Christmas in New York really starts on the fourth Thursday of November when the fantastic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts at 77th Street and Central Park West. On Thursday 26th November 2009 as the shops open, this enormous parade celebrating its 83rd event of impressive floats, enormous balloons, marching bands, troops of clowns and TV characters, will follow a new Thanksgiving Day Parade route through New York. This year the route starts at its usual point but then turns east onto Central Park South instead of Broadway. See the Macys website for full details.

Another symbol of Christmas in New York is the huge Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Centre, to be lit on Thursday 3rd December. The tree overlooks the outdoor ice rink (West 48th & West 51st Streets).  Must do visits include watching the festive decorative windows of Saks on Fifth Avenue, Barney’s on Madison, Macy’s on Herald Square (take the kids to Santa Land whilst there) and Lord & Taylor’s Christmas themed windows.

Big and little children will enjoy choosing or buying Christmas presents at the biggest toy shop in the world, FAO Schwartz on Fifth Avenue (near 58th Street), a (hopefully) snow covered Central Park, the Laser Light show at Grand Central Station and the spectacular Times Square. On Friday’s until mid January, listen to live music for the lighting ceremony for the UNICEF Snowflake at 6pm, and prebook tickets for the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden for the Cirque du Soleil winter themed Wintuk show.

For a truly authentic Christmas in New York, A Cathedral Christmas Concert is being performed on Saturday 12 December at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine by the Cathedral’s Choir with the American Classical Orchestra. Alternatively, prebook tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the Music Hall on Avenue of the Americas where you will watch spectacular dance performances suitable for the whole family, from mid November to the end of December.

There are many fabulous and exciting countries to visit for a New Year holiday worldwide.

Cheap holidays to Dominican Republic in the Caribbean are available at the moment (13 December) for one week departing from Gatwick on Wednesday 30th December with Thomson Holidays.  Stay in the four star plus all inclusive ClubHotel Riu Bambu in Bavaro, Punta Cana including coach transfers from £1393 per person.  Wake up on New Year’s morning to the beautiful sight of fourteen miles of white tropical beaches, and blow away the cobwebs of 2009 with games of water polo and volleyball, scuba diving lessons and windsurfing.

The beautiful Maldives and spectacular Seychelles in the Indian Ocean are extra special New Year holiday destinations. Kuoni Holidays have last minute offers for 7 nights from 28 December staying at the boutique five star Velassaru Hotel in the Maldives from £2263 per person, and Labriz Hotel in the Seychelles from £4401 per person.

Tropicalsky are offering holidays at the end of December to Le Meridien on the island of Phuket in Thailand, from £1209 per person for six nights and holidays to the Grand Mirage Resort and Thalasso Spa in Bali for 7 nights from £1439 per person.

If you are looking for a New Year Holiday for the family with lots of activities, a holiday in Orlando, Florida is always popular. Not only is there an extensive choice of accommodation in and around Orlando, but so much to keep the youngest to the oldest member of the family happy. Travel to the Orlando Theme Parks, Movie Studios and Orlando Shopping Malls and factory outlets for an exciting Florida holiday at New Year.  Holidayhypmarket have New Year package holidays available from £1193 per person for 7 nights, flying from Gatwick on 28 December and staying in a two star Resort hotel on room only basis.

Why not enjoy a New Year Break abroad and escape the British winter?  The world is your oyster, so where would you like to go?  Celebrate the New Year in style and book a holiday abroad! Choose from exotic beach holidays in the Caribbean, Africa or Asia, or a family ski holiday in the Alps or Canadian Rockies – choose a romantic European city break in Prague or Paris, or the popular beaches of the Spanish Canary Islands off the coast of Africa.

Welcome in 2010 with a New Year ski holiday, surrounded by breathtaking snow covered mountains in a quaint authentic village.  Austria is a beautiful setting, and if there is a group of you venturing out on your New Year expedition, why not book a wooden Alpine chalet? Today (10 November 2009), Igluski.com are offering a brand new 4 star chalet ski holiday with steam room and sauna in St Anton, departing Gatwick on 27 December for 7 nights from £1181.00 per person, or at the other end of the price scale, 7 nights at the self catering Rauris Apartments in Rauris from £388.00 per person based on four people sharing, departing Gatwick on Boxing Day.

Count down to the New Year on a mini cruise! DFDS Seaways are offering a two night mini cruise New Year break from Amsterdam to Newcastle. From just £254 per person, board the ship at Newcastle and enjoy an en suite cabin, coach transfers in and out of Amsterdam, breakfasts, Gala New Year buffet, free house drinks during the crossings, live entertainment, and champagne to greet in 2010.

Celebrate on a New Year break in beautiful Prague. Lastminute.com are offering the luxury five star Hotel Esplanade in the centre of the historic city from £937.56 for two people sharing a twin bedded comfort bedroom departing on 30 December from Gatwick for 3 nights. The price is an additional £40 if flying from East Midlands airport.

Set on the edge of a beautiful long sandy Moroccan beach, is the four star plus, contemporary Royal Atlas Hotel in Agadir.  Perfect for a relaxing New Year holiday, the hotel offers a range of spa treatments for your enjoyment. Flying from Gatwick on 28 December Thomson Holidays are offering an all inclusive package (meals and drinks) including priority coach transfers, flights and 7 nights accommodation for £1976.00 for two people.

There is a huge selection of New Year breaks and New Year holidays in the UK to choose from.

Hire a car with easyCar and drive to a comfy country bed and breakfast for a quiet New Year break, or stay in one of the Warner Leisure Hotels for 3 or 4 nights including New Year’s Eve, and enjoy the party, evening meal, live entertainment, a piper and fireworks.

If you want to simply relax, or celebrate the festive season in full party style, there are plenty of hotels offering New Year Breaks in the UK to suit every requirement. Choose a secluded country house or a city centre hotel, a quaint rural Inn or a hotel spa resort which offers activities all through the year.

Celebrate the arrival of 2010 on a New Year Break in the Cotswold countryside, amongst the Welsh hills, on the edge of Lake Windermere in the Lake District or overlooking the south coast from Brighton.

Enjoy a two night New Year Break arriving on 28 December at Centre Parcs in Longleat Forest or five nights arriving on 30 December at Whinefell Forest where you should wrap up warm and experience a whole assortment of indoor and outdoor activities over the New Year period.

Greet the New Year with traditional Hogmanay celebrations in one of Scotland’s Hotels of Distinction such as at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans, Perthshire or Ruttlets Country House Hotel in St. Andrews, Fife. 

The New Year celebrations in Edinburgh are renowned worldwide. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party is a programme of music, lights, dancing and midnight fireworks to see in the new decade. Stage events start at 9pm on Princes Street and it is worth pre booking tickets to the various events to avoid disappointment!

As Big Ben in London tolls midnight on December 31st 2009, hold hands with the person next to you and sing…

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”

Happy New Year!

Guaranteed there’ll be rain in the UK – but don’t let the weather get you down, there is plenty to do to escape it!

So where to go on your December holiday?   Hot or cold?

As Christmas approaches, the Caribbean is the perfect hot spot to spend the festive season. There is still last minute holiday availability in Grenada, Dominican Republic, St Lucia, Barbados and a selection of other Caribbean islands for Christmas holidays and New Year holidays; however, if you can complete your holiday before Christmas Day, you are likely to find that your total holiday package is a few hundred pounds cheaper per person than if taken during the end of December. For your December Caribbean holiday, choose to stay in a luxury all inclusive spa resort or in low cost self catering complex – there are December holidays to suit all budgets!

Alternatively, how about slightly further north of the Caribbean, off the Florida coast and north of Cuba; the Bahamas?  Over 700 islands and 2,500 cays make up The Bahamas, although most people are only familiar with New Providence Island where the city of Nassau is located, a charming and colonial setting with many exclusive beachfront hotels.

Head south to South America in December, and 400 miles off the coast east of Argentina are the Falkland Islands. An ideal winter holiday location to unwind and escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, the Falkland Islands is a natural paradise. Over 740 islands make up the Falklands, with beautiful long sandy beaches and outstanding flora and fauna.

Not so far from home, in the north of Africa is the fascinating country of Egypt, bordering the Mediterranean to the north and boasting some of the world’s most beautiful and ancient historic artefacts, as well as many world famous seaside and diving resorts along the Red Sea.  The days are pleasantly warm during the winter although the evenings may be a little chilly – take a light jumper or cardigan rather than a thick ski jacket though!  Combine a Nile Cruise with a city break in Luxor or Aswan, or spend a few weeks relaxing on the luscious pale sandy beaches or exploring the colourful sea life.

Christmas ski packages are exceedingly popular with families and groups, many staying in chalets which offer a very sociable atmosphere with everyone dining together.  Snow in Europe tends to be good around the Christmas to New Year period, especially in the French Alps, Switzerland and Austria, although of course, you could also ski in Canada or America. Ski resorts that you can almost guarantee will have snow throughout the ski season because of their high altitude or glacier location include Val d’Isere, Tignes, Les Deux Alps, La Plagne, Courchevel 1850 and Meribel in France, Courmayeur in Italy and St Anton, Austria.