Fly to New Zealand, Tolkien-land. You'll probably be in the air for 24 hours and miss Christmas Day entirely. If you're already in New Zealand, go to Spain.
1. Get the Hobbit out of here —
Fly to New Zealand, Tolkien-land. You'll probably be in the air for 24 hours and miss Christmas Day entirely. If you're already in New Zealand, go to Spain.
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Assuming you're in a mainly Christian country in the first place, Morocco's a good escape for snake charming, etc., in the souk.
2. Flee Christendom —
Assuming you're in a mainly Christian country in the first place, Morocco's a good escape for snake charming, etc., in the souk.
VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images
Cuba's out, late leader Fidel having lifted a Christmas ban in 1998. Which leaves Laos: anti-consumerist by state decree and Buddhist, too. Watch out, reindeers!
3. Go to a communist country —
Cuba's out, late leader Fidel having lifted a Christmas ban in 1998. Which leaves Laos: anti-consumerist by state decree and Buddhist, too. Watch out, reindeers!
HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images
Try saying "Merry Christmas" in that position. An Indian yoga retreat should inoculate you against the soulless materialism some say Christmas has become.
4. Retreat —
Try saying "Merry Christmas" in that position. An Indian yoga retreat should inoculate you against the soulless materialism some say Christmas has become.
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... <em>after</em> the party. Places like New Orleans are so fatigued following a year on the tiles that Christmas is actually sedate by comparison.
5. Hit a party town —
... after the party. Places like New Orleans are so fatigued following a year on the tiles that Christmas is actually sedate by comparison.
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Keep yourself so busy teaching in the developing world or saving the rainforest that you forget Christmas entirely.
6. Go on a working vacation —
Keep yourself so busy teaching in the developing world or saving the rainforest that you forget Christmas entirely.
TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images
Even within the Christmas-intensive world, you can find Internet and TV-free places such as the UK's Lundy Island.
7. Get lost —
Even within the Christmas-intensive world, you can find Internet and TV-free places such as the UK's Lundy Island.
Karen Bowerman
With very few people and no public transportation around, London city center on Christmas may be the best time to tour the city on foot and take some postcard shots.
8. Visit London's city center —
With very few people and no public transportation around, London city center on Christmas may be the best time to tour the city on foot and take some postcard shots.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Panama boasts an impressive biodiversity, including more than 200 mammal species and 1,000 bird species. Its forests are refreshingly far from civilization and Christmas atmosphere.
9. Into the wild —
Panama boasts an impressive biodiversity, including more than 200 mammal species and 1,000 bird species. Its forests are refreshingly far from civilization and Christmas atmosphere.
RODRIGO ARANGUA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images