Christmas isn’t coming and the goose isn’t getting fat but if you are planning a festive season ski holiday you really shouldn’t look away now.
With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day again falling at a weekend, all the leading ski companies have changed their programmes. So it’s worth knowing some of the key changes affecting the weeks taking in Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Christmas Day is a Sunday so none of the ski companies will flying that day. Instead most holidays will start on Christmas Eve or Friday 23rd December although some companies have switched to Monday 19th December or Wednesday 21st December.
Also, while most holidays are for the standard seven days, some operators are offering the bonus of eight days on the slopes over Christmas.
So there's plenty to choose from. For example, you could set off as early as 18th December and return on Boxing Day, or depart as late as Christmas Eve and return on New Year's Eve.
New Year’s Day is also a Sunday and, again, there will be no flights that day. Instead, there will be departures on four different days for holidays lasting 7, 8 or 9 days. You could set out on Boxing Day for a week with the return on 2nd January or you could wait until 30th or 31st December and return on 8th or 9th January.
Parents who want to take school age children skiing over New Year will have to especially careful for not every operator’s revised schedule will get them back in time for school.
Here is a breakdown of the date combinations available, though be sure to check with one of our ski experts for the exact details of the holidays that interest you, as you will notice some countries offer a variety of dates to chose from.
Christmas:
Departure Date |
Duration |
Return Date |
Location |
|
18 Dec 11
19 Dec 11
20 Dec 11
21 Dec 11
23 Dec 11
24 Dec 11
|
8
7
7
7
7
7
|
26 Dec 11
26 Dec 11
27 Dec 11
28 Dec 11
30 Dec 11
31 Dec 11
|
Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland Andorra, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland Finland
France
Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland
Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Switzerland
|
New Year:
Departure Date |
Duration |
Return Date |
Location |
|
26 Dec 11
27 Dec 11
28 Dec 11
30 Dec 11
30 Dec 11
30 Dec 11
31 Dec 11
|
7
7
7
7
8
9
7
|
02 Jan 12
03 Jan 12
04 Jan 12
06 Jan 12
07 Jan 12
08 Jan 12
07 Jan 12
|
Andorra, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland Finland
France
Switzerland
Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland
Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland
Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Switzerland
|