For the first time in three years, we shall be spending Christmas and New Year at home here in Turkey. In 2007 we were in the Andaman Islands and last year in England.

Where will you be during the forthcoming festive season?

Hi David!
So, you are spending your vacation at home.
Me as well. I will never leave my home for other destinations even if I have a free ticket.
I don't even like to move other than spending as much time in my decorated home.

Well, this year we are spending Christmas with my son's fiance and her parents. I don't mind going away from home at Christmas, but New Year's Eve I want to be at home for sure.So, we shall be celebrating with the same people but at our home this time.
My son is giving her fiance the ring. So, I have much preparing to do, and I am happy about everything.



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Hello Popi,

Well, you have much to celebrate this Christmas. Many congratulations to your son and
his fiancée - and enjoy all your time together.

I will be staying in Dubai again this year, with no real plans...maybe do an orphans christmas lunch at a friends, or maybe a brunch...just a quite on this year as most of my friends are either travelling or have already left Dubai...I wish I could be home with my family this year...

Thank you so much David!
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I'll be on a flight to Johannesburg for the 2nd year running on Christmas Day. I just hope I get something more Christmassy than lasagne for a vegetarian Christmas flight meal while everyone else has turkey with trimmings, etc, lol!

I'm so very excited to be in Vienna, Austria for Christmas this year with my family!

That'll be excellent Kit - don't forget to take lots of warm clothes to wrap up in!!!

In Buenos Aires! Whoa!

Congratulations Popi.

Every year I take a vacation in December and we have a "stay-cation" taking the kids to Christmas and Hanuka related events around New Jersey and especially New York City.

Coincidentally - we took them yesterday to a gingerbread houses competition and I'm planning a route around the state to view the best houses with Christmas lights (there is a website for it).

Here are the blogs from last year:
Cirque Du Soleil's Wintuk

Christmas at Rockefeller Center

Peddlerís Village

I'll be in Cologne, cooking dinner for my girlfriend's family on Christmas Eve! Oh the pressure. . .

Have a great Christmas Eve, bloomer. I am sure the dinner will be prepared to perfection.

By the way, is there something missing after the word "pressure. . ."?

Could be "cooker", or possibly "of it all". Enjoy!

In fact, there will be boiling involved--surf and turf, you know. Also the first time I meet mom and dad. Big stuff, but my famous new england clam chowder will win them over!

The best of luck to you!
Liked the last sentence above! You will be the winner in the end.


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The travelpod bottle in Cyprus.....New Entry!

I'm in Niagara Falls, with my family too. Perhaps, I might be bringing my French friend with me because his family is in France.

That's a great thing to do, bringing home the "stragglers!" Good karma!

In Edinburgh Thinking of climbing a hill after Xmas dinner... it is a bit of a family tradition but depends how cold it is!

xmas is not something my family has ever really celebrated so xmas has always been just another day on the calendar for me but last year i had my "first" xmas with tree and presents beneath it , silly santa hats etc secretly i loved it but this year its going to be a return of more of the same, drinking to get drunk to pass the day
my theme song is Joss Stone's "The Anti- Christmas Carol" as it pretty much sums up my feelings about xmas.
but i did enjoy myself last year...

Are you having a Scottish Christmas?? I'll be home from the 22nd ( I think - if that's the Tuesday?) - heading to London for New Year (not sure when yet) but let me know if you're around and about!

Edinburgh is so beautiful. One day I will visit it again girls. Hope you manage to meet. Kathryn you have not posted any new entries yet....I 've checked! I want to read about Portugal...your recent trip?
Ediburgh seems as if it has come out of a fairy tales book. What a place indeed!

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The travelpod bottle in Cyprus - recent entry

Hehe, he still has to figure out his visa situation. He's kind of a mess right now!



Gerre, what do you mean by that? Your family just sits around and gets drunk on Christmas day?

I'll let you in on a little secret: All the other families that celebrate Christmas use it as an excuse to "get drunk to pass the day" too. It's the same thing, only more tinsel and gift wrap.

oh i realise that Louise and this is how xmas is spent here in Australia but people do this with family , whereas i drink alone or with a friend who isnt trapped/obligated to "drink with family"

Ohhh I see... hmm that's interesting.

It's not that they don't want you there though right?

my immediate family mum,dad and sis are in syd with me, rest of fam elsewhere in oz and U.S
and no its not that they dont want me there its just like any other day to them as they dont celebrate xmas - thats why i hate that everything closes on xmas , its sux for those who dont celebrate and want to go out and cant

i think this year i am doing nothing until the night where a friend as invited me over to join her fam (after theyve celebrated) for a beer or two

But, even though you don't celebrate it as a holiday, maybe it's an excuse for your family to get together? It doesn't have to be a religious thing, right?

Or I guess they don't want to participate at all... kind of like a boycott?

no not a boycott
although i do know people that do such things
my dad's a JW so he doesnt celebrate xmas at all!
my family are together alot so when xmas rolls around and we happen to be together its just like any other time really, just when its xmas we dont go out of our way to have sit down lunches and dinners together etc which other families would do....

Ohhh OK gotchya. For me, it's an 8 hour bus ride to see my family, so yeah we need an excuse!

in under 10mins i'm at 'rents place

This year I will be celebrating Christmas in Milton, Ontario a little suburb outside of Toronto with my girlfriends family! Its going to be an amazing christmas

Ha ha, been dead busy Popi I got back from Portugal last Tuesday, back into crazy busy work, then was away to a farm last weekend...back in Dublin the last 2 days...off to London for next 2 days....going to catch up with myself next weekend - been concentrating on washing the underwear until then

Edinburgh is lovely, yes. Can't wait for Christmas hols now!

I'm going to be in the Dominican Republic for Christmas!!
Looking forward to it :-)