Travel At Christmas
Because Christmas is a time to be with family, loved
ones and friends, it is one of the busiest times of
the year to travel. People locally, to different
regions and to international destinations to share
Christmas dinners, exchange gifts and recall fond
memories they have of the season. There's also
travel for entertainment reasons that's done by
tourists within the country or from abroad.
And even on Christmas Day, the highways are busy
with vehicles as relatives and friends travel
between towns and states to spend the day together.
The massive and rapid shift away from an agrarian
society to one of
commerce with the development of cities and suburbs
caused family members to move farther and farther
away from each other, therefore making it necessary
to travel by land, air or rail to be together for
holidays such as Christmas and other special
occasions. And with some countries being economic
powerhouses in the world, movement of peoples got
even farther as they migrated to other countries to
take advantage of better opportunities to improve
their lives.
Consequently, air travel has expanded in modern
times to take people to international destinations.
But travel during Christmas and the holidays is not
limited to visiting
relatives and friends. Many people travel for
entertainment, including families who are interested
in seeing interesting sights at Christmas and
enjoying world-renowned entertainment that are in
faraway places from where they live. Travel to a
destination that is far away, within or outside a
country, may only be done once by a family and that
in itself creates a special memory.
Within the United States, it is popular for families
and groups of friends to visit New York City to see
the general sights of the city and to shop at
Christmas. Some of these sights are known throughout
the country and are celebrated each Christmas. The
annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas
Tree is an example.
The lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller
Center, which is located west of Fifth Avenue from
47th Street to 51st Street in New York City, has
been an tradition since the time of the Depression.
The first tree was placed at the site in 1931 but it
wasn't decorated with any Christmas ornaments. In
recent years, more than 25,000 Christmas lights and
other ornaments have been placed on the tree.
Also in New York City, it is very popular for
tourists to travel at
Christmas to see the spectacular Christmas show at
Radio City Music Hall with the signature
high-kicking Rockettes. The show is a favorite of
both adults and children as it is very festive,
lively and filled with the spirit of Christmas.
Tourists also travel during Christmas to
international destinations for
entertainment. Because the Nutcracker Ballet
originated in Russia and that country has worldwide
acclaim for some of the most technical and artistic
ballet performers, it is a popular destination at
Christmas. The legendary Tchaikovsky composed the
music for the Nutcracker Ballet, which was first
performed in Russia's Mariinsky Theatre that is home
to the acclaimed Kirov Ballet. The story is about a
little girl's dream on Christmas Eve about a beloved
Nutcracker toy she received as a present.
Travel to international destinations is also popular
at Christmas time to escape the cold of a 'White Christmas.' For those who do not like the cold but
like to be out and about at Christmas, the
alternative is to go somewhere with a more tropical
climate. Travel to destinations in the Caribbean,
where Christmas is robustly celebrated, is popular
during the Christmas season.
One of the intriguing places to travel during the
Christmas season is to a place where Santa can be
observed. There is such a place in Finland at a
village where Santa Claus has his workshop. Travel
to see and possibly talk to Santa Claus is a
delightful adventure for children. But such a trip
has to be made before Christmas Eve when Santa, his
elves and reindeers embark on a trip themselves to
every home in the world.