Christmas is a time for family and festivities, but that doesn’t mean you need to be in your own country to enjoy this time of year. Christmas is actually a very popular time for travel, with a lot of exotic countries enjoying their nicest weather of the year. It’s not uncommon these days for families to spend the winter on a beach in warmer climes and enjoying the different style of festivities that other countries have to offer.

It can be quite pricey to take your holiday over the Christmas period as some countries experience their busiest tourism periods during December and January. Accommodation can be snapped up quickly, but there are deals to be found if you search hard enough. If you don’t mind travelling on Christmas Day there are big savings to be made. Often airfares will be slashed by up to 30%. You also get the unique experience of being in an airport without any queues for security or a lack of parking spaces.

One of the best Christmas beach destinations in the world is the country of Sri Lanka, which is situated just off the south eastern coast of India. Sri Lanka has been through some tough times in the past, but it is on the rise again. The country is full of warm, friendly and welcoming people and although the majority of the population is Theravada Buddhist, the country still celebrates this time of year and you can often find a decorated Christmas tree here and there.

Sri Lanka has quite an interest climate, where one half of the island can be in the middle of a monsoon and the other is enjoying its best weather for the year. During December and January, the best parts of the island to stay on are the west and south coasts. Whilst you are sunning yourself on a stretch of pristine beach, the north and east of the island will be experiencing the Maha monsoon. On the west coast, the capital Colombo averages around 28C and seven hours of sunshine a day during December.

The beaches of Sri Lanka are famous around the world and a major attraction for those looking to escape the winter blues. Negombo, which is only 6km from the international airport and just north of Colombo, is a popular first stop for anyone visiting the country. This trendy fishing village has some of the best seafood Sri Lanka has to offer and a long golden sandy beach with some excellent diving spots and a 40 year old shipwreck that serves as an artificial reef for many different varieties of colourful fish.

Two other beach highlights in this part of Sri Lanka are Mount Lavina, which is just south of Colombo and is a popular beach with locals. Each weekend people come to enjoy the water sports and live music, so it is a great place to mix with local people and join in the fun. The other beach is Unawatuna, which is right on the southwest tip of Sri Lanka. This stunning beach stretches around like a horseshoe and is a peaceful alternative to the busy beaches of Colombo and the surrounding coastline. This area also offers some of the best diving that the country has to offer.

Beach holidays are a great way to escape the winter blues and an interesting and exciting way to spend your Christmas break. Not everyone celebrates Christmas around the world, but as long as you are with your family or friends you can have your own Christmas celebrations no matter where you are.

Jonathan Wallace writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/escape-the-cold-and-spend-christmas-on-a-sri-lankan-beach-1513201.html

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For an unforgettable European break this winter, visit Geneva on the weekend of 11 to 13 December and experience the unique Escalade Festival, the magnificent annual celebration of Geneva’s independent spirit that catches the city as its best.

Geneva is renowned as a global centre for diplomacy, earning the moniker of the Peace Capital of the World, and the Escalade Festival celebrates a defining event in the city’s history when, in the early hours of 12 December 1602, the Genevan army successfully repelled an attack by the invading French. Dressed in period costumes, modern-day residents enthusiastically celebrate this landmark event 400 years later with a weekend-long calendar of events steeped in fascinating traditions and rituals, guaranteed to enthral visitors to Switzerland.

The Escalade celebrations are a chance for tourists to see historic Geneva’s unique culture and traditions proudly on display, with the city’s colours of red and gold emblazoned across all aspects of the festivities. The crowning event is the three-hour torch parade through Geneva’s Old Town, commemorating the company of 1602 who fought off the invaders. Legend has it that these soldiers’ valiant efforts were aided by a matron who poured boiling vegetable soup over the city walls onto the heads of the invaders, and this event has inspired a range of traditions with cauldrons at their symbolic centre.

Visitors with a taste for chocolate will lavish the Escalade celebrations, where chocolate cauldrons are sold as a festive delicacy, as widely available as Easter eggs are in the Spring. As well as savouring these chocolate delights, festival attendees are also treated to mulled wine and soup, with more sweets and marzipan offerings than children could dream of. Traditional songs are sung in memory of the fallen soldiers, and families with children visiting Geneva can take part in a range of celebrations, as the communal spirit flows throughout the city.

Geneva’s winter celebrations are not restricted to the Escalade weekend however, as the city has much to offer travellers who visit throughout the season, taking in the Christmas atmosphere as the city is transformed with lights and decorations. The Escalade marathon also takes place on the weekend prior to the festival, attracting more participants each year in a race around the Old City that has fast become Switzerland’s most prestigious sporting event, offering a stunning spectacle for visitors.

Geneva’s distinctive cultural history and traditions can be experienced to the full in the city’s many museums open throughout the year, making Geneva flights the ideal option for an edifying cultural break in a city with a unique global focus and exceptional quality of life.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/escalade-festival-celebrates-the-independence-of-geneva-1438129.html