Boston
Old-world ambience, New England coziness. Beacon Hill's cobblestoned streets dusted with snow. Roasted lobster in lieu of Christmas turkey.
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WHERE TO STAY A gas fireplace warms every bedroom at the XV Beacon Hotel, which combines classic details (canopy beds, an antique cage elevator) with 21st-century amenities (CD players, high-speed data ports, a private phone number for each guest). It's only minutes from Boston Common and Faneuil Hall. CHRISTMAS DINNER Although Locke-Ober, a blue-blooded institution since 1875, got a long overdue revamping last year, the dining room still feels like a gentlemen's club. Classic dishes such as lobster bisque, Dover sole, calf's liver, and even baked alaska continue to draw the Brahmin faithful—only now the food is actually delicious. Meanwhile, the beau monde packs into No. 9 Park for over-the-top, shockingly good cuisine—prune-stuffed gnocchi with foie gras, a splendid roast duck with cherries and braised endive. JUST DESSERTS Mike's Pastry in the North End (Boston's Little Italy) has made the city's best cannoli for five decades running. Buy one, buy two—heck, buy a whole box. Afterward, cozy up to a steaming cappuccino at Caffè Vittoria or Caffè Graffiti. BEST GIFTS Black Ink is crammed with presents for all ages—tin lunch boxes, wind-up metal toys—as well as some unusual children's books, including a beautiful collection of Japanese fairy tales. Louis Boston, a Back Bay temple of men's and women's couture, also sells a mouthwatering selection of teas and chocolates from Fauchon in Paris. The boutique/gallery Good brings a fresh dose of style to old-school Beacon Hill, with vintage Scandinavian glassware and funky Midcentury furnishings. A REVEL-ATION Celebrate the ghosts of Christmases past with the Christmas Revels at Harvard's Sanders Theatre. Every December, the Revels troupe chooses a historical era (last year, Tudor England) and re-creates its holiday festivities in an evening of music, dance, theater, and general merrymaking. —Peter Jon Lindberg
The List
XV Beacon Hotel 15 Beacon St.; 877/982-3226 or 617/670-1500; doubles from $395
Locke-Ober 3 Winter Place; 617/542-1340; dinner for two $130
No. 9 Park 9 Park St.; 617/742-9991; dinner for two $120
Mike's Pastry 300 Hanover St.; 617/742-3050
Caffè Vittoria 290-294 Hanover St.; 617/227-7606
Caffè Graffiti 307 Hanover St.; 617/367-3016
Black Ink 101 Charles St.; 617/723-3883
Louis Boston 234 Berkeley St.; 617/262-6100
Salumeria Italiana 151 Richmond St.; 800/400-5916
Good 88 Charles St.; 617/722-9200
Christmas Revels December 16-26, 2002; 617/496-2222; tickets $20-$42
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Barbecues on subtropical beaches. Summer in December. A cooler of Steinlager beer instead of eggnog. Deep-sea fishing at night.
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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION At the northern tip of New Zealand's North Island, the Bay of Islands is an aquatic playground with some 150 isles and a myriad of secluded beaches. Your base of operation is Russell, the first capital of New Zealand, a 45-minute flight from Auckland. WHERE TO STAY Eagles Nest, a resort with four private villas that each have 280-degree ocean views (keep your eyes peeled for migrating humpback and blue whales); choose either Sacred Space, with its vaulted, louvered glass ceiling, First Light Temple, built into a hillside, or the traditional Kiwi housing of Bach and the Cottage. At Omata Estate, a luxe vineyard homestead with huge guest rooms, you can sip local wines on a jetty in your own private bay. Its in-house restaurant offers a six-course tasting fête; the oysters melt in your mouth. CHRISTMAS DINNER Start with a cocktail at the oldest hotel in New Zealand, the Duke of Marlborough, then pop next door to Kamakura, a serene seaside restaurant serving the day's catch. Or you can charter a Sunsail yacht and cruise to Urupukapuka Island for a picnic of lobster and chilled Sauvignon Blanc. STOCKING STUFFERS Make a beeline for the missionary town of Kerikeri (reachable by car ferry from the nearby town of Opua), whose shops offer great gifts for everyone on your list. For those with a sweet tooth, pick up a sack of hand-rolled chocolates from Makana Confections. Buy the kids a kaleidoscope crafted from 40,000-year-old kauri wood at Scopes New Zealand. And for lovers of art and design, stop by Origins, which specializes in local pottery, painting, and furniture. BEST OUTING Catch the Dolphin Discoveries boat from Russell's harbor and swim with friendly bottle-nosed dolphins. —Amanda Jones
The List
Eagles Nest 60 Tapeka Rd., Russell; 64-9/403-8333; doubles from $625, three-night minimum
Omata Estate Aucks Rd., Russell; 64-9/403-8007; from $520
Duke of Marlborough Hotel 35 The Strand, Russell; 64-9/403-7829
Kamakura The Strand, Russell; 64-9/403-7771; dinner for two $55
Sunsail 64-9/378-7900; charters from $142
Makana Confections Kerikeri Rd.; 64-9/407-6800
Scopes New Zealand 265 Waipapa Rd.; 64-9/407-4415
Origins Hwy. 10; 64-9/407-1133
Dolphin Discoveries 64-9/402-8234; sailings from $45
Edinburgh
Fireworks lighting up the sky from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace" around the Sir Walter Scott Monument.
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WHERE TO STAY Fireplaces are continuously rekindled at the baronial Balmoral. The Caledonian Hilton Edinburgh is equally opulent—it's Edinburgh's answer to the Plaza. HOLIDAY DINNER Sorceresses were burned at the stake beside the gates of Edinburgh Castle in the 16th century, but nothing is scorched at the Witchery by the Castle, which stands on the site. The restaurant serves heather-fed lamb and rabbit-and-pheasant terrine—all cooked to perfection. From the top floor of the Museum of Scotland's Tower Restaurant, look out over Georgian spires and rooftops while sampling roast saddle of venison. TRADITIONS It's standing room only at the 600-year-old St. Giles Cathedral on Christmas Eve for Lessons and Carols. Children make their own pilgrimage to the Pantomime at the Royal Lyceum, where actors perform fairy tales. BEST GIFTS Silversmith Hamilton & Inches has chain-mail scarf necklaces by Nathalie Hambro ($463) and Stephen Webster-designed crystal-inlaid cuff links ($2,197); plus, every bauble comes in the store's coveted purple box. Even non-Scots can have kilts made in any tartan, any fabric—leather is quite popular—at Geoffrey Tailor Kiltmakers; they've stitched custom kilts for Mel Gibson and Madonna. COMING FULL CIRCLE Ride Scotland's tallest Ferris wheel, which rises 108 feet above the Princes Street Gardens. Then warm up with mulled wine and steaming mince pie from the gardens' Traditional German Market. —Heidi Sherman Mitchell
The List
Balmoral 1 Princes St.; 800/223-6800 or 44-131/556-2414; doubles from $180
Caledonian Hilton Edinburgh Princes St.; 800/445-8667 or 44-131/222-8888; doubles from $244
Witchery by the Castle Castlehill, the Royal Mile; 44-131/225-5613; dinner for two $110
Museum of Scotland's Tower Restaurant Chambers St.; 44-131/225-3003; dinner for two $78
Café Royal Oyster House 17A West Register St.; 44-131/556-1884
St. Giles Cathedral The Royal Mile; 44-131/225-9442
Royal Lyceum Grindlay St.; 44-131/248-4848; Tickets from $12
Hamilton & Inches 87 George St.; 44-131/225-4898
Geoffrey Tailor Kiltmakers 57-59 High St., the Royal Mile; 44-131/557-0256
Nashville
"O Tannenbaum" with a twang. Honky-tonks sharing space with family values. The most flamboyant ode to the holidays east of the Mississippi.
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WHERE TO STAY As you might expect from a hotel of nearly 3,000 rooms with more than nine acres of enclosed gardens, Gaylord Opryland does Christmas in a big way. Two million lights shine in outdoor displays; inside, you'll find large-scale holiday tributes that range from campy to breathtaking—a 40-foot Christmas tree, a 20-foot poinsettia tree, a daily, medieval-themed lighting-of-the-yule-log ceremony, even a boat ride down the man-made river that runs through the gardens. If you prefer a quieter place to rest your head, check into the 124-room Union Station, a refurbished train depot with a grand stained-glass ceiling in its lobby. CHRISTMAS DINNER Think Christmas Eve—nearly all of Nashville's top restaurants are closed on December 25. The Wild Boar has inventive seasonal dishes that are, natch, meat-oriented: tenderloin of South Texas wild boar, appropriately enough, or pan-roasted breast of Wisconsin pheasant with black-eyed peas, golden chanterelles, and shallot confit. Feel like staying in? Get gourmet takeout from Corner Market, where you can choose between orange-glazed pork loin with apricot-cranberry stuffing and roast beef tenderloin with port wine demiglace; don't skip the eggnog cheesecake for dessert. STOCKING STUFFERS Pangaea sells offbeat gifts like Brady Bunch-esque beaded curtains and a magnetic poetry kit with Southern words and phrases. (What rhymes with "y'all"?) BEST OUTING Fantasy in Ice (Now called "ICE!") may sound like code for the Ice Capades, but you won't want to miss a theater filled with huge ice sculptures (angels, Nativity scenes, a 17-ton polar bear) carved by 40-plus Chinese artisans using almost 1.5 million pounds of the frozen stuff. ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE For hot country and bluegrass, head to Tootsies Orchid Lounge, perhaps the classic honky-tonk; Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson got their start here. And, yes, it's open on Christmas Eve. —Jill Harrington
The List
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center 2800 Opryland Dr.; 888/777-6779 or 615/889-1000; doubles from $229
Union Station-A Wyndham Historic Hotel 1001 Broadway; 800/996-3426 or 615/726-1001; doubles from $125
Wild Boar 2014 Broadway; 615/329-1313; dinner for two $94
Corner Market 6051 Hwy. 100; 615/352-6772, fax 615/352-3801; takeout dinner for two from $50; fax order by December 20
Pangaea 1721 21st Ave. S.; 615/269-9665
Fantasy in Ice (Now called "ICE!") Gaslight Theater, Opry Plaza; 888/677-9872; admission $14.75
Tootsies Orchid Lounge 422 Broadway; 615/726-0463
Malmö, Sweden
Shopping for Modernist design in a 16th-century town square. Aquavit and herring left by the fireplace for Santa.
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WHERE TO STAY The largest hotel in town, the Scandic Hotel St. Jörgen Malmö has bright, cheery guest rooms. Stop for a nightcap at the Times Bar, open on Christmas Day. WHERE TO EAT Get out your calendars: Swedes actually celebrate Christmas on the 24th, and many restaurants are shut tight until just after the holiday. So book early for Petri Pumpa's festive spread in the stately Elite Hotel Savoy—it's open only until December 21. The fish-and-meat-centered feast includes a dozen varieties of herring and salmon; ham with red, brown, and green cabbage; and köttbullar (Swedish meatballs). There's also the traditional lutfisk, whitefish that has been salted and dried, soaked in lye and water for days, and then cooked and served with a creamy white sauce. BEST GIFTS The Form/Design Center shop, located on Lilla Torg (the town square) in an 1850 seed warehouse, sells pieces by Scandinavian designers, including plastic-coated fabric tote bags by Stockholm-based team 10-Gruppen. Or go to David Design for the latest in Sweden's Modernist furniture and objects: a striped, knitted cushion cover by Madeleine Ahnell-Carlson; an oak-framed mirror by Swedish architect-designer Jonas Lindvall; a myrrh candle shaped like a milk bottle by up-and-comer Damian Williamson. BEST OUTING At the 1898 bathhouse Ribban Kallbadhus, sweat it out in a wood-fired sauna with a panoramic view across the water of Copenhagen and the Øresund Bridge, then run outside and leap into the sound. It's a winter rite of passage for bold and beautiful locals; bathing suits are optional. LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING On the morning of the 24th, procrastinators and bargain hunters alike swarm Hansa, a mini-department store that's perfect for everything Swedish. —Elizabeth Garnsey
The List
Scandic Hotel St. Jörgen Malmö 35 Storanygatan; 46-40/693-4600, fax 46-40/693-4611; doubles from $64
Petri Pumpa 62 Norra Vallgatan; 46-40/664-4880; dinner for two $92
Form/Design Center 9 Lilla Torg; 46-40/664-5150
David Design 25 Storgatan; 46-40/300-000
Ribban Kallbadhus Ribersborgs Beach; 46-40/260-366
Hansa Storanygatan; 46-40/77000
Puerto Rico
"Jingle Bells" set to a salsa beat. Instead of pine trees, palms and exotic flora in El Yunque rain forest. Evening strolls through a 500-year-old Spanish colonial city on the Atlantic.
WHERE TO STAY Hotel El Convento, a converted 350-year-old Carmelite convent, has 58 rooms with handcrafted colonial furniture. The Water Club, billed as Puerto Rico's only beachfront boutique hotel, has 84 rooms overlooking the ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows. Furthering the water theme are piped-in sounds of the surf and old-fashioned gum-ball machines filled with aqua-colored jelly beans. HOLIDAY DINNER The Parrot Club offers Nuevo Latino cuisine—tamarind-glazed salmon, chicken in a mango barbecue sauce—accompanied by a jazz band. Ajili Mójili is the best place for asopaos (stews) and mofongos (mashed plantains with pork rinds). The 150-year-old La Mallorquina is known for its family-style cocina criolla, or traditional Puerto Rican feasts: seasonal favorites include lechón (suckling pig), arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), and pasteles (yucca and meat wrapped in a banana leaf). BEST LIGHTS Stroll among San Juan families along the Paseo de la Princesa, past light-strung arches and trees, a life-sized Nativity scene, and stalls selling everything from dulce de leche-filled churros to wooden tree ornaments. At the end is a 20-foot-tall Christmas tree facing San Juan Bay. STOCKING STUFFERS Take your pick of the best santos—wooden folk carvings of Catholic saints—at Puerto Rican Art & Crafts or Olé. A small santo can cost anywhere from $12 to $1,200, depending on the reputation of the santero, or artisan. Larger pieces, such as 12-inch statuettes of the three kings astride their horses, go for several thousand dollars. —Robert Maniaci
The List
Hotel El Convento 100 Calle de Cristo, Old San Juan; 800/468-2779 or 787/723-9020; doubles from $325
Water Club 2 Calle Tartak, Isla Verde; 888/265-6699 or 787/728-3666; doubles from $249
Parrot Club 363 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan; 787/725-7370; dinner for two $70
Ajili Mójili 1006 Avda. Ashford, Condado; 787/725-9195; dinner for two $80
La Mallorquina 207 Calle San Justo, Old San Juan; 787/722-3261; dinner for two $50
Puerto Rican Art & Crafts 204 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan; 787/725-5596
Olé 105 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan; 787/724-2445
Santa Cruz, California
Thousand-year-old redwoods. Santa arriving by surfboard. Roots, folk, and blues on "the Pig" (KPIG 107.5, a popular Americana station). Still-crazy-after-all-these-years hippies co-existing peacefully with over-caffeinated young bucks.
WHERE TO STAY The sleek, intimate Pleasure Point Inn sits on the edge of Monterey Bay. Three of the four rooms face the water, but the best place to watch the sunset is from the roof deck. At the 19-room Harbor Inn, you're just one block away from the city's harbor, where you can charter a yacht for an afternoon sail. HOLIDAY DINNER The bland façade of Casablanca may look quiet and unassuming, but inside, chef Scott Cater turns out some smart New American cuisine. His Colorado rack of lamb with raspberry sauce and black truffles is to die for. The beach views aren't too shabby, either. BEAUTY'S WHERE YOU FIND IT The chic Farmacy sells cosmetics, fragrances, and other beauty booty from Dermologica and London's ultra-hip We Live Like This (for a luxurious holiday soak, try its frankincense-and-myrrh bath salts). BUY THE BOOK As befits this quirky college town, Santa Cruz has several independent bookstores. Logos is a huge emporium of new and used volumes ranging from art and photography books to highbrow novels and scholarly titles (in the back is an eclectic CD department, with almost every disc—show tunes, acid jazz, even rare Joni Mitchell imports—priced at less than $10). Bookshop Santa Cruz, another cavernous space piled high with the latest fiction and nonfiction, has a thoughtfully chosen kids' selection; its excellent international newsstand offers obscure shelter magazines, newspapers in Italian and Arabic, and more. STOCKING STUFFER Anything bearing the goofy grin of the banana slug, the slimy yellow mascot of the University of California at Santa Cruz. Slug hats, mugs, T-shirts, and other logo goodies are available in most stores around town, or on campus at the Bay Tree Bookstore. —H. Scott Jolley
The List
Pleasure Point Inn 2-3665 E. Cliff Dr.; 877/557-2567 or 831/469-6161; doubles from $225
Harbor Inn 645 Seventh Ave.; 831/479-9731; doubles from $45
Casablanca 101 Main St.; 831/426-9063; dinner for two $60
Farmacy 1101 Pacific Ave., Suite C; 831/426-3276
Logos 1117 Pacific Ave.; 831/427-5100
Bookshop Santa Cruz 1520 Pacific Ave.; 831/423-0900
Bay Tree Bookstore 1156 High St.; 831/459-4544
Mexico City
Cool, sunny days. Long, tequila-fueled nights. Los reyes magos (the three wise men) bearing gifts along with Santa. A swinging mariachi sound track to one of the best Christmas parties around.
WHERE TO STAY If you're looking for world-class service in the Distrito Federal (D.F., as the locals call it), check into the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico. Each guest receives a delicious Tronco Navideño, or yule log, during the holidays. Across town, the 36-room Hotel Habita, with its swinging rooftop lounge and lap pool, has become a draw for design-savvy scenesters. CHRISTMAS DINNER At chef Patricia Quintana's Izote, it's all about nouvelle Mexican cuisine, such as shrimp in tamarind mole and shredded venison in a rich achiote marinade. For a more traditional meal, try the San Ángel Inn, a former Carmelite monastery built in 1692. Ask for a table in the courtyard and order bacalao a la vizcaína (salt cod with tomato and pepper sauce), mole poblano de pollo, shrimp brochettes with adobo sauce, and plenty of spiced rum ponche. BEST GIFTS Head to the Bazar del Sábado in the San Ángel district's main square for artisanal pottery and hand-embroidered linens. For one-of-a-kind pieces of Oaxacan jewelry from the twenties and thirties, check out the Zona Rosa shop Bazar Sosa. MIDNIGHT MASS Join the thousands of celebrants at Catedral Metropolitana, one of the world's largest cathedrals, in El Zócalo, one of the world's largest squares. After mass, you'll want a snack, so look for street vendors selling buñuelos—fried tortilla dough sprinkled with sugar. BEST OUTING Drive 45 minutes north to Tepotzotlán for a lighthearted Mexican holiday tradition: the pastorelas, or shepherd's plays, which re-enact Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. The 17th-century village is brightly decorated with poinsettias (nochebuenas are originally from Mexico) and elaborate Nativity scenes. Villagers carry candles and sparklers, sing holiday songs, break piñatas, and revel in the streets till dawn. —Niloufar Motamed
The List
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico 500 Paseo de la Reforma, Colonia Juárez; 800/332-3442 or 52-555/230-1818; doubles from $270
Hotel Habita 201 Avda. Presidente Masaryk, Polanco; 52-555/282-3100; doubles from $225
Izote 513 Avda. Presidente Masaryk, Polanco; 52-555/280-1671; dinner for two $40
San Ángel Inn 50 Calle Diego Rivera, San Angelín; 52-555/616-2222; dinner for two $50
Bazar del Sábado Plaza San Jacinto; Saturdays only
Bazar Sosa 161-42 Calle Londres, Juárez; 52-555/525-5923
Pastorelas in Tepotzotlán Dec. 16-23; 52-555/325-9000
San Antonio
More than 100,000 lights dangling from the trees along the downtown Riverwalk like neon Spanish moss. The pungent scent of cajeta, a Mexican confection of caramelized sugar and goat's milk used to top desserts and pancakes.
WHERE TO STAY The 337-room La Mansión del Río, a Spanish colonial restoration of an old Catholic college, has private balconies overlooking the San Antonio River. The hotel's restaurant, Las Canarias, sets up breakfast along the water's edge. The Havana Riverwalk Inn has Mediterranean Revival architecture and eccentric 1920's antiques. CHRISTMAS DINNER The cozy El Mirador serves a sinus-liberating "shrimp diablo"—plump prawns coated in garlic and cayenne and black pepper. MIDNIGHT MASS Choose services at San Fernando Cathedral downtown, one of the oldest churches in the nation, or at the San Jose Mission, an 18th-century treasure in the city's sprawling barrio. SWEET TREATS Mi Tierra in downtown's Market Square has more than 50 varieties of Mexican pastries, including crisp, sugary pan dulce and chewy leche quemada (Mexican vanilla fudge). LOCAL TRADITION Even if you're completely tone-deaf, you'll sound great when caroling through the Natural Bridge Caverns north of town, thanks to the serious reverb from the 100-foot-high ceilings of the largest known caves in Texas. —Jim Atkinson
The List
La Mansión del Río 112 College St.; 800/292-7300 or 210/518-1000; doubles from $169
Havana Riverwalk Inn 1015 Navarro; 888/224-2008 or 210/222-2008;
doubles from $109
El Mirador 722 S. St. Mary's St.; 210/225-9444; dinner for two $30
San Fernando Cathedral 115 Main St.; 210/227-1297
San Jose Mission 701 E. Pyron; 210/922-0543
Mi Tierra Café & Bakery 218 Produce Row; 210/225-1262
Natural Bridge Caverns 210/651-6101
Orlando
Clear, crisp weather. Lights twinkling on the mangrove trees and the classic Southern houses of Winter Park. Deep discounts at the outlet malls.
WHERE TO STAY At Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, there's a four-story Christmas tree decorated with birdcages and mirrors in the lobby atrium, and a dock on the lake overlooking the Magic Kingdom (a great spot for watching the frequent fireworks shows). The Portofino Bay Hotel is a spitting image of the Italian village, down to the colorful stucco façade, gelato stand, and sandy beach. For a more relaxed experience, check out the EO Inn & Urban Spa, in a 1923 building in historic Lake Eola Park, part of downtown Orlando. EO prides itself on its peaceful ambience (muted beige rooms, black-and-white photos on the walls, taped sounds of distant waterfalls echoing throughout) and "urban spa" treatments (Dead Sea mud wrap, European facials). CHRISTMAS DINNER It may not be the traditional turkey and ham, but the seven-course spread at the exclusive Victoria & Albert in the Grand Floridian still dazzles. Servers in Victorian garb deliver duck confit, marinated venison with celery-root purée, seared scallops in Thai coconut-curry broth, shrimp bisque, Colorado lamb with goat-cheese gnocchi and rosemary jus, pyramid of chocolate mousse, and caramelized banana gâteau. CULTURE SHOCK At Epcot's Holidays Around the World, see how other people celebrate the season. There's a nightly tree-lighting ceremony, and storytellers from different lands spin tales about France's Père Noël and Italy's La Belfana. Over at Universal Studios, the folks behind Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade have floated some of their most famous inflatable characters south; parades are held daily December 13 through January 5. NOT QUITE THE NORTH POLE Just a 15-minute drive east of downtown Orlando, surrounded by orange groves, is the tiny town of Christmas, where you can mail out holiday greetings with an official "Christmas" postmark. —Hillary Geronemus
The List
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa 4401 Grand Floridian Way; 407/934-7639; doubles from $499
Portofino Bay Hotel, a Loews Hotel 5601 Universal Blvd.; 800/235-6397 or 407/503-1000; doubles from $228
EO Inn & Urban Spa 227 N. Eola Dr.; 888/481-8488 or 407/481-8485; doubles from $129
Victoria & Albert At the Grand Floridian; 407/824-1089; dinner for two $200
Epcot 407/824-4321
Universal Studios 888/322-7119
