 Poster: A snowHead
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By some miracle my December roster from work gives me 20-27 December off! Naturally the first thought turns to shoehorning in a ski holiday!
We have previously been to neiderau in march once and the week after half term twice, and avoriaz in April last year.
None of the holidays were particularly busy. Snow was ok, but not much in the way off off piste (not that I'm hugely bothered about that). So that's my frame of reference.
What is Xmas week like? Insanely busy or ok. (In comparison to the weeks above that I have experienced?)
What is early season snow like?
Any recommendations for places to go? The kids (7 & 9) would probably prefer to go back to neiderau or avoriaz as they very much enjoyed both of those. We will either do DIY via Munich or geneva or crystal or similar package.
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Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@alexl, Christmas will probably be busier than March, but not too busy. This far out the snow quality is unknown, but higher should be better. On the webcams at the moment (still just under 5 weeks to go) Avoriaz has got snow but the warm weather forecast over the next week or so may impact on that.
The really busy week will be for New Year. We skied a few days before Christmas three years ago (4 day trip until 22nd Dec I think). On 6th Dec there was no snow at all, then a week later there was loads and we had a really good four days with the Christmas events going on where we were staying which the kids really enjoyed.
There might be some offers from the package holiday firms. Others here in the forum will know Austria better, most of my skiing has been in France.
From GVA there is a lot of choice and for height I would suggest 3 valleys or Les Arcs.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@alexl, Christmas is a great week to ski if the snow is good. Not as busy as New Year or Half-term.
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We are planning on going out that week too - as it's early season if you can wait till a couple of weeks before then that will be your best option especially if you're open minded on where you end up - otherwise aim high - Avoriaz should fit the bill as it's relatively snowsure there.
I've been to Tignes,Alpe D'huez,Morzine and Selva at Christmas and the conditions have been fine and slopes/lifts not especiallly busy (the French seem to spend Christmas at home and head out to the mountains for Ney Year - not sure about other nationalities), though my first every ski holiday to Claviere there wasn't 1 flake of natural snow on the ground that week - just a beginner's slope and 1 blue run open the whole week, which was fine for me as i was a beginner but not so good for many others.
Just keep an eye on sites like Igluski for discounted deals over the coming weeks and you should find something half decent.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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20/27 December flight prices are now pretty expensive (over £300 return Gatwick/Gva for example). Advice to "book late" doesn't really apply to peak week flights so a last minute (ie a few days before) package is probably the best bet. You will have to be flexible - IME accommodation for Christmas is now pretty booked up, though it's certainly a less busy week than New Year. No use setting you heart on a particular resort or even particular departure airport in the UK. But you should find something.
And if the snow is rubbish you'll be able to save the money the rest of us will be spending.... 
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@alexl, We spent last xmas week at Haus Susanne, Radstadt - owned and run by a pair of rather excellent snowHeads... family flangesax. Now, I have to be honest and say that they are close friends of mine.... but they found themselves in that predicament as a direct result of my going there once with a bunch of other snowHeads, followed by another trip... and another.... and another.... and eventually my (not very persistant) nagging until my t'other half agreed to go there last xmas. For a xmas break, it's perfect. Snow's great, huge selection of resorts in easy reach, no crowds, pistes beautifully maintained, masses of bars/huts for eats/drinks etc etc. Staying at Haus Susanne is comfortable, fun and you are excellently looked after, food is great... a proper home from home... and very reasonable too. I couldn't recommend it highly enough... but beware... one trip is never enough... I'm living proof of that.
Their website is: http://www.austrian-adventures.com/ or you could just pm flangesax to enquire if it was of interest to you.
Oh... and their kids are similar age to yours, so that too might be an advantage.
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Christmas has always been a reasonably quiet ski week wherever we have been, but generally got busier from Boxing Day onwards. Not a problem really this year if you go Sat-Sat.
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We did La Tania last Christmas. Snow was reasonable and slopes relatively quiet
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@alexl, see what flights you can get then organise everything yourself through the Tourist Office accommodation site. Transfers are more easily arranged from Salzburg for example than Munich for example as well as being cheaper.
I've spent every Christmas and New Year in the mountains since the year Dot, I love it it is my favourite time. Even New Year week is not as crowded as some let on. A few bottlenecks in the mornings at key lifts but that's it to be honest and these can be circumvented if you stop going with the herd! Flights into Munich at reasonable times can be matched up with trains to resorts in Salzburgerland and Tirol quite easily, just don't try and get the last flight in unless you want to pay for a private transfer! I presume it is the same for Zurich and Geneva but my experience of both is fairly limited these days as I drive to my holidays being on mainland Europe now.
Even back when I lived in the UK, we found it better to drive to the resort in the end as it gave us more flexibility. We took my nieces a couple of times and they slept practically all the way from Bristol to Serre Chevalier and Pra Loup. My nephews slept all the way to Austria as well on several occasions, as we drove through the night to maximise our time on the slopes. No DVD players then, just talking books or even proper books and driving games if they woke up! I found that the complete Lord of the Rings radio play series from the Beeb, was the perfect length for most journeys to the Alps.
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Sometimes the snow comes late just before Christmas week, can be a little nerve wracking if you get stressed about these things but it almost always comes. I would tend to go higher but you have to be prepared for foul weather.
In my experience NY week starts busier in France but quite a lot of French families seem to head home soon after NY Day and the following days can be quieter than Xmas week (may be different in other countries).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In my experience NY week starts busier in France but quite a lot of French families seem to head home soon after NY Day and the following days can be quieter than Xmas week
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not my experience - the whole week is full in my area at New Year. Christmas is better. There are usually ways of avoiding the worst bottleneck lifts, as @Samerberg Sue says. It's always worth trying to get local advice about that. IME the worst time, around the busy ski school meeting areas/front de neige is after lunch when people come out of restaurants and afternoon lessons start. But Christmas in the mountains is so much better than the traditional British Christmas (ie eating and drinking far too much and slobbing for hours in front of the telly.....) that it's well worth it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We did Christmas in Meribel last year and thought the slopes were quieter than at Easter. It was noticeably busier on boxing day and the 27 December so probably people arriving after Christmas. Snow was better than we have had at Easter in recent years and not as cold as I was expecting but it is always pure luck at beginning and end of seasons. A couple of years before that we went to Courcheval the week before xmas and there was tons of snow ( thigh high powder), really cold and it took 2 days for them to open the links between Meribel and Courcheval.
Had such a lovely time at Christmas that we are returning this year. I imagine a catered chalet at xmas would be lovely if your budget stretches to it - we would rather self cater and ski twice a year. We have 3 children so drive to keep costs down and we will be taking out the stockings, presents, xmas decorations, mince pies, full xmas dinner to cook etc. We then re-do Christmas dinner all over again with the grandparents when we get back 
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Yep Xmas in Les Arcs last year, wasn't too busy by any means
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