A WINTER WONDERLAND: LAPLAND, FINLAND
Go dogsledding by day and gaze at the Northern Lights from your own personal glass igloo by night. Adventurous types need to spend at least one holiday season in this arctic oasis. Oh, and we hear Santa comes to visit.
Where to Stay: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
A ROMANTIC GETAWAY: MALDIVES
This serene paradise is a gorgeous destination year-round, but skip the rainy season in early December and stick with dates around Christmas and New Year’s instead. Weather stays consistently in the 80s throughout the winter, so ditch your parka and bring an extra bathing suit.
Where to Stay: Gili Lankanfushi Resort
A FAMILY ADVENTURE: DURANGO, COLORADO
Hey, sometimes you don’t just want to get into the Christmas spirit, you want to live it. That’s when you pack up and head to Durango, where the Polar Express (aka the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad) heads to the North Pole to pick up Santa every Christmas Eve. Oh, and you can even buy the official PJs.
Where to Stay: Strater Hotel
A TRIP THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK: AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE
You know what’s expensive? Buying gifts for everyone you know. So instead, ditch the holiday hoopla and try the more affordable Ambergris Caye, the largest island in sunny Belize. For under $100 a night, you can have your pick of hotels. Seriously.
Where to Stay: Pedro’s Hotel
A SNOWY SKI VACATION: TELLURIDE, COLORADO
This former Victorian mining town is now one of the best places in the entire country to go skiing. When you’re tired of the slopes, check out the quirky Between the Covers Bookstore, then dine at Allred’s Restaurant. The views are so gorgeous, you’ll be too stunned to eat. (Well, almost.)
Where to Stay: Telluride Ski Resort