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Love it or dread it, Christmas is inevitable. No sooner have the stores taken down their Halloween displays than they’re replacing them with huge icicles, gold stars and beaming Santas. The pressure’s on to fight late night shoppers, order turkeys and vast pork pies, and work out how to be in three different places on Christmas Day. There’s no escape.

Or maybe there is, if you dare to try something different and break from the normal, society imposed, traditions…

It’s not necessary to forget about Christmas altogether, unless of course you want to; rather, it’s a case of having a different type of Christmas, one which takes a bit more imagination and planning, but one which you will forever remember.

How about, for example, a city break? Not only are they reasonably priced, but you get to have a break whilst still being back at home for the majority of the festive season. Prague, with its rich history and opulent beauty, is a firm favourite and the wonderful Christmas markets are open throughout the festive season, including Christmas Day itself. In Vienna, the Christkindlmarkt in the City Hall Square is famous the world over for its elaborately decorated trees, dozens of wooden huts selling gifts and food and, of course, welcome glasses of hot Gluhwein.

Venice is another great European city that will make your Christmas totally unforgettable. Gone are the crowds of summer tourists (the population is actually halved in the winter months), and so you can take in the unique Venetian culture and charms, with a little festive spirit sprinkled on top, at your own leisurely pace. If you’re looking for a particularly romantic trip, then it’s absolutely ideal.

If it’s that traditional White Christmas you’re dreaming of, then the ski resorts of Switzerland, France and Austria are great places to head for. Sunshine on crisp snow, pine-covered mountains and crackling log fires all make for that perfect Christmas card scene. And, away from the slopes, a glass or two of hot punch always goes down well as the snow softly falls.

Then there is the ultimate Christmas experience – a visit to Lapland. What could be more perfect than spending your Christmas at the place that Mr. Christmas calls home. What could be better than watching, from within your snug log cabin, the snow fall outside as Reindeers run across the scenic landscape. For those of you with children, this can turn out to be the most memorable and magical trip of your lives.

There really is something for everyone in the range of Christmas hotel breaks available. Ask yourself, is another Christmas spent half asleep on the sofa, watching the same old Christmas specials on TV, something that you really want this year? Go on… dare to do something different.

This Christmas, why not have a festive adventure away from home? Our Christmas hotel breaks guide offers a number of ideas for a wonderful Christmas spent at one of the worlds most festive destinations. Cheap Hotel Chains price compare all latest cheap hotel deals across the world.

The UK has many great places to visit, particularly over the festive period, with these being some of the most popular…

1) London

As is to be expected of the one the world’s great capital cities, London is a simply breathtaking place to spend the Christmas period. The city literally sparkles with the thousands upon thousands of lights which are placed seemingly everywhere. For last minute shoppers, and post Christmas bargain hunters, it is particularly great, so long as you do not mind mingling in the huge crowds that pack the streets.

In terms of entertainment, there are few, if any, better places in the world to be. Theatre, musicals and ballet can be taken in at a variety of places every single night of the week, and large festive gatherings, in the form of fairs or carol singing, are a just as regular occurrence.

2) York

Well known for the magical Christmas experience that it offers, York is a place that really makes the extra effort as far as Christmas lights and street entertainment go. Christmas melodies fill the streets, the aromas of chestnuts and hot chocolate abound, and Santa can be counted upon to make regular visits.

As for activities go, you might want to try out ice skating, watching a pantomime, or even going on a ghost tour. It also features many historical sites, like the renowned Yorkshire Museum, York Dungeon and the York Castle Museum, all of which are decorated appropriately during Christmastime.

3) Edinburgh

Edinburgh is full of sites to see at Christmas-time. Among the sparkling fountains, the decked out Edinburgh’s Christmas Tree and the unique, realistic Nativity Scene, you can enjoy a “White Christmas” at the featured Edinburgh Sparkles Snow Globe. Entertainment includes puppet shows, dance production and music broadcasts, in addition to carol concerts.

Craft fairs and parades start to appear in the week preceding the big day, around which time the celebrations and festivities really go up a notch. By the time the 31st December comes around, the whole place reaches its peak, and Edinburgh is widely regarded as being the best UK location to see in the New Year.

Budget Hotel Chains believe that everyone deserves at least one night a year in a great hotel at an even greater price. Budget Hotel Chains allows browsers to easily compare the many hotels marketed by the finest budget hotel offers.