Christmas dilemma

A snowHead

For the first time in my working life, I was supposed to be working over Christmas. Since joining the job market I've mostly worked at place that shut down entirely between Christmas and New Year. For many years, this was great as I got to see family and spend time relaxing, but over the past couple of years have tended to go skiing in order to avoid family - but let's not go into that here, eh?

This year, then, I intended to work, so I could take my holidays later next year - maybe grab a cheap week skiing when the prices aren't quite so inflated by the school holidays. I'd requested Christmas Eve off work then we could go away for a couple of days in the caravan and still get a break, then back to work after boxing day.

Yesterday the FD announced that the office will be closed on New Years Eve and we will be REQUIRED to use one day's holiday. Now I haven't got a problem with that, I've enough holiday time left to cover it, but this give me a dilemma. I can now use 2 more days from my allowance to get an 11 day break. This is not to be sniffed at. What's giving me problems is deciding what to do!

To be frank I'm not sure we can afford a second ski trip this year (the "main" trip is booked and paid for, thankfully), especially at Christmas prices. I've had a quick gander and have spotted a couple of things around the £400 mark, but the vast majority of Christmas trips start around the £600 mark which is too much, sadly (note we're looking at catered chalet trips as there are only two of us). We could wait till the very last minute, but then we run the risk of all the very cheap deals having sold, and being left with a very limited choice of destinations. As we live very close to Manchester Airport, the idea of travelling to Gatwick for a holiday isn't really an option either, and quite often we've found that although cheap trips in general were available, the problem is getting flights from Oop North

The other option is to take the caravan up to Scotland - the club site at Onich will be open and is handily halfway between Glencoe and Nevis Range. We could take bikes as well, in case the skiing is not tempting us due to weather and / or snow conditions.

So, what would you do? Reasonable and constructive suggestions welcomed!

A snowHead

IME, last minute deals are rarely that disappointing as they ARE last minute and cheap. When I have done a last minute trip, I've found myself enjoying a holiday which, had I booked it months in advance, I'd probably have been disappointed with.

Just see what turns up and do that.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Creditcard.

Go to Switzerland for 10 days.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

nbt, I assume that as you will be taking the caravan, Scotland can be done whatever turns up elsewhere? I would hold out as long as your nerves and your wallet can stand for the trip elsewhere.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

nbt, ifirc correctly Dadmin did a superb (as in cheap) Xmas offer last year??....
Might be worth sending him a pm ot txt to see if he has anything yet.

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Whitegold,

I'm going to Switzerland, and Christmas week isn't that expensive (DIY).

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Rocket Ski have some HB F & T offers on at the moment for Christmas week for £409 pp - Montgenevre for example. Remember, it is all about the skiing....been with them to Serre Chevalier and AdH in the past and they were actually pretty good to be fair.

After all it is free

nbt, if you go away for Christmas, just think what you will save on food, electricity, decorations and silly presents! Do as Hells Bells suggests, wait till the VERY last minute for a cheap deal and if nothing sensible presents itself, go to Scotland in the caravan. Might well not be any skiable snow at Christmas, but you can go walking, and still better than sitting at home with the telly.

Don't be so picky about airports, though. It's quicker to drive to Gatwick than to Aviemore!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

well, I'm not about to book anything unless it's a stunning bargain, so I shall keep my eyes on the Chaudron and the snowEvents forum, just in case. As suggested above, the caravan is always an option in the event that an *affordable* trip doesn't happen along. Fingers crossed that dadmin's magic fingers can bag us a bargain Smile

snow reports

How about taking the caravan to Europe to ski? If there are no last minute cheap package trips and no good skiing in Scotland it could offer you another alternative. I would guess it may work out too expensive but perhaps worth looking at? Depending what crossing you took you could consider skiing in the Vosges if the snow there was good?

CaravanSkier, our 'van isn't properly winterised so I wouldn't like to try it in *really* cold places, although as documented we've already done a two week ski trip round scotland in it. Plus, by the time you factor in petrol, ferries and driving, a package holiday offers better VFM if you're going to the continent

You know it makes sense.

There will no doubt be some Xmas week deals to be had if you've bags packed and hold your nerve. Otherwise your answer seems to be drive - stay in a downvalley hotel (like an Ibis) and take your pick of resorts. though this probably gets close to your hypithetical £800 budget with fuel and fares etc.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

^ exactly. There's a big site just outside Corvara and there's always loads of vans there when I've been at the dolimtes. (One of the main Sella Ronda lifts actually passes over it)

Just done a search for the web site

http://www.campingcolfosco.org/index.php?page_id=1050&lang_id=3

€16 a day for a caravan it seems

A snowHead

i think Rocket ski use Ros Mages in Montgenevre
its a cheap and chearful hotel/bar/cafe
and has good beer and cheesy chips
plus sky sports

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Help!!

Christmas dilemma

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