I have been lucky enough to travel to many beautiful and fascinating destinations, but there is one standout trip that will always be not only my favourite but also one of my happiest childhood memories.

Picture a 10-year-old child, eagerly waiting in a deserted car park at 3 am, jumping from foot to foot in both anticipation and to fight off the December chill. Waiting and watching for two beaming headlines of a coach to appear out of the dark and begin a journey that will take me on an adventure.

As a family, we sleepily took in the lights and tinsel, greeted by smiles, cheery hellos and some snores as we settled in for the long coach ride to Austria. We had no idea what to expect – would we be bored, get cramp, feel like the odd ones out as my sister and I significantly reduced the average age of the other passengers? As it turned out, it would be a trip that gave me memories to last a lifetime.

I won’t lie, the journey was long (nearly 2 days), but we were kept merrily entertained with films, quizzes and helping the tour lead serve tea and coffee (something I'm sure we would never be allowed to do nowadays - health and safety), dashing up and down the narrow aisle – it was great fun! We had an overnight stop in the beautiful German town of Rüdesheim, wandering through the quaint streets and enjoying the inviting, warm glow from the taverns. A must-visit for future autumn/winter getaways!

As we ventured across Europe, the air chilled and the snow piled at the roadside deepened until we arrived at our destination – a stunning landscape littered with alpine lodges. Our room itself was beautiful – all wood panels and warm rugs, the delightful scent of burning log fires always in the air. To this day, this is still my absolute favourite scent.

Each morning we awoke to a fresh layer of snow, as well as enormous icicles hanging from windows and doors. The banter amongst the guests and drivers was fantastic – one even teasingly aimed a huge icicle at the other. We had many day trips to local towns, but the best memories were from Seefeld itself, the tiny village we were staying in. On Christmas Eve we attended a midnight mass, each holding a candle and enjoying experiencing how Christmas is celebrated in another culture. 

Christmas Day allowed further village exploration, finding a tiny church where candles adorned every grave to honour family and friends who are no longer with us. It always reminds me of this poem, poignant for many people at Christmas:

“Christmas in Heaven, what do they do?

They come down to earth to spend it with you.

So save them a seat, just one empty chair.

You may not see them, but they will be there.”

- Anon 

Over the course of the trip, our group formed a close bond, culminating in an enormous snowball fight, no matter our age or physical ability – it was fabulous! We even made a very impressive snowman at the end of a field, during which I was physically bowled over as the body rolled my way and we all cried with laughter.

And the fun didn’t stop there! Being the only children, my sister and I were treated so kindly. The owner of the family-run hotel took my family up to the top of a closed road with some traditional wooden sledges and gave us the evening to whizz down a make-shift toboggan run, trying not to end up in the icy river running beneath a bridge – it was exhilarating!

Fifteen years on, this is still the best Christmas I have ever had. I remember it all so vividly – experiencing a proper ‘winter wonderland’ with blankets of snow, having simple fun and importantly, appreciating the company of good people. We might have been strangers, but for that one week, we were a community.

So, we hope that even in the darkest of times, you can find some light, merriment and happiness from the people around you this Christmas. Take advantage of simple pleasures – walks, board games, music, food, drink, snow (we can always dream) and most importantly, the art of conversation, to make this a Christmas to remember.

Merry Christmas from the City Girl Network!

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Written by Charlotte Bird

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