lastminute.comhotels flights holidays citybreaks metro extralife OutofOfficeToadvertise call(01)6375979 Say hello to Christmas abroad 20 metrolifeextra Tuesday, December 22, 2009 O ur fair city can be a surprisingly good place to enjoy over the Christmas period, with no end of activities, some quite unique, to occupy both body and mind. The most eyebrow-raising is a morning swim on Christmas Day at the Forty- Foot. In the lead-up to the big day theres life aplenty on Dublins streets and the craic flows. Theres the 12 Days of Christmas Market at the Docklands, cheesy pantos, Christmas lights, ice skating, and markets and seasonal cheer in Temple Bar. And dont miss the carols at St Patricks Cathedral. But if the thought of staying in Dublin over the festive period is too much for you, or if you want to plan something to make sure that next Christmas wont be spent with the in-laws and days in front of the TV watching over-rated blockbusters, here are some other options for you to consider, kindly suggested by Lonely Planets list of the best places to experience the Yuletide spirit: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK With todays emphasis on present grabbing and overindulging, its hard to deny that the real meaning of Christmas often seems forgotten. For a refresher, nothing compares to a pilgrimage to Jesus birthplace. The energy on Manger Square and in the Old City on Christmas Eve could light a forest of Christmas trees. The place to be as the clock strikes 12 is St Catherines Church, for the Midnight Mass service. SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE, FINLAND When too much Santa is never enough, rug up and head north to Finlands Arctic Circle. The jolly man in the red suit is this neighbourhoods most famous resident, and round these parts they milk him for all hes worth. Still, the deep wintertime snow and reindeer-dotted forests go a long way towards offsetting the touristy atmosphere, though theres an amusement park called SantaPark not far from the village. Youll need deep pockets, but youd have to be pretty Grinchlike to leave without a smile. NEW YORK CITY, USA Surely you know what Christmas in the Big Apple looks like, thanks to countless movies: Christmas lights, cheesy muzak, preferably a light dusting of snow. The worlds tallest Christmas tree is lit at the Rockefeller Center in early December. Ice skating below it is a must for wintertime visitors, as is checking out the window displays in New Yorks largest department stores. Finish with a New York Ballet performance of The Nutcracker for a Christmas straight out of central casting. BONDI BEACH, AUSTRALIA Hit the beach to talk turkey with fellow travellers. Bondi is the antithesis of northern-hemisphere Christmas clichs: sun, sand and surf replace snow and fairy lights. Come Christmas Day the beach acts as a magnet for backpackers a long way from home, who celebrate alongside other Christmas orphans. Bands and DJs rock the Pavilion, everyone checks out everyone else, and a festive atmosphere prevails. Items you may not normally take to Christmas dinner: swimsuit, sunscreen, sunhat. MIDNIGHT MASS, THE VATICAN, ITALY You can rest assured that the spiritual heart of Catholicism knows how to do Christmas. The Eternal City is magical at any time of year, but December has an extra frisson, with roasted chestnuts sold on every corner and the city awash with presepi (nativity scenes) check them out on St Peters Square, Piazza Navona, and in the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the Capitoline Hill. Its the Vatican that pulls the most pilgrims. Midnight Mass in St Peters Basilica on Christmas Eve, or at noon on Christmas Day, is an affair to remember. NUREMBERG, GERMANY If present buying makes you think of heaving department stores, maybe you should experience the magical Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market), in Nurembergs Hauptmarkt. Here, 180 stalls proffer toys, trinkets, candles, gingerbread and sweets to shoppers warmed by sizzling bratwurst and mulled wine. Visit after dark, when the coloured lights create a fairy-tale spectacle. Christmas shopping never looked this enchanting. ZURICH, SWITZERLAND All those famed chocolate-box attractions mountains, snow, cobbled streets make Switzerland extra-appealing come Christmas. Zurich wins our vote for its oodles of Christmas markets (dont miss the one inside the train station), guided Christmas-themed city strolls, and the enchanting all-singing Christmas tree that comes alive on Werdmuhleplatz. On a tiered triangular stage covered in assorted greenery and fairy lights, a choir of local youngsters sweetly delivers Christmas carols. TOKYO, JAPAN Christmas in Tokyo is a fairy-lit, religion-free sight to behold. Traditionally, celebrating the New Year is more important in Japan than Christmas, but this is what happens when non-Christians embrace Christmas, and with gusto: spectacularly over-the-top decorations and lights. While the lead-up is dazzling, Christmas Day itself is a fizzer as its not a holiday. Christmas Eve is the big deal, resembling Valentines Day in activity a night for couples and romance. Feasting Japanese-style involves fried chicken followed by sponge cake topped with cream and strawberries. SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO A small island with a big personality, Puerto Rico serves up a sunny Christmas with a salsa beat and a side dish of spit-roasted pig. Festivities last from early December to Three Kings Day on January 6. From mid-December churches conduct dawn masses rich with Christmas carols, while exuberant roving groups of carollers travel from house to house and make merry. The big feast is held on Christmas Eve, followed by Midnight Mass. For season-setting decorations, head to City Hall on the Plaza de Armas and the fairy-lit promenade Paseo de la Princesa. TRAVEL DEAL OF THE WEEK Honeymoon Offers Destination: Six Senses Hideaway Hotels Samui, Thailand: Seven nights, departing Jan 19 to Jun 30, 2010. Price: 1,349 (two free nights saving 486 per couple) Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam: Eight nights, departing May 1 to Jun 15, 2010. Price: 1,949 (four free nights saving 2,060 per couple) Zighy Bay, Oman: Seven nights, departing Jun 14 to Aug 15, 2010. Price: 2,059 (two free nights saving 1,052 per couple) Contact: Tel: (01) 881 4990. www.trailfinders.ie index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html