean

But snow and heights are not for everyone, even during the holidays. For our Southern Hemisphere readers, Christmas comes at the height of summer. And for some of our Northerners, Christmas is best with a balmy breeze off the ocean that makes the palm trees and Christmas lights sway.

Regardless of where you are in the world, the ocean waves, whether crashing against lighthouses and cliffs or lapping white sandy beaches, can add a sense of wonder and beauty to your Christmas morning. The salty oceans and seas stir our souls and Christmas is definitely a time to feel moved.

If this concept is foreign to you, close your eyes, imagine a driftwood tree with gifts under it or a palm tree wrapped in twinkling lights and then start picturing where in the world you would spend Christmas beside the ocean. Here are a just a handful of ideas:

• Kauai, Hawaii, USA

• Puerto Rico

• Bora, Bora

• Bali, Indonesia

In the city

My favorite Christmas song has always been Silver Bells. “City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style. In the air there's a feeling of Christmas…” I love the bustle of a city preparing for Christmas and being a part of that energy, shopping for perfect gifts and all the trimmings for the Christmas dinner, seeing the lights and decorations, treating friends to extravagant lunches and dinners.

Whether you’re a city person or not, Christmas transforms the buildings, streets, and parks into winter wonderlands. In even the busiest of cities, people smile a little more, greet strangers with good tidings, and add a little red to their chic city wardrobes.

If there’s ever been a city you dream of visiting, consider making it a Christmas destination. I speak from experience when I say it can take your vacation to a new, magical level, especially when you wake up in your cozy hotel on Christmas morning. Here are some classic cities around the world that know how to celebrate Christmas in style:

• London, England

• Paris, France

• Tokyo, Japan

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

Somewhere unexpected

My brother makes a point of never being home for the holidays (well, except this year). The more unexpected the destination the better in his opinion. Christmas to him is the time to explore the rainforests of the Amazon, eat his way through the street markets of Singapore, and camp in the outback of Australia. 

What is unexpected for some will not be for others, so this is a very personal prospect for your Christmas holiday. The goal: think of somewhere that seems the most unlikely place for you to wake up on Christmas morning and then book a flight, rent a car, or hop on a train and go discover what it’s like!

This option is for the adventurous at heart, for those to whom tradition means making your own traditions. The most wonderful part? Sometimes when we head somewhere we think least associated with a holiday, like Christmas, we open our hearts and minds to a new way of experiencing the true meaning of that special day: with friendship and an open heart.

At home

But when it comes down to it, for many of us, there is nowhere quite as magical as home for Christmas. Even as exotic, faraway places call to us throughout the year, our hearts draw us back to the comfort, love and people found around our own Christmas trees. 

Traveling during the holidays is a rite of passage and should be endeavored at least once in your lifetime, but there is nothing wrong with making sure you’re home for the holidays. And let’s be very clear. The true meaning of Christmas does not reside in any place or thing; it lives in our hearts. For those of you who don’t have a set “home” right now, remember there is a reason that old adage, “home is where the heart is” exists. Because it’s true. 

Wherever you call home and wherever you wake up this Christmas, all of us here at Shoot My Travel, around the world, wish you the warmest, safest and merriest of Christmases. Thank you for being a part of our global community!