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By Larissa Flight Finding Team Lead & native Aussie living in London. She loves scoping out the best brunch places in a new city, and is a bit of a public transport nerd.

We’re a diverse bunch here at JFC. That’s what tends to happen when you work remotely—your colleagues can be spread out around the world.

That said, most of us celebrate Christmas in some form or another. So, we decided to ask our team members to share their beloved festive memories so we can conclude, once and for all: who does Christmas best?

Is it better to have Christmas in the dead of winter, or the heat of summer? Whose holiday food reigns supreme? Are there any unique cultural traditions hiding in Portugal or the Caribbean that we should adopt worldwide? Let’s find out!

Snow Vs. Sand

Around 70% of the JFC team prefer Christmas in winter in comparison to summer. The majority of our team is based in the Northern Hemisphere, so it makes sense that we like what we’re familiar with. If you’ve grown up waiting in anticipation for the first snowflake to fall (or drizzly rain, as seems to often be the case in the UK), you likely can’t imagine spending the day on the beach:

Hannah (England) - In my 22 years of Liverpool Christmases, I don’t think I’ve ever had a “white” one. Rainy? Yeah, always, but you don’t hear Michael Bublé dreaming about one of those, do you.

And sure I wouldn’t say no to sipping on an icy cold drink, on the beach, in the sunshine, somewhere a little more picturesque…

BUT, nothing says Christmas like knowing it’s freezing cold outside while you’re wrapped in a blanket with your *compulsory* festive pjs on. Of course, you’ve also gotta crack open at least a few tins of Roses, Celebrations, or Heroes to dive into while you watch The Holiday or play cards with Last Christmas on in the background :-)

Josh (England) - Not to sound too much like the Grinch, but Christmas in the UK to me is cold and wet. It’s nice when it does snow, but more often than not, we’re left with rain.

My twin brother is currently living in Australia, so it’s interesting to see how he celebrates the complete opposite way we would: BBQs and swimming in the sea. This year, we’ve decided to go away for Christmas to Norfolk, so I’ll also have a Christmas Day dip (though I’m sure it’ll be a tad colder).

Kristi (Canada) - Sure, everyone loves a warm vacay… but at Christmas?! No way.

If it isn’t white… is it even really Christmas? Canadians pray for the snow to melt from Oct-Dec 20th and then Dec 27th to April… but that middle week needs to be snowy.

Kristi's family in the snow

On the flip side, if you grow up in a country where December 25th falls in summer (or the temperature doesn’t really drop too low in December), you’re still flooded with the northern European symbolism around the holidays. Santa still has his red coat on, you still have a Christmas tree, and the songs that sing about it being cold outside are still played. That means you can usually imagine what a cold Christmas would be like, even if it’s not your reality:

Allan (Miami, USA) - To see everyone else talking about a white Christmas is so disheartening because it’s all I ever wanted. Every TV show, every movie, every song mentioned the snowflakes and the tinsel and the scarves and the mittens, and I never really got to experience that.

Miami is the opposite: when temperatures were in the low-60s Fahrenheit (about 15-17 Celsius) on Christmas Day, we would throw on our warmest clothes—a light hoodie—and enjoy the first and only chilly breeze we’d get all year.

Andrea (Antigua) - I know that when people think of Christmas, they think white snow and hot chocolate. While that’s great, imagine a Christmas of sandy beaches, cocktails and tales of how Santa will make it inside your house, since we don’t have chimneys.

Christmas in the Caribbean is magical because that same island energy and charm visitors crave follows us all straight through the season. Instead of snowflakes, we look forward to cooling raindrops to help ease the day’s heat.

We sing songs asking how Santa will find us, and if he would need to borrow our neighbour's donkey (since we don't have reindeer in our country). We have lighting competitions, and we drive around the island, with a pit stop for icy drinks and BBQ on the side of the road once you’re done seeing the lights.

So, which is supreme: sledding or surfing? Olivia and Lauren both have compelling points:

Olivia (San Diego, USA) - Having grown up in San Diego and always spent the holidays in California, I’ve never experienced a white Christmas. To me, snowmen were in the same category as elves and Santa – symbols of the holiday, but fantastical ones.

We spent most of my childhood Christmases in Pismo Beach. This is a tiny little beach town on the central coast of California, mostly known for clam chowder and surfing. Christmas to me means Pismo, so it’s a beachy holiday in my mind.

There was always a huge Christmas tree made of lights at the very end of the Pismo pier and in the mornings, my dad and I would get coffees and go walk out over the ocean to see it. The clam statues (yes, clam statues) would get painted to match the holidays, so in December they look like reindeer. You walk around town in flip-flops with boardshorts and a windbreaker. You’d unwrap a boogie board and then ride it that afternoon.

I think everyone from SoCal feels at home in beach towns like that, so it’s plenty cozy for the holidays. Why would I want it to snow on Christmas? How will I try out my new sand toys?

Pismo Beach Pier at Christmas

Lauren (England) - Okay, the idea of a warm Christmas does sound intriguing, I’ll give you that. But, ultimately, Christmas to me just needs to be cold and ideally with a generous dusting of snow—not that that’s ever guaranteed.

Although growing up in Worcester, England, you’d be surprised just how many white Christmases I saw. Sledging was by far my favourite festive activity. Nothing quite beats hurtling down an icy hill on a wobbly car boot-bought vintage sledge. Side note, if you're looking for speed, buy one with metal rails, they fly like lightning.

Any year that was light on the white stuff wasn’t that much of an issue, given that we lived relatively close to the mighty Malvern Hills. If snow didn’t come to us, we’d just drive up to it, but boy were those slopes steep.

Looking back, it’s nothing short of a Christmas miracle that I never broke a bone.

Read more…

Last week, I shared a recent experience of a less than stellar British Airways flight, and asked whether you had been through anything similar. One reader, very fairly, suggested that I was just having a whinge. The rest of you who wrote in, however, had plenty of unpleasant experiences to share.

Starting with customer service, many of you have been left wanting. From the in-flight…

“There is a level of complacency and arrogance now with BA in relation to the service that they offer. We found the crew to be miserable, lacking in urgency, disinterested in passengers and the customer experience.”

To the service counters…

“We land at London Heathrow and that's when the chaos begins. We all run down to make it to our connections. Turns out that our flight had been overbooked by a decent margin. They weren't ready to put a lot of us on that plane and just told us to go to the British Airways counter up ahead. This what they also told to folks arriving from Spain on Iberia and folks coming from the USA.

I told them that although I am resident in Ireland and can transit via the UK, I am a visa-required national and by law have to catch my connection that leaves Heathrow by 11:59 pm. The sad part was that it took me explaining this to the 4th person who knew about the rules! He pretty nonchalantly said,"Ah well, that's a pity. You're okay, though, the flight to deport back to Delhi will be free of cost." I felt my heart drop and felt giddy. Can you imagine hearing and experiencing that?”

To the call centres…

“Due to the drop in corporate travel in my industry post-pandemic, I lost my Silver status and am now Bronze. I have an outstanding lost/ missing miles claim that's been going on since September 8, and I keep getting sent to the same call centre where no one can help me or give me any other answer than 'due to exceptional circumstances, we are very busy. Your claim will take up to 8 weeks to resolve'.

I have filed a complaint, and they came back with... The same answer. And directed to me to the same call centre. I've given up/ lost the will to live in terms of getting these miles, and have recognised, like most things British, our flag carrier is obsessed with class and status, and once you drop down the ranks, good luck getting help.”

Lots of you wrote in to share criticism of the BA service, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom! So I want to make sure we shout out the good sides too:

“Earlier this year, I was traveling from Tokyo to Dublin. The flight from Tokyo to Heathrow was amazing 🤩. Then lo and behold, my connection from London to Dublin was via British Airways. And of course the flight got delayed by 2 hours and we departed late. However, this time the ground staff was really nice and it was a pleasant experience.”

---

“Having just flown out to Texas with American and returned BA, I have to say BA was much better. American flight was freezing cold, even the crew were wearing their fleeces, the seats were cramped and there were only 4 toilets for all of economy and premium economy, food was generally OK, but BA beat them in every detail!”

---

“From City Airport, British Airways is perfect. Obviously limited destinations, but the airport experience alone makes it worthwhile. Quick, easy and always on time.”

There was one issue in particular that seemed to be the crux of many of your complaints, though—the knock-on effect of BA’s hand luggage policies:

“The biggest issue for us, though, was the ridiculous policy of hold baggage charges and size of cabin bags. We were delayed and therefore missed our slot leaving because they had run out of space for bags in the cabin. As is our previous experience, there was the usual last minute pleas at the gate for people to relinquish their cabin cases to the hold free of charge, taken up by a few people who could then board quicker (not sure that's a positive bribe, but each to their own!). So, as general boarding began, we then spent 20 minutes or so standing in the queue on the air bridge waiting to get on to the aircraft whilst cabin bag space was being found.

When we eventually got seated, and squeezed our rucksack/bag under our seats, chaos continued to ensue with stressed cabin crew going up and down the aircraft trying to squeeze in more cases, of varying sizes.

An hour after our take off time, we eventually moved off. It was a similar experience coming home, but this time we were on a bigger aircraft and were not delayed.

Is it time for BA to consider scrapping their extra charges for putting luggage in the hold, on the basis that it will surely alleviate the time-wasting and inevitable delays? It seemed ridiculous to me that the full aircraft must have been flying with a near empty hold!”

Budget carriers have changed the way we travel by charging for both carry-on and checked luggage. We’ve all had to become pros at packing light. And while we usually see larger airlines including a carry-on as a bonus, it means that where there’s a free cabin bag, we will make the most of it. Planes simply don’t have enough space for that, and chaos descends.

What about the other big airlines, then? Is there a safe bet? Well, it’s a mixed bag, but aside from mentions for Aer Lingus and SAS, the major European and US airlines didn’t receive resounding support. As one reader pointed out, could this be the pervasive effect of low-cost carriers?

“I'm hard-pressed to think of a brand-leading European state airline, as they've all dumbed down in the face of competition from Ryanair, easyJet etc. Hard to beat the Gulf states in terms of state flagships nowadays.”

As someone who tends to travel with budget airlines due to better routes and affordability, at least I always know what to expect. Unfortunately, that means that when I pay more and fly with a traditional airline, I also expect more. So while Wizz Air et al. go up in my estimations with every new route and price drop, BA etc. go down. And I’m not alone:

“People hate on Ryanair, but over the last three years I’ve almost never had an issue. It seems as though they really paid attention to all the negative press (and feedback) and then proactively did something about it.”

To wrap up this extended whinge, we could list all the other airlines you’ve had bad experiences with (*cough* American, *cough* United). But let’s just go for the one that really caught my eye.

I’d like to thank reader Grant for now giving me something to worry about every day in the run-up to my transatlantic trip in February:

“As regards to US carriers, well probably American would be top of my list. DELTA however would be plumb last. Do you know what DELTA actually stands for?

Don’t Expect Luggage To Arrive”

Thanks, Grant. And thank you to everyone else who wrote in! Your experiences will help JFCers everywhere, so please keep the travel tips coming.

By Akasha Flight Finder Akasha's best memories live in the pages of her passport. Based in Ireland, when she isn't travelling, she’s probably drawing in a café somewhere.

50/50, we’ve made it! To finish off 'Around the States in 51 Editions' in style, we’re bringing you New Jersey through a slightly different lens…

The click of a shutter is more than just a sound. It’s the pursuit of the present moment, an immortalization of life’s fleeting moments. More often than not, it’s the overlooked and seemingly mundane that become a photographer’s most treasured moments.

And is there anywhere more overlooked than New Jersey? Not if its neighbour has a say!

Sure, you could spend a lifetime capturing New York’s effervescent streets, but set your eye across the Hudson, and we promise you’ll find something uniquely captivating, no matter the lens.

Landscape Lovers

The New Jersey Pinelands

If ever a place to live up to the name of “The Garden State” it’s the Pines. A protected natural area, this is the largest surviving forest on the eastern seaboard. Landscape photographers won’t be lost for photo ops here, including vivid Cranberry bogs, desolate ghost towns and misty muted hues unique to golden hour on the shores of Pakim Pond.

Best season to visit: Any but spring and autumn for the most vibrant colours. October is cranberry season. Summer brings egrets and herons, while winter brings tundra swans.

Lenses: Wide angle for sweeping views of the bog lands and pines, telephoto for intimate landscapes and wildlife. Great opportunities for macro too.

Honourable mentions: The Delaware Gap (a massive tree-lined valley nestled between mountains with a river flowing through), Paterson Great Falls (a 77 ft-high waterfall on the Passaic River) and the town of Sandy Hook for vast beach seascapes.

Urban Explorers

New York City Skyline from Liberty State Park

Liberty State Park offers a stunning perspective of the Manhattan skyline. Play with moody reflections in the water and experiment with long exposures to capture NYC at dusk.

Best season to visit: May through September offers the best chance of sun and warmer weather for a day full of snapping. Then again, the city isn’t going anywhere, and storm clouds only add character!

Lenses: Wide/Ultra wide angle for sweeping views of the skyline.

Honourable mentions: Hoboken Waterfront for a stroll against the city’s glowing lights, George Washington Bridge (the busiest bridge in the world and iconic star of countless movies), and Asbury Park Boardwalk for seaside shots of street performers and vibrant murals.

History Buffs

Princeton University Campus

Snapping candid moments among the fallen leaves of the courtyard, chasing shadows between gothic arches, capturing a beam of light bathing rows of well-worn books, there’s probably nowhere better for capturing the essence of academia than Princeton.

Best season to visit: Autumn brings with it the buzz of a new University year, against a backdrop of oranges, reds, and ivy.

Lenses: Zoom lens for capturing intricate architectural details and a wide angle for sweeping views.

Honourable mentions: The colourful and intricate Victorian houses of Cape May, fascinating Allaire Historic Village and its well-preserved factory town, and The Palace of Depression—yes you read that right!

So there you have it, folks. Pack your spare battery, and get snapping!

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• Skiers wantinging to hit European slopes on the cheap no longer need to look to Bulgaria, as the Italian town of Bardonecchia claims the title of ‘Best Value Resort’
• Storm Pia has already kicked off festive travel chaos across much of the Europe and the UK, with lots of flights, trains, and ferries cancelled.
• An English family travelling to Australia without flying have made it as far as Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia after 3.5 months. They hope to make it to New South Wales in time for a family wedding on 28th December.
• If your winter has an Italian twist this year, make sure you know exactly where your allegiances lie before you take a sip of a bombardino, aka brandied eggnog.
• And finally, still all in a tizzy about where to actually travel in 2024? Well, first, you should probably pick a theme. Will it be “gig tripping” like Swifties around the globe, or grabbing your Gran and heading out on the road?
  Those are just a couple of the trends on CN Traveller’s list of predictions, which even includes ideas that we can imagine actually inspiring us, like a spot of “coolcationing”. There are others, however, that we’re not so sure about... “wild feasting”.
  As one member of the JFC team put it, “what's wrong with just sitting on the grass eating a squished peanut butter sandwich - why ruin a good thing?”