December, the most wonderful time of the year. Despite the fact I’m not a cold weather fan, I am a fan of holiday cheer.

One of the first trips I began dreaming about when I moved to London last January? Exploring Europe’s Christmas markets. Even though it’d be almost a year before the trip happened, I looked forward to visiting some of the famed markets I’d heard so much about from friends who’ve visited Europe during the holiday season.

At the top of my list? The Christmas markets in Munich and Nuremberg. German Christmas markets are like stepping back in time, usually set outdoors in charming town squares. Each market has dozens of wooden booths filled to the brim with crafts, food and drinks.

Researching for our German Christmas market trip, I kept seeing Vienna’s markets referenced as some of the best in Europe. Happily the descriptions of idyllic Christmas couldn’t have been closer to the truth- beautiful lights, dozens of Christmas markets and cozy cafes, Vienna is a gorgeous place to visit for holiday cheer.

Returning from my quick Christmas market trip, I was excited to continue seasonal celebrations in London. And thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed with what England’s capital had to offer. Twinkling lights, gorgeous decor and wreaths at every turn, mulled wine and plenty of holiday activities established London as my favorite city in the world to celebrate the holidays in.

Before I knew it, it was time to head back to the States for Christmas. Instead of going home to Pittsburgh, my family decided to spend a week and a half at the happiest place on earth- Disney World.

We had a fantastic time celebrating Christmas and the New Year at House of Mouse. If you’ve been before, then you know visiting Disney at the holidays is a once in a lifetime kind of thing 😉

Favorite Moments from the Month

Munich

Nuremberg

Vienna

London

Orlando

With 2017 finished, I’m starting to think about where I want to go in early 2018. Previously, I thought I’d spend the first few months of the year in/near the UK, but a few travel deals have me considering other city breaks-

• January: Marrakech, Morocco
• February: Hamburg, Germany
• March: Ljubljana, Slovenia & taking advantage of the bank holiday at the end of the month to head to Norway for a long weekend

Here’s where I headed for #Take12Trips in 2017:

• January: Moved to London (!!!), weekend trip to Edinburgh, Scotland
• February: Weekend in Orlando and Disney World for the Princess Half Marathon 
• March: A brief return to Austin and couple of days in Marfa, Texas, day trip to Oxford, and weekend in Paris
• April: Weekend trips to Stockholm/Gothenburg, and Milan/Venice (praise hands for bank holidays)
• May: Week and a half in Hong Kong, Macau, Japan
• June: Stayed in the UK, visited Brighton and Hampton Court Palace
• July: Stayed in the UK, explored parts of London and visited lavender fields
• August: Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris, and Colchester, England
• September: Barcelona & Seville, day trips to Bath and Geneva, and a long weekend in Seattle for a wedding
• October:  Weekend in Prague
• November: Long weekend in Porto, Portugal for a belated birthday celebration
• December: Long weekend in Munich, Nuremberg and Vienna to visit the Christmas markets, and headed Orlando to celebrate the holidays in the sunshine

WHAT IS #TAKE12TRIPS?

#Take12Trips in 2017 is a continuation of the only resolution I made in 2016- a promise to commit to doing something once a month. Anything counts- it can be dinner at a new place, visiting a new museum or spending the weekend at a cute B&B in the country. It doesn’t need to be an epic trip to a foreign country, just the chance to discover something new.

How about you? Are you planning any trips for 2018 that you’re excited about?

Other Posts You May Like

• What is #Take12Trips?
• #Take12Trips: November
• #Take12Trips: October