No-Christmas Christmas
September 13, 2013 9:40 AM Subscribe
I'm interested in passing Christmas (24/25 December) somewhere that does not celebrate Christmas at that time. The shops and monuments should be open, the people should be doing their thing, and life should be going on more-or-less as normal. For a number of reasons, I'm particularly interested in doing this in a place that celebrates the Orthodox Christmas (6/7 January). Have any of you spent the holiday season in such a country? Which one? What was going on during the 24/25 Dec? Would you recommend visiting? I'm also curious to hear about your New Year's experiences in those places, but it is less important. (If you have a really awesome idea in another region I'll hear you out for the sake of others who may have a similar question.)
Moscow and St. Petersburg are both full of New Years' decorations, and while the 25th is a work day, lots of Poles (esp. in Moscow) will celebrate Christmas on that day and Christmas eve. Orthodox Christmas is also pretty festive, and those festivities last until New Years, so you've got about a week in early January. We did this once, but had family to visit. Moscow is expensive, too.
posted by Ideefixe at 9:59 AM on September 13, 2013
posted by Ideefixe at 9:59 AM on September 13, 2013
Moscow and St. Petersburg are both full of New Years' decorations...
Just to add: New Year's Eve is the grandest and most fervently celebrated holiday in Russia.
posted by griphus at 10:02 AM on September 13, 2013
Just to add: New Year's Eve is the grandest and most fervently celebrated holiday in Russia.
posted by griphus at 10:02 AM on September 13, 2013
Best answer: It won't provide the Orthodox Christmas celebration you're looking for, but if you want December 25 to be as unimportant as possible, you could do a lot worse than Tel Aviv.
posted by Tomorrowful at 10:12 AM on September 13, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by Tomorrowful at 10:12 AM on September 13, 2013 [8 favorites]
Came in to say Tel Aviv as well, or Israel in general. I'd also bet you could find some sort of Orthodox Christmas celebration in Jerusalem or Bethlehem.
posted by Mchelly at 10:20 AM on September 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Mchelly at 10:20 AM on September 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The shops and monuments should be open, the people should be doing their thing, and life should be going on more-or-less as normal. For a number of reasons, I'm particularly interested in doing this in a place that celebrates the Orthodox Christmas (6/7 January).
I am going to assume that you aren't Orthodox. We Orthodox don't do anything minimalist, and that is definitely going to apply to Christmas. (we'll cover Pascha at another time). If you want to be in a place that is not "Christmas-y" on December 25, you should definitely not go to a predominately Orthodox country. Even if it isn't celebrated on December 25 (as it is in Greece, for example), you can expect the country to be in Christmas mode. But yes, December 25 is not a public holiday in Russia. (the major country on the Julian calendar)
You should also bear in mind that not all Orthodox are on the Julian calendar. In fact, most Orthodox are on the Revised Julian calendar (I am one), and Christmas for us is December 25 just like for westerners. The Russians, Serbians, and Georgians are the major Orthodox churches that are on the old Julian and celebrate Christmas in January.
(I did not cover the Old Calendarists here because that it another kettle of fish. For example, the Russian church is on the Julian calendar but is not Old Calendarist.)
So, if you want a place that is "business as usual" on December 25, you might want to check out rural China, the Arabian peninsula, or Turkey. This map may help you plan your trip.
posted by Tanizaki at 10:22 AM on September 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
I am going to assume that you aren't Orthodox. We Orthodox don't do anything minimalist, and that is definitely going to apply to Christmas. (we'll cover Pascha at another time). If you want to be in a place that is not "Christmas-y" on December 25, you should definitely not go to a predominately Orthodox country. Even if it isn't celebrated on December 25 (as it is in Greece, for example), you can expect the country to be in Christmas mode. But yes, December 25 is not a public holiday in Russia. (the major country on the Julian calendar)
You should also bear in mind that not all Orthodox are on the Julian calendar. In fact, most Orthodox are on the Revised Julian calendar (I am one), and Christmas for us is December 25 just like for westerners. The Russians, Serbians, and Georgians are the major Orthodox churches that are on the old Julian and celebrate Christmas in January.
(I did not cover the Old Calendarists here because that it another kettle of fish. For example, the Russian church is on the Julian calendar but is not Old Calendarist.)
So, if you want a place that is "business as usual" on December 25, you might want to check out rural China, the Arabian peninsula, or Turkey. This map may help you plan your trip.
posted by Tanizaki at 10:22 AM on September 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
I have often traveled at that time of year because my birthday is the day after Christmas. I don't celebrate Orthodox Christmas so my list doesn't consider this.
I have been to:
Hawaii - everything was open - huge number of Japanese tourists want to shop. You could choose to get a bit Christmas-y and have a fantastic hotel buffet if you wanted
China - everything is open, they do celebrate Christmas in an oddly commercial way - lots of trees at the malls etc
Malaysia - Muslim majority country, business as usual
I have lived in the Netherlands, UK and Australia - recommend none of these as all shut down for Christmas. There's not even any transport in London on Christmas day. Tube is closed.
posted by wingless_angel at 10:32 AM on September 13, 2013
I have been to:
Hawaii - everything was open - huge number of Japanese tourists want to shop. You could choose to get a bit Christmas-y and have a fantastic hotel buffet if you wanted
China - everything is open, they do celebrate Christmas in an oddly commercial way - lots of trees at the malls etc
Malaysia - Muslim majority country, business as usual
I have lived in the Netherlands, UK and Australia - recommend none of these as all shut down for Christmas. There's not even any transport in London on Christmas day. Tube is closed.
posted by wingless_angel at 10:32 AM on September 13, 2013
One other thing: I have no idea how Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in Russia, but New Year's Eve is, in many ways, celebrated almost identically to the secular celebrations of Christmas you're probably trying to avoid: decorated evergreens, gift exchanges (kids get their presents from Grandfather Frost) and so on.
posted by griphus at 10:39 AM on September 13, 2013
posted by griphus at 10:39 AM on September 13, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks all for your input, especially Tanizaki for your details. Tanizaki got it right: I'm not Orthodox, and I'm not looking to celebrate the Orthodox way. I'm looking to go somewhere new in a region I hardly know and not have it shut down by a holiday everyone spends with their family. Christmas decorations are fine, I don't hate the holiday at all, but I want to be able to enjoy the visit without having a big family of my own. This idea came in part from a Georgian friend who celebrates exclusively in January.
Anyway, the Tel Aviv suggestion has me thinking, and agreed, Japan was fantastic for Christmas and for New Year's. I've also done Peru one year, which, while a very Catholic country, moved along almost as normal over the holidays. I live in Paris, which is much like wingless_angel says about NL, UK, AU: dead! I will keep reading!
posted by whatzit at 10:45 AM on September 13, 2013
Anyway, the Tel Aviv suggestion has me thinking, and agreed, Japan was fantastic for Christmas and for New Year's. I've also done Peru one year, which, while a very Catholic country, moved along almost as normal over the holidays. I live in Paris, which is much like wingless_angel says about NL, UK, AU: dead! I will keep reading!
posted by whatzit at 10:45 AM on September 13, 2013
My suggestion was also going to be Tel Aviv, but since that's been covered, maybe Istanbul? But it will be colder there than in Israel.
posted by fingersandtoes at 11:10 AM on September 13, 2013
posted by fingersandtoes at 11:10 AM on September 13, 2013
I've spend Christmas in Marrakech and aside from x-mas trees in the nicer hotels it's business as usual but you'd have to check the dates of the Islamic holidays because it really shuts down for those going from a insane bustle to a ghost town because everyone is with their family.
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 11:35 AM on September 13, 2013
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 11:35 AM on September 13, 2013
I spent Christmas (December 21st through December 30st) in India seven years ago. We ran into a little bit of Christmas (including a dude in the world's creepiest Santa mask at a hotel in Aurangabad.) But that and a Christmas tree in the lobby of one hotel (a Hilton) was it.
posted by vespabelle at 11:53 AM on September 13, 2013
posted by vespabelle at 11:53 AM on September 13, 2013
Athens does minimal Western Xmas, but there's a bonus that the sites around Greece are not only open for business, they are also almost empty of tourists! Negative though is that Greek buildings are minimally prepared for the chance that it's actually cold outside. Pack a sweater.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:27 PM on September 13, 2013
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:27 PM on September 13, 2013
Best answer: Japan might also be another possibility. It's acknowledged commercially, but not an official holiday. South Korea, however, is closed for the 25th.
posted by bonehead at 12:29 PM on September 13, 2013
posted by bonehead at 12:29 PM on September 13, 2013
I've spent Xmas in India a couple times. I'm going to extrapolate my experience by saying that most big modern cities in the world will have some visible acknowledgment of Santa Claus but certainly everything was business as usual otherwise. I'm going to second the notion that there is something particularly grotesque and nightmare inducing about Indian Xmas decorations. You could probably do an interesting sociology dissertation on it.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:07 PM on September 13, 2013
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:07 PM on September 13, 2013
Spent a Christmas in Turkey once. We actually spent 25th December visiting the Sultan Ahmed Mosque /Blue Mosque and Ayasofya/Hagia Sophia. It was pretty strange getting a phone call just before walking into the mosque from Mr. Ju's Dad and everyone getting on the phone to say "Happy Christmas! Can't talk at length now, need to take off shoes!"
It was cool in Istanbul but everything was open. Spent our time touristing, eating and bazaaring. The level of tourists was waaaay down and I think that made our Turkish adventure much better than going at another time of year. Then went off to Cappadocia and saw the desert under snow (incredible!) and then stayed near Efes/Ephesus over New Years (New Years is strange because the Turks celebrate it with Santa Claus and wishing us Merry Christmas and many restaurants served turkey on 31 December... which we tried to avoid because, well, why eat poorly done turkey when you can have incredible Turkish food? But in general Christmas isn't really a thing in Turkey).
posted by jujulalia at 1:38 PM on September 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
It was cool in Istanbul but everything was open. Spent our time touristing, eating and bazaaring. The level of tourists was waaaay down and I think that made our Turkish adventure much better than going at another time of year. Then went off to Cappadocia and saw the desert under snow (incredible!) and then stayed near Efes/Ephesus over New Years (New Years is strange because the Turks celebrate it with Santa Claus and wishing us Merry Christmas and many restaurants served turkey on 31 December... which we tried to avoid because, well, why eat poorly done turkey when you can have incredible Turkish food? But in general Christmas isn't really a thing in Turkey).
posted by jujulalia at 1:38 PM on September 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Athens does minimal Western...
Err, the Greeks celebrate Christmas on December 25th. I've never been there at Christmas, but it's definitely a feast that's commemorated.
posted by ambrosen at 1:54 PM on September 13, 2013
Err, the Greeks celebrate Christmas on December 25th. I've never been there at Christmas, but it's definitely a feast that's commemorated.
posted by ambrosen at 1:54 PM on September 13, 2013
I spent Christmas/NYE/Orthodox Christmas in Moldova in 2003/04 and 2005/06. Aside from businesses and schools being open, there was little difference between there and neighboring Romania or even Germany. Christmas and New Year's stuff was everywhere, almost more so than in Ohio.
I think Istanbul or Tel Aviv would be cool.
posted by vkxmai at 1:59 PM on September 13, 2013
I think Istanbul or Tel Aviv would be cool.
posted by vkxmai at 1:59 PM on September 13, 2013
Err, the Greeks celebrate Christmas on December 25th.
Hot damn, so they do, it was pretty darn low key when I was there then! Everything was pretty much business as usual with lights.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 2:04 PM on September 13, 2013
Hot damn, so they do, it was pretty darn low key when I was there then! Everything was pretty much business as usual with lights.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 2:04 PM on September 13, 2013
Best answer: Ethiopia would work. Just stay out of the big hotels in Addis (Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson) and you will find that December 25th is just like any other day. As a bonus, the Ethiopian New Year starts on the 11th of September so outside of the hotels mentioned above, the night of December 31/January 1 is just a normal night.
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 2:50 PM on September 13, 2013
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 2:50 PM on September 13, 2013
I forgot to mention that they also celebrate Orthodox Christmas in January.
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 2:53 PM on September 13, 2013
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 2:53 PM on September 13, 2013
Ukraine might work for you either, pretty sure they celebrate Orthodox Christmas there too.
posted by cornflakegirl at 4:20 PM on September 13, 2013
posted by cornflakegirl at 4:20 PM on September 13, 2013
Mr t0astie and I are doing exactly that this year! We're going to Kuala Lumpur from December 22 to 29. All the info we've seen says December 25 is a public holiday and there is a fair bit of commercial Xmas, but everything is open and people spend the day shopping, eating and chilling out. For bonus non-Xmas action, we're staying in an apartment we found through Airbnb, so no hotel Christmas trees or families doing Christmas. (We both like Christmas actually, but it will be fun and novel to spend it somewhere where it's not a thing.)
posted by t0astie at 2:17 AM on September 14, 2013
posted by t0astie at 2:17 AM on September 14, 2013
Response by poster: So my choice this year - if nothing gets in the way - looks like Montenegro with perhaps a dash of Serbia or Macedonia. I already confirmed the holiday schedules via other networks. Other proposals that really interested me include Tel Aviv and Ethiopia, but not this year.
For anyone else considering such a holiday, Japan is GREAT over Christmas and New Year's, and I would do it again, but I've done it a couple times and it's prohibitively expensive in my case.
posted by whatzit at 5:46 AM on September 17, 2013
For anyone else considering such a holiday, Japan is GREAT over Christmas and New Year's, and I would do it again, but I've done it a couple times and it's prohibitively expensive in my case.
posted by whatzit at 5:46 AM on September 17, 2013
I went on a cruise one year over christmas and it was minimal christmassy.
posted by jennybento at 9:11 PM on September 21, 2013
posted by jennybento at 9:11 PM on September 21, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:45 AM on September 13, 2013