25 Reasons to Book a Christmas Ski Vacation

If you've got kids, holidays are the best times to book ski vacations. They already have no school, they're amped up from nearly 4 months of the academic grind, and in addition to all the little trinkets they get from Santa under the tree, you'll be giving them the best gift of all: a Christmas Ski Vacation.

This is how it works: everyone wants to ski vacation over Christmas. Prices get jacked up. Ski vacation deals pop up to cater to those vacationers who are simply not going to pay astronomical prices for a ski vacation. Even better deals appear to compete with the original deals. And these are the ones you book!

We all know that the day after Christmas, stores throw everything on sale to clean out all the holiday merch'. This is happening at ski resorts, too, and going on a destination ski vacation over Christmas guarantees you'll find some of the best gear and clothing deals of the season (and not have to wait until next season to enjoy them.

Resorts pull out all the stops only a few times during a ski season, and Christmas week is one of them. You can bet they've been working for months to book some of the best live music they can to ensure epic après hours and entertainment that lasts long into the night. Check specific resort schedules for big name bands, or enjoy unique flare of local artists.

Christmas week is a resort's chance to kick off the season with a bang, which means they'll be hosting all kinds of special events on and off the hill (oh yeah, and they're usually free). If you want a vacation full of festivities, you want to book one over Christmas. It simply doesn't get any better than this.

The torch light parade is a legendary ski town event, during which resort employees ski down the mountain at night in a line holding bright red torches. It is hands down one of the coolest things you will every witness at a ski resort, and it takes place over Christmas week.

When you book your Christmas ski vacation, know that resorts are also planning for you to have the best holiday vacation experience. This means they will have all hands on deck – especially in ski schools. You're bound to have a variety of instructors and specialty lessons to choose from during Christmas week because all instructor staff with all their diverse expertise will be there.

When it comes to natural snowfall statistics, mid January through mid March are your best bet. But resorts of the Rockies have been known to have at least one surprise storm in the last two weeks of December, and New England resorts break out their best snow blowing and grooming services to maintain good snow and good cheer.

You've been dreaming of it, no? A ski resort is a prime place for Christmas vacation because it perfectly exhibits that storybook charm. If you live in a place that doesn't see white Christmases or snowy winters, treat yourself and your family to the experience that all these holiday songs promise. You won't regret it.

Sooner or later, those ski legs of yours need to come back, and what better time than ski season's grand holiday opening. It can take a couple of days to get comfortable on skis again after the off-season months, and giving yourself an entire week (or more) in December will help you back into your usual form more quickly than a day here or a weekend there.

It's actually not so easy in the hustle and bustle of holiday season to spend real quality time with family, but a Christmas ski vacation offers a space for just that. Time on the slopes, a variety of activities off the slopes, dinners out and game nights in are perfect opportunities for everyone to enjoy themselves individually and as a family.

Yes, Santa skis, too. In fact, you will likely see dozens of skiing Santas on the slopes around Christmas, and many resorts have Santa visits available for children. If you really score big, the jolly old man will have his sleigh with him too, and even Elves that can be booked for storytelling sessions before bed!

It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together around Christmas, and while many resorts offer sleigh rides throughout the season, there's no better time to get one than Christmas week. Enjoy cozy blankets, hot chocolate, and a ride through fields and forests in a classic horse-drawn sleigh.

For those who attend Church services Christmas Eve and/or Day, you can find beautiful offerings in ski towns. Resorts themselves often host non-denominational services right at the mountain for those seeking a festive and reflective gathering. There might even be one on top of the mountain, which is a special experience.

Of course, one week after Christmas arrives the biggest party night of the year, and ski towns know how to party. Book your Christmas ski vacation to fall over the New Year as well and enjoy tons of options for celebratory shenanigans: everything from upscale summit dining to raucous après parties that last until the wee hours of the morning.

It's Christmas vacation, and the kids probably want to party, too. Instead of schlepping them around to fancy dinners or grown up gatherings, you'll likely be able to find a party just for them hosted by the resort. Christmas week is the most popular of the season for Kids Night Out, so you'll be able to please the kids and have a freebie night out on the town.

It's a New England tradition of 100% pure maple syrup boiled, then poured over fresh snow. It candies from the cold and is served in wooden troughs with scoops for all, or in individually packed snow cones for a delicious holiday treat. This unique culinary experience is still alive in a handful of Northeastern resorts during Christmas week, and not to be missed.

Because of the traveling holiday masses, booking flights around Christmas may be more expensive. That said, you mayalso have more options for days and times because of increased travel demand. It's best to book as early as possible to get the flight times of your choice, and stick to that ticket.

Be it friends, family, or seasonal buddies, Christmas week is prime time for reunions. Booking a full vacation ensures enough time to gradually catch up with people you haven't seen for a while instead of packing into a restaurant for a micromanaged family dinner that lasts a few hours. There will also be plenty of activities at the resort for individual tastes (meaning you'll have plenty of outlets to take a break from each other).

Not only willyoube stoked for your Christmas ski vacation – resort staff will be too. After many months off, lifties, ambassadors, servers, and concierges are ready to jump back into ski season, and you can bet they'll be more energized at this time of the season than at the end. When everyone is genuinely excited to be where they are, it transforms the place, and you can expect plenty of authentic good cheer at this time of the year.

Okay, if you're hitting the bars and live music scene every night, you might get a little more peace than quiet. But even pub-crawlers will have the ultimate experience of checking out of "real life" at the apex of the holiday season. A ski vacation getaway means you can skip the trips to the mall for gift returns and feeling like you should be doing something because you're home and have time off. Take back what vacation should really be, and book a ski getaway instead.

Holiday blues, cold weather blues, short days and long nights blues, and nothing-but long-winter-ahead blues can take a toll on the system. Although December 21st is the shortest day of the year, by Christmas you're just getting into the dead of winter, which can bring up gloomy feelings and cabin fever. Beat the blues with a Christmas ski vacation and all its good cheer, fun activities, and wintry wonderfulness.

It started around Halloween, chomped through Thanksgiving, and devoured Christmas. The holiday munchies may leave you feeling lethargic, heavy, and looking for a way to get moving again and give your body some working out. A holiday getaway at a world-class resort will get you skiing, riding, snowshoeing, hiking, snowbiking, and getting your yoga on so that you can get fit before resolving to do so on New Year's.

If you happen to want a totally deluxe holiday experience, ski resorts are your place. If you want the year off from cooking, cleaning, and preparing for guests, leave it the professionals at every major hotel and restaurant in resort towns to cook up massive holiday feasts with specialty foods, multi-course dinners with wine-pairings, and New Years pre-fixe menus that will blow you away.

Empty slopes at a ski resort during Christmas vacation? Absolutely, friends. Besides a random midweek morning in bitter-cold late January, the only day you'll have zero lift lines and total reign over the slopes is Christmas morning (trust me, I see it every year). While most people are sleeping in and relaxing over mimosas, you'll have a prime opportunity to ski empty slopes with perfect snow for several hours. Get your runs in early – by noon, crowds start picking up.

There you have it – all the reasons you need to book a Christmas Ski Vacation. Now that you've decided to book, you simply need to figure out where to go and how to get the best deals. Check them all out here, and Happy Holidays!