Sorry Australia, but Christmas overseas feels more … Christmassy

I’m probably strange, but I find the weeks before Christmas are the best times of the year to travel, especially if I’m heading to the northern hemisphere.

Yes, airports are busy. Flights fill up. By going away in early December, I miss a lot of Christmas parties, which start earlier each year. It’s that insane time when everyone suddenly needs to “catch up before Christmas,” even though they’ve had all year to do it.

Crowds attend the lighting ceremony for Christmas decorations in Vigo, Spain. Credit: Bloomberg

I quite enjoy missing that frenzy. If I’m back by mid-December, before school holidays begin, there are a couple of other advantages to being overseas this time of the year.

It feels Christmassy.

The northern hemisphere goes all-out at Noël. It helps that it’s cold, often with a sprinkling of snow, although changing weather patterns mean that this is not always guaranteed. But even in sunny Australia, our Christmas cards and decorations are themed with white bearded men in red velvet suits and fur collars, elves in stripey woollen tights, perky snowmen, icicles, and fir trees.

British custom requires we eat hot roasts, puddings flamed with brandy and eggnog. Other countries have different celebrations, such as seafood on Christmas Eve in much of Europe or the traditions around Hanukkah for those of Jewish faith.

While we’ve adapted the colonial customs to make our own summer-time traditions, the symbolism of it means that Christmas, as we’ve known it in modern times, is a winter festival. (Although the first “Christmas” took place where it rarely snows.)

That’s why our Christmas game is poor in Australia, apart from those few neighbourhoods where whole streets are lit up with a kitsch wonderland of displays. Full marks to the Melbourne Town Hall this year for its singing reindeer, even though they are crooning Let it Snow.

You see my point? It’s just too warm for chestnuts roasting in front of an open fire and other Christmas cliches. We’ve made our own, as A Moody Christmas brilliantly celebrates.

But I do love the extravagance of Christmas in Europe and the US, even when it’s schmaltzy. The season is dazzling. Department stores, luxury hotels, and city councils go all-out with storeys-tall trees and huge swathes of fir garlands, shiny baubles and sprays of holly to deck the halls. There are burning wood fires and spicy vats of wine and cider. Everything smells wonderful. (Yes, there’s a lot of plastic, but hopefully it is being repurposed each year.)

All this glory is completely free. It costs nothing to marvel at the department store displays, like those in Galleries Lafayette, Saks Fifth Avenue and Harrods, or wander into the glittering lobbies of grand hotels such as London’s Savoy (which is spectacular) and the Rosewood Hotel de Crillon in Paris. The Santas on Fifth Avenue are straight out of Miracle on 34th Street.

Lights on in London.Credit: iStock

Small cities and villages are equally in the spirit. I’m often in Cannes in the south of France at this time of the year and the famed Cote d’Azur city, like almost every town in Europe, has a Christmas market with chalets selling gifts, baked goods and hot mulled wine. My hotel has an ice rink. And when it’s cold there’s every excuse to drink hot chocolate. Which is a definite plus.

The second reason to plan a trip in early December is it’s a great time to do some Christmas shopping and find something original. While the price tags on European goods might be a bit higher this year due to our dollar, there’s choice, quality and novelty. Even if it’s the simplest gift from a pharmacy or chocolate shop, it’s bound to be different from anything you find at home.

Asia is wonderful for this reason. I’ve returned with a suitcase of presents for everyone. Silks from Thailand, silver from Cambodia, batiks from Indonesia, tea from Hong Kong, hand towels from Japan. Staying away from the tourist shops and finding things made by local artisans, there’s a story behind all the purchases too, which makes for a more meaningful gift. But even if it’s just going to a stall and buying a dozen little handmade purses, it keeps the seller in a job.

The downside? Flights are expensive, as the Christmas high season stretches earlier each year. Judging by the packed flights this year, more people are doing what I’m doing, coming home before Christmas rather than taking their holidays afterwards.

Then again, what other time of the year do you find flight attendants dressed as elves?