Traditionally Christmas is seen as a time to spend with the family. However, more and more people prefer not to spend Christmas at home. There is no shortage of options for the Christmas break. It is important to plan your Christmas holiday in advance so that you are not disappointed. First you need to decide what sort of holiday you want. Are you looking for a traditional Christmas or do you want to experience something completely new? Do you want to go somewhere that is cold and where snow is likely? Or do you long for some warm weather as a complete contrast to the British winter? Do you want a holiday with plenty of activities or are you looking for a relaxing quiet time away from the bustle of the city?

Many hotels in the UK offer Christmas breaks, ranging from relatively cheap to very expensive. Rooms in hotels in Wales and Bath can be booked for as little as ?45.00 per person per night. Alternatively if you want to spoil yourself then you can travel to the Scilly Isles and enjoy champagne, boat trips, helicopter transfers from Cornwall and gourmet meals. For those seeking some peace and quiet during the holiday season, Skye may be just the place. You can stay in a lodge in a quiet corner of Skye and enjoy the food and walks around the lochs. Devon offers everything from thatched cottages with real wood fires and inglenook fireplaces, to olde-world country inns, to 4-star hotels. Whether you want the bright lights of London or the quiet of the Cornish countryside there will be something for you. Check around mid-December as often this is when hotels begin to offer room deals.

Christmas holidays abroad are becoming more popular for those who want to escape the commercialisation of Christmas or just the British weather. A wide range of trips is available from stays in an Austrian castle to beach holidays.

A number of travel companies offer tours that depart during the Christmas period. You can spend a leisurely week in Andalucia, enjoying the local cuisine and Moorish architecture or tour through Northern India, visiting the magnificent Taj Mahal, the Pink city of Jaipur and the Ranthambore National Park. Perhaps one of the most beautiful places to spend Christmas is in Lapland. Many holidays feature Lappish traditions and luxury cabins with Christmas trees. They also include champagne breakfasts, traditional Finnish Christmas Eve dinner and a reindeer, husky or snowmobile safari. Of course no trip to Lapland would be complete without a visit to Santa Claus. If you are looking for something truly unusual then why not try an igloo in Finland? You can stay in a snow or glass igloo and enjoy a spectacular view of the northern lights, go on a reindeer or husky safari and learn how to ice fish. Guests can also visit the snow restaurant, the ice bar and the Ice gallery that features some amazing ice sculptures. If you are travelling to a city and want to combine your Christmas trip with sight-seeing you should check in advance which attractions will be open during the Christmas period.

If you would prefer to travel to somewhere warm for Christmas there are plenty of options. You can choose a luxurious hotel in the Caribbean or try somewhere a bit different such as Cuba or Costa Rica. Other great destinations for the Christmas holiday period are South Africa, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, the Maldives, Thailand and Malaysia. It is best to book early and it is cheaper if you can depart before December 20-21. You don't just have to consider countries that are predominantly Christian; the Red Sea Coast is another good destination although you need to book before the end of October. In fact the Muslim countries of the Middle East are becoming more popular with British travellers wanting to escape the excesses of Christmas at home. Some of the most popular destinations are Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Dubai and Oman. Turkey and Jordan are also rising in popularity.

For those who want a more active holiday, skiing is a good choice. Again if you are considering a Christmas break in the Alps then you need to book sometime in September or October. Once the first snow starts to fall in November availability will fall rapidly. This is especially true if you have children. For the more adventurous, there is ski-sailing in Norway, a snowmobile safari in Canada and much more.