Okay. Pursuant to yesterday’s blog entry, some careful strategy is required.
I think that, rather than striking out now as everyone – especially those in a position to make the decisions – prepares for the holidays or, in some cases, is already off on holidays, the campaign should hold off in order to maximize its efforts.
Plan and coordinate now, then launch in the second or third week of the New Year when everyone is back at the office – and eager to start green lighting those new projects!
I leave you to pick a target date.
And, speaking of planning, what do you all have planned for the coming holidays? Visiting relatives? Staying close to home? Getting away from it all with a trip to an exotic locale? Bora Bora? Fiji? Vegas?
Given the choice, if you could spent the holidays anywhere in the world EXCEPT home (or the home of a loved one), where would it be?
My Top 5 NOT Home For the Holidays Destinations:
5. Christmas in Hawaii
Well, why the hell not? Sure, there’s nothing like a white Christmas, but after one too many festive deep-freezes in my home town of Montreal, I think I’d appreciate a little change of venue. Maybe less snow and more sand. Less spruce and pine and more palm. Less roasted chestnuts, more poi. And, oh yeah, the beach.
4. Christmas in Hong Kong
The view from Kowloon of the colorfully lit buildings lining the Central Hong Kong across Victoria Harbor is absolutely stunning. Not quite the rest and relaxation offered by a Hawaiian getaway, but certainly a hell of a lot warmer than an east coast winter, and maybe even more cosmopolitan. If you’re looking to shop away the holidays, this is the place!
3. Christmas Tokyo
Well, of course. Tokyo out Christmases most North American cities with its stunning seasonal displays and spirit. Granted, the Japanese don’t quite celebrate the holiday like some of us do, eschewing family in favor of romantic dinners for two, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the festive mood.
2. Christmas in Savannah
I chose Savannah, Georgia because I’ve been researching the city of late, but I’d happily do Charleston, S.C. as well or any other down home American city that offers a southern take on the holiday complete with pecan pie and bourbon-spiked eggnog.
1. Christmas in Las Vegas
Well, surprise surprised? Not really. Unlike any of the other places listed, Vegas is only a few hours away, offering fun, sun, and restaurant lineup to rival New York and L.A.
So, let’s all start planning for next year! Where are we all going?
Y’all come on down here!
http://visitsanantonio.com/english/Explore-San-Antonio/Only-in-San-Antonio/Holiday-Season
Your idea to wait a few weeks is good, Joe. No sense sending mail to an empty office! That’s give some time to come up with a good letter, as well.
I would love to go to Bora Bora for Christmas, but that’s not really in the cards. As such, I will be here at home, and then just after Christmas going to visit my friends in PEI for a couple of days. I’m invited out along with my step-mom to her great niece’s place for Christmas dinner (along with about 30 other people, apparently). We did the same last year and it worked out well. Hopefully, health-wise she’ll be okay to leave the hospital for the day.
Waiting here for the first major snow storm of the season, which is supposed to hit tomorrow – 30cm of snow and ice pellets along with high winds. Yay.
I think Vegas sounds great for a trip! Blog-Con 2014!
Plan and coordinate now, then launch in the second or third week of the New Year when everyone is back at the office – and eager to start green lighting those new projects!
I leave you to pick a target date.
how about jan. 13th? it’s a monday, the start of the work week and all. i don’t know if sending “stuff” like bottled water could help, my guess is several well written & direct to the point letters (or post cards saying we want a SGA comic) would work.
So, let’s all start planning for next year! Where are we all going?
i vote for vegas. whoever of the commenters that won the mega millions jackpot could foot the bill. 😉
Your target date should be Tues., Jan. 21. The US holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., falls on that Monday, so some of your US contacts may be out of pocket for the long weekend.
As for how we plan to spend the holidays…
I might join my sis-in-love’s family in NW Arkansas (USA). Haven’t decided, waiting for answers to some questions. Hope to have a Vancouver friend here during first week of January.
Top of wish list for December holidays away from home?
Vancouver might be interesting, as long as we pack carefully. Husband likes the cold. We’ve considered Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve /Day, sometime in the future. I could stand to see the Mexico City holiday lights again.
@Joe:
Are you all still going to Montreal this year?
I’m mostly a family Christmas guy, so there have only been a few times I haven’t been around the extended family for Christmas. I have gone to Savannah around Christmas-time (shopping with my cousins), but that was prior to Christmas week and it has been a number of years since I have done it. I honestly can’t remember what we did there. The last 16 years have been in Chicago or with Barb’s family in Maryland.
As for my top 4 Not Home for the Holidays spots, it would be (in no particular order):
London – When we lived in the UK, I never got to London for Christmas; I’m curious on what I missed. I’d like to stay near Hyde’s Park (Piccadilly maybe?) and take walks through Knightsbridge (Harrod’s anyone?)
Thornbury, UK – Our last year in the UK we wandered around the West Country for Christmas. When we stopped in Thornbury and walked on the High Street, we fell in love with the lights and atmosphere of the Christmas Festival. Not quite a Dickens Christmas, but not far off either.
Key West – Not for the Duvall Street craziness mind you, but when I was in my mid-20;s and working in Boca Raton, I would take my spare weekends and drive down to Key West and camp at the Boyd’s Campground and snorkel dive all weekend. I’d love to have a low key Christmas just enjoying the reef.
Tokyo – Like you, I’m intrigued with the lights. Plus a Sushi Christmas? Who could pass that up?
I might add Savannah to the list to make it an even 5; mostly because I haven’t really been there during Christmas itself. All of the Christmases I had in Georgia were spent in Twin City or Kingsland, both about an hour away from Savannah. It would be nice to go and see what I missed.
You might be interested in this, though:
http://www.savannahhollydays.com/events
The Jobseeker’s Holiday Survival Guide
10 steps to find the joy in the December job hunt
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/12/06/december-jobseeking-guide/
Good hints here that can be applied to your “pitch” process, Joe.
Have also heard (no citation available) that, due to less competition, December is a good month for successful job-hunting.
I hear good things about Gatlinburg. It’s a big destination for extended families so we could get a block of big cabins.
That’s also (somewhat) drive-able for me so I won’t have to find out of I’m on the No Fly list.
I’d like to join you in Hawaii! Are you buying my plane ticket?
We will be headed to Wisconsin this year instead.
Personally I’ll spend time with family over the Christmas period, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I honestly wouldn’t really know where I would go to avoid spending time with family over Christmas, I mean, it’s Christmas, it’s a holiday, just have fun, get in the spirit etc lol
Anyway that new Steins Gate movie is out now subtitled Joe, unsure where you watch your anime but just a heads up anyways. 1 hour 30 minutes long, and carrys on from the final episode of the anime.
Well, since my native Denmark is influenced heavily weatherwise by the Gulf Stream and white Christmasses only happen every 15 years (statistically) with 2013 no exception – we can look forward to Christmas with rain (yaaaay…not really)….I would actually like to celebrate in a location where snow is guaranteed. I haven’t really thought about a top 5, but I would like to try a Christmas in a BIG wooden cabin somewhere deep in the norwegian or swedish forrests, celebrating with family and friends. I would also like to some day – if I ever decide to buy a coupon and win the lottery BIG time….charter a private jet and go around the World to pick up all my FB and Twitter friends – bring them to an exotic resort and throw a huge xmas party….but THAT plan will more likely than not remain a dream 😀 Love Vibs, Denmark
As a Southern girl I admit I am prejudiced but you definitely need to visit Savannah sometime. I would suggest actually making it a trip to Savannah, Charleston, and Beaufort, SC in between. Savannah is a fascinating city that loves to celebrate its eccentricities. It is a great walking town with beautifully laid out squares and some gorgeous restored homes and great restaurants. Charleston is just as beautiful, but in a formal sort of way. And Beaufort is a charming little town on the water that has a bit of both Savannah and Charleston. You can rent a car and it is an easy driving trip between the three. All three have great bed and breakfast places that I would recommend over a hotel. If you can’t do Christmas there, Savannah in the spring is hard to beat.
Joe, I suggest you nominate a leader or two for this new enterprise. Trust me, having someone keep score and continue to persuade and keep folks up to date on developments is crucial. That said, if the destination becomes Savannah, I suggest we all crash at Jeff W’s house. Heh Heh Heh.
@articgoddess:
Unfortunately, I don’t live in the South anymore (I haven’t since ’92) and I’m currently in Chicagoland. But I still have family near the Savannah area, so I’m sure I can get something worked out with my uncles, aunts, and cousins. There may be some couch and pull-out bed arrangements though! 😉
I used to go to Hawaii a lot in the 80s.. Haven’t had a chance to get back since 2000. Have an old Friend there that keeps asking me to go back! – However, I believe the “RAINY SEASON” starts around Christmas/New Year..? Best check with Momoa.
Otherwise, for this time of year, going back to NZ would be great! Not to mention, seeing it in “Summer” – [last time was June 1990 during Their Winter, which oddly enough turned out to be not far off from the same temps as our Summer!]
Actually, ANYPLACE above 30C, a good beach, no annoying STORMS and/or OTHER Natural Disasters waiting to happen, or socio-political unrest…
yeah.. a couple weeks on “BOUGHT-BY-POWER-BALL”-ISLAND sounds just about right…
No plans for me beyond working my second job and working on my dissertation. Year 5 of such Christmases.lol
If I could go anywhere…
#1 New York City
#2 London
#3 Chicago
#4 Maine (like some adorable cabin complete with fireplace and stocked with food and internet for weeks)
#5 A southern city (while not normally my idea of fun and I’d miss the snow, I have read several travel blogs about how awesome towns look during Christmas and the supposedly great shopping)
Come to Australia, it’s warm to hot, friendly, great food and wine and did I mention friendly. New Years Eve on Sydney Harbour is a once in a lifetime experience.
I don’t care where I am for Christmas as long as it’s warm! These winter Christmases are all wrong. It should be sunny and hot. Sitting by the pool with a nice juicy steak hot off the barbie. Maybe go for a walk to the local park to play a bit of cricket with the relatives.
That’s how Christmas should be!
No plans per se, but I am thinking of booking a week in some leisure resort or hotel or something where I can lounge around by myself and have meals served to my room and don’t have to clean or… Somewhere where I don’t have to do anything for a week… but it costs way too much. sigh.
Alternative is to go to the country. Have bed and breakfast and go hiking or tent camping and do it rough.
I’m in for Vegas. I have spent a New Years Eve and day there. It was fun.
@JeffW: I’m in for London, Harrods and Hatchard’s Book Store. 😀
Germany/Austria would be nice.
Australia.
Florence, Italy.
Hawaii is so nice anytime. If you want beaches, then choose Kauai. Mele Kalikimaka.
My husband drives over the holiday, so the other drivers with kids can be home. And he gets a bonus some years for that. I’m on my own.
Not doing anything for Christmas, my neighbor has invited me to their family dinner. I have relatives in town but they do their own thing (dram drama drama ,religion, ashamed of being poor, embarrassed of their home, on and on). My FamDamily of acquired kindred souls will undoubtedly have a feast sometime near Solstice. I’m doing Secret Santa on Reddit. Hubby and I are going to Mexico for my birthday in January, so that’s our holiday.
I’d like to try Paris for Christmas, to see what it is like as an adult. I was 13, in 1970, and had a lovely time, but probably didn’t do as much as I would have if I’d been calling the shots. It was cold though, freaking frigid.
You KNOW you are spot on with the organized and planned approach to the Fan Campaign. Turn the hounds loose, but have us organized as there is MUCH MORE HARM that can occur with a helter skelter shot gun approach.
After some initial steps, then let the hounds go wild to underscore there is a huge group…and not just a few.
Wish-List:
Hawaii
Tokyo
Hawaii
Las Vegas
Hawaii
Yeah…there is a recurring place. I wanna go home for Christmas. There is little or no family there, but it is home….and warm.
Can’t do much this year – overload with work, cannot be away stuff.
SO….will celebrate and visit “in Joe’s Blog.”
There are invitations here, so as long as the weather is not tooooo frightful, I have places to go. sigh.
OH….macarons….another recurring theme.
I just saw Costco has macarons available on-line.
There is a special now – 48 pieces for $69.00 regularly $79.00
Shipping and handling included. However, the reviews say they arrive kinda broken/crumbles.
http://www.costco.com/Imported-French-Macarons-48-count.product.100081556.html?catalogId=10701&langId=-1&storeId=10301&krypto=exAo1u6pXL%2B9VBKbAP%2FGDxE474MuFlHjq34DpeOwb%2Fm8xcriOQMFV65zAwUKUxuREXx7nOJnwZ5CpLpAwwFantj3Q%2FX6u3ilF0hPNKXVspQ%3D#BVRRWidgetID
I’ll check back to see the target dates for the campaign. The Legacy books aren’t bad but I wasn’t excited about the direction the story went.
As for Christmas destinations, I would love to spend the holidays in Hawaii! Savannah, GA would be a great place too and they do have a beach. “The fewer clothes worn, the better”, that’s my vacation motto. Most of the places you listed are way too crowded for me. Bright flashy lights, noise and lots of people are migraine inducers. I want to feel over dressed in short-shorts and a T-shirt. So I’m in, if it’s a beach.
I’m making a 2 1/2 day mom visit this week but I’ll be back to spend the week of Christmas with hubby/son. A week of good eating, movies, and naps will be great!
Almost have my Christmas shopping done. I went by the Oil/Vinegar Bazar and picked up Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar for me and Cran/Apple Balsamic Vinegar for a friend. The Strawberry is wonderful! Does anyone have recipes for fruity balsamic vinegars?
Oh I do like your list. There should alway be time for Hawaii. Only through familiarization I would make the Change from Tokyo to Bangkok. And from past experience I would like to spend time in the FL Keys. maybe not Key West, but a bit up the chain. I remember when my parents has a house near Marathon they neighbors would have a Christmas boat parade that would travel through the canals. I would just interject a couple images I took in an up scale mall in Bangkok. Merry Christmassy. And because of it, I am all Christmas Caroled out. The mall was filled with all sorts of oversized decorative Victorian style decorations hanging from the ceiling and a 3 story Christmas tree. The Ice Rink could fulfill most Hans Christian fantasy. The rink is illuminated in lavender lighting similar to your Tokyo picture. I do know some people who just love Savannah as well as the state to the north.
Psych: The Musical tonight (Dec. 15) at 9 pm ET! Woo!! SO excited!!
(As far as your question, no destinations, holiday or otherwise – I’m a homebody.)
das
G’day
Since I just started a new job, no holiday for me.
Anyhoo, I would LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVEEE to experience a white Christmas. Montreal sounds ideal.
Hot steamy Christmas Day is not nice.
I’m already going to Vegas, Joe! Or at least its neighbor Henderson. Let’s meet up at Bouchon – their director of operations is my new friend. 🙂
If it weren’t Home for the Holidays, it’d be London, England for the Holidays.
I’ll just be at home with family for Christmas but if I could be anywhere else it would be Vancouver. Yes with a woolly hat, jumper and coat in the snow. maybe at Whistler, or visiting Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. I’d want to visit the Christmas market too.
Cheers, Chev
Sounds like we’ve got a couple people from where I’d like to go for Christmas, Australia!
I’ve been dying to visit Australia for many years and that’d be a great excuse and a great time to go! It’d be summer down there so while it’s the offseason for us, travel-wise, I’m sure things are in full swing down under. So many things I want to see, so many places I’d want to visit. Someday….
It will happen. It’s just a matter of time.
-Mike A.
I’d spend Christmas in Paris. I’d spend any holiday in Paris. Paris in September is so awesome. I’d skip the tree and presents and splurge on restaurants and shopping. Most of my siblings are older so I’ve spent many holidays on planes and trains going to visit them and their kids, and when their kids were being extra obnoxious I’d wish I’d just gone on vacation instead of doing the family thing.
Working. I thought I’d be booked out for Christmas, but I’m not. Curious development. Maybe I’ll get last-minute requests.
I do miss New York City at Christmastime. I would just prefer to stay home for the holidays. I hate traveling during those times.