Christmas in a Scottish Castle - Christmas Travel
Specials to England - New Years Travel Packages - Christmas in
England
ENGLISH & SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS TRAVEL SPECIALS 2009 featuring Celebrate an old English Christmas in a quaint manor house, or in Scotland at a baronial castle. Stay in a Scottish Castle. The countryside unveils a series of ancient villages and picture perfect scenes, even in December. Scores of narrow country lanes twist and turn among the gentle slopes. |
| Christmas in a Scottish Castle "Where fairytales come true". Stay in a Scottish Castle this Christmas. New Years, too. We can assist in arranging transfers by chauffeur driven cars, small coaches or helicopters.  What could be nicer that spending Christmas or New Years (or both if you can manage it!) at a fantastic historic property across in England or Scotland? Let somebody else have the stress of preparing Christmas lunch or a dinner to die for as you count down the hours into 2010! Relax by cozy log fires as you enjoy a wee dram before retiring into a sumptuous 4-poster bed, offered by many of our castle properties. Book as a group with family and friends.
Dickens Victorian Christmas tour of England. To rent: Some private castles for you Have you always dreamt of living in a castle, if only for a few days? Live like royalty of old in baronial splendor. Rent an exclusive use castle in Scotland, complete with staff, and in some cases, all meals. Here are our recommendations: Myers Castle Exclusive Use9 rooms,  Sleeps 18 - 1 hour from Edinburgh The Ultimate Christmas & New Year Hideaway Fully staffed 16th Century Castle Exclusively yours for 18 guests There is a minimum three night stay over Christmas and New Year. Minimum occupancy / charge based on 12 guests. $31639USD. At Myres, relax and enjoy the festive season. Activities can be arranged suitable for adults & children. Enjoy DVD’s jigsaws, games and Nintendo Wii Organise clay pigeon shooting, archery and a Falconry display within the estate. Golf, Hunting, off road driving, and Horse riding locally. EXPERIENCE THE HISTORY, VARIETY & BEAUTY OF SCOTTISH LIFE FROM THE LUXURY OF YOUR OWN EXCLUSIVE USE CASTLE Fully staffed Fernie Castle 20 rooms. Centrally located within easy reach of Dundee, Edinburgh, Perth and Glasgow and St. Andrews $72,000 for 5 nights Castle Stuart - near Inverness Exclusive Use. Entire Castle (8 bedrooms, maximum 16 people). This includes afternoon tea, evening banquet, full Highland breakfast and government tax (VAT). $40,000 for 5 nights except holidays. $42,000 over New Year's (Christmas sold out)  Scottish Castle Accommodation - Our 5 star lodgings in this romantic castle, set magnificently on the Moray Firth near Inverness, and just 20 minutes drive from Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. Fully restored and furnished in Jacobean elegance, our Scottish castle is ready for entertaining in traditional grand manner or modestly with your chosen guests in regal comfort (8 bedrooms). The entire castle or individual bedrooms, each with their own private facilities, may be reserved or hired for your exclusive use. Maximum 16 guests (4 twin and 4 double rooms). All meals included - $23362 USD Glenapp Castle  Imagine a fairytale castle, hidden in 36 acres of
glorious garden and woodland on the rugged and beautiful Ayrshire coast.
Spectacular views across the Irish Sea to the island of Arran and the massive
granite rock of Ailsa Craig. Glenapp Castle was built in 1870 - a strikingly
beautiful example of the Scottish Baronial style of architecture. Ask for
pricing. Castle Venlaw Christmas House Parties 3 nightsChristmas House Parties We have created special three day house parties over Christmas and New Year. Come to stay and relax, be indulged and celebrate in style. May we spoil you with our three day break below? Thursday 24th December 2009 3:00 - 5:00 pm Relax in the Lounge or Library after your journey and enjoy afternoon tea. 7:00 pm Welcome Reception - meet your host, followed by dinner in the Restaurant. After dinner relax in the library bar with traditional music. Friday 25th December 2009 (Christmas Day!) 8:00 - 10:00 am Continental Breakfast served in the Restaurant. 12:15 - 1:30 pm Traditional Christmas Lunch (sample menu) . After lunch take a stroll in the gardens, sit by the fires and snooze or relax in the Library Bar. 7:30 - 8:30 pm To end the day enjoy our Christmas Day cold buffet. Saturday 26th December 2009 7:45 - 9:45 am Full Scottish Breakfast. 12:30 pm Soup and sandwich lunch. 7:00 - 8:30 pm Farewell Dinner in the Restaurant followed by informal Scottish Country Dancing. Sunday 27th December 2009 7:45 - 9:45 am Full Scottish Breakfast then depart at leisure or add an extra night if you wish. Price $1246 per person, sharing a twin room for 3 nights.  Christmas in Englandand New Years in the countrysideChristmas in Whitby Whitby is dominated by the cliff-top ruins of a beautiful 13th century Abbey. This quaint maritime town, with its old cobbled streets, picturesque houses is set among fine stretches of coast with spectacular cliffs and bays. 199 steps lead down from the Abbey to the old town where you find yourself in an array of unique shops offering local crafts, maritime memorabilia and antiques. Typically held the first weekend in December, the event gives all visitors and residents the opportunity to dress up in traditional Victorian costume. The village also benefits from a flurry of Christmas decorations from lights to window dressings, Christmas trees and festive wreaths.
2009 Christmas and New Year Celebrations in a British Country House  Christmas and New Year holidays are available at some of our Country House hotels in Britain. We offer you the chance to enjoy spectacular winter scenery and festive celebrations at this special time of year. Just relax, soak up the house party atmosphere for which we are famous and leave all the organizing to us. Guided walks are available during the day, with our experienced leaders, and evening activities include dancing, quizzes, carol evenings and New Year celebrations. A seasonal blend of guided walks and festive fun. There'll be a choice of walks each day and social activities after the evening meal including quizzes, carol singing and New Year celebrations. The food will match the seasonal celebrations and you'll need a daily outing to walk of the festive fare. A full walking and social programme is offered Sightseeing & House Party Sightseeing & House Party Here we combine a winter sightseeing tour with a festive house party. We are offering a choice of locations, Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds, and Whitby in the North York Moors. Four or five trips are included each with a hot lunch out (included in the price), often at interesting old inns and rustic pubs. At Bourton-on-the-Water - explore ancient cities, towns and glorious Cotswolds villages at this wonderfully atmospheric time of year as well as enjoying the conviviality of a traditional house party. Five day tours include the Forest of Dean, where we will enjoy lunch at a rustic 15th century pub, a festive ride on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Steam Railway from Toddington to Cheltenham, and the fabulous Arts and Crafts house of Rodmarton Manor, where we shall enjoy coffee and a guided tour. The famous attractions of Stratford, where we can see some of the famous sights by coach or take a backstage theatre tour, and Cirencester, home of the largest wool church in the Cotswolds, also feature. If shopping’s your thing, there will be time to indulge in the unique; we visit the historic market town of Tetbury, famous for its antique shops, or sale bargains; with some free time around bustling, cosmopolitan Oxford. At Whitby - enjoy our traditional Christmas house party and at the same time see some of the best of North Yorkshire. We will tour various parts of the North York Moors along with stops in some of the towns and villages sure to be looking festive with decorations and coloured lights at this time of year. The seafaring town of Whitby is on our doorstep and we’ll encounter more tales of Captain Cook elsewhere on our travels. A ride on the North York Moors Railway through stunning scenery will bring us to the market town of Pickering, and whilst in Scarborough we’ll take you to a performance at the theatre or pantomime. The highlight for some is bound to be our full day in York where as well as visiting the wonderful Minster you will be able to enjoy a guided walking tour with a local expert along the famous snickleways and alleys. A hot light lunch will be provided on our sightseeing days, sometimes in an atmospheric village inn along the way. To enjoy this holiday to the full you will need to be able to walk for some time through town and village streets. At our other locations, we have a festive walking program at Christmas. A great seasonal blend of guided walks and fun-packed evening programme. There’ll be a choice of walks each day - except on 27 December at some locations . During the holiday there'll be a range of social activities, many with a festive theme, which could include dancing, quizzes and carols plus we'll mark the occasions with a chance to dress up and enjoy a Gala Dinner. Enjoy our cozy Country Houses and the special festive atmosphere. What’s included? .... .... Virtually everything Wonderful meals - full selection at breakfast, your choice of picnic lunch, an excellent evening meal, afternoon tea and cakes, and plenty of festive sweets and nuts. A programme of organised walks and social activities. Any transport to and from walks. All prices are in USD per person and include ALL MEALS, en-suite accommodation, holiday programme, transport costs, services of Leaders and 17½% VAT.
What's included...virtually everything Wonderful meals - including breakfast, picnic lunch, evening meal, afternoon tea and cakes and plenty of treats. A program of organized walks and social activities. Any transport to and from walks or sightseeing. Services of Leaders. 17½% VAT. Airfare may be added at extra cost  Christmas Vacations - New Years VacationsRates per person sharing a twin room. Single rooms at added cost. Country House venues: Abingworth, South Downs Alnmouth, Northumberland Isle of Arran, Scotland Brecon, Mid Wales Conistonwater, Lake District Conwy, North Wales Haytor, Dartmoor Glen Coe, Western Highlands Malhamdale, Yorkshire Dales St Ives, Cornwall Sedbergh, Yorkshire Dales Whitby, North York Moors Based on two persons sharing a twin room. Single rooms are not available. You must share with a roommate, which can be assigned by us, if you wish. Larpool Hall, Whitby, North York Moors Larpool Hall, an elegant Georgian mansion of 1796, commands splendid views across the Esk Valley and towards the seaside town of Whitby. It is magnificently set within 14 acres of tranquil gardens and woodland, a quarter of a mile from the North York Moors National Park, with the best of the moors and coast in close reach. The centre of Whitby is one and a half miles north. Our Country House hotel caters exclusively for our guests and the atmosphere is very much like a house party - it's all a far cry from the anonymity of a conventional hotel. Two lounges, bar lounge and a ballroom, boot room, drying room, laundry facilities, mini-shop, croquet, table tennis, putting, snooker / pool table and spa pool. Larpool Hall is designated as non-smoking. There are 28 Bedrooms at Larpool Hall. Single, Twin and Family rooms are available. Most have en-suite facilities (bath or shower and WC). You'll find complimentary tea and coffee making facilities, hair dryer and clock radio. Televisions and telephones are not provided in the bedrooms.Fresh ingredients, carefully chosen provide an excellent local and international cuisine. A vegetarian option is available at all times. Dining arrangements are for tables of 6 or 8 in an informal atmosphere. Christmas in Scotland - a Scottish Castle One Week Scotland car tour
 Christmas Program
2009 At Dalhousie Castle Dalhousie Castle and Spa is the ideal
retreat to enjoy an enchanting Christmas. While away spend Christmas Eve by the
fire in the Library, celebrate a traditional lunch on Christmas Day and there
will also be a special visitor dropping in from Lapland with celebrations
continuing in the evening with live entertainment. Thursday 24th December 2009 - Christmas Eve - Owls,
Myths and Legends (optional extra - additional cost $50.00 per person)
Participate in the ancient art of Falconry. You will be welcomed to the Castle
Chapel by our Falconers, dressed in 13th century costume, where you will meet
our wonderful owls. Take part in flying these graceful creatures and listen to
some fascinating owl facts as you marvel at their silent flight. Full Afternoon
tea will be served in the Sir AlexanderRoom. Historical tour of the Castle. Pre
dinner glass of Champagne or Bucks Fizz served in the Library. An indulgent 6
course Dinner, including Coffee and specially selected Wines will be served in
the Dungeon Restaurant or the Orangery. Clarsach playing back ground music
within the Library. Carol Singers from the local Cockpen Church on the Quarter
Deck and Chapel. A warming glass of mulled wine before bed, to wait for Santa's
arrival! Friday 25th December 2009 - Christmas Day Relaxed Christmas Morning Breakfast in the Orangery. Archery (optional extra - additional cost $100 per person) Try your hand at this ancient sport on the Castle Lawn. The Celebrations will begin with a Champagne reception in the Alexander Room. Santa will arrive and be seated on the Quarter Deck with presents for the children. Christmas Luncheon will be served in the Dungeon Restaurant and the Orangery with a truly indulgent 5 course menu! Tea, Coffee and Christmas cake will be served in the Library and Dalwolsey. Enjoy a Festive Buffet Dinner served in the Ramsay Room and perhaps take home a sketch memento created by our caricaturist (Half Bottle of wine per person included) Entertainment by Le Jazz Hot on the Quarter Deck Saturday 26th December 2009 - Boxing Day A hearty farewell Boxing Day Breakfast will be served in the Orangery "Fond Farewell and Haste Ye Back" Rate based on departure date from USA. Book more than 95 days in advance and make an instant purchase.
BOOK THIS TODAY! CALL LYNOTT TOURS AT (800) 221-2474 OR Please Email Us For Information - Bookmark this page CTRL-D  ENGLANDA Victorian Christmas For thousands of years people around the world have enjoyed midwinter festivals. With the arrival of Christianity, pagan festivals became mixed with Christmas celebrations. One of the leftovers from these pagan days is the custom of bedecking houses and churches with evergreen plants like mistletoe, holly and ivy. Before Victoria's reign started in 1837 no Christmas cards were sent and most people did not have holidays from work. The Victorian era changed the face of Christmas forever. Charles Dickens wrote books like "Christmas Carol", published in 1843, which actually encouraged rich Victorian's to redistribute their wealth by giving money and gifts to the poor. The wealth generated by the new factories and industries of the Victorian age allowed middle class families in England and Wales to take time off work and celebrate over two days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Boxing Day, December 26th, earned its name as the day servants and working people opened the boxes in which they had collected gifts of money from the "rich folk". The Gifts - At the start of Victoria's reign, children's toys tended to be handmade. With factories however came mass production, which brought with it games, dolls, books and clockwork toys all at a more affordable price. In a "poor child's" Christmas stocking, which first became popular from around 1870, only an apple, orange and a few nuts could be found. Father Christmas / Santa Claus - Normally associated with the bringer of the above gifts, is Father Christmas or Santa Claus. The two are in fact two entirely separate stories. Father Christmas was originally part of an old English midwinter festival, normally dressed in green, a sign of the returning spring. The stories of St. Nicholas (Sinter Klaas in Holland) came via Dutch settlers to America in the 17th Century. From the 1870's Sinter Klass became known in Britain as Santa Claus and with him came his unique gift and toy distribution system - reindeer and sleigh. Turkey Time - Turkeys had been brought to Britain from America hundreds of years before Victorian times. When Victoria first came to the throne however, both chicken and turkey were too expensive for most people to enjoy. In northern England roast beef was the traditional fayre for Christmas dinner while in London and the south, goose was favorite. Many poor people made do with rabbit. On the other hand, the Christmas Day menu for Queen Victoria and family in 1840 included both beef and of course, a royal roast swan or two. By the end of the century most people feasted on turkey for their Christmas dinner. Although there are lots of alternatives, turkey is still the favourite centrepiece of any Christmas dinner. Back in Tudor times, turkeys were farmed in Norfolk and slowly walked to London for Christmas celebrations. Before that, wealthy families feasted on swan, boar and even peacock. Christmas Cards - The "Penny Post" was first introduced in Britain in 1840 by Rowland Hill. The idea was simple, a penny stamp paid for the postage of a letter or card to anywhere in Britain. This simple idea paved the way for the sending of the first Christmas cards. Sir Henry Cole tested the water in 1843 by printing a thousand cards for sale in his art shop in London at one shilling each. The popularity of sending cards was helped along when in 1870 a halfpenny postage rate was introduced as a result of the efficiencies brought about by those new fangled railways. The Tree - Queen Victoria's German husband Prince Albert helped to make the Christmas tree as popular in Britain as they where in his native Germany, when he brought one to Windsor Castle in the 1840's. The Crackers -Invented by Tom Smith, a London sweet maker in 1846. The original idea was to wrap his sweets in a twist of fancy colored paper, but this developed and sold much better when he added love notes (mottos), paper hats, small toys and made them go off BANG! Carol Singers - Carol Singers and Musicians"The Waits" visited houses singing and playing the new popular carols; 1843 - O Come all ye Faithful 1848 - Once in Royal David's City 1851 - See Amid the Winters Snow 1868 - O Little Town of Bethlehem 1883 - Away in a Manger
 Happy New
Year from Edinburgh's HogmanayThe World's Best New Year
Celebrations Hogmanay in Scotland New Years in Scotland Hogmanay and New Year in Scotland is immortalised, needs little introduction to most, and there is simply no better way to experience it than to indulge yourselves in one of the great selection of Scottish New Year breaks and hotel deals on our site. Whether you decide to join in one of the great street parties, notably the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations, or want to escape to a traditional Scottish highlands Hogmanay retreat – there’s something for everyone. Hogmanay is a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas . Perhaps because at one stage in its history, the celebration of Christmas was banned in Scotland, the Scots have always made New Year's Eve something special. The traditions associated with this pagan mid-winter festival are repeated not just in Edinburgh, the capital city, but in towns and villages throughout the country. Great events, festivals and celebrations take place every year in Pitlochry, Dundee, Aberdeen Stirling, Inverness and Perth – to name but just a few. An integral part of the traditional Hogmanay partying, which still continues very much today, is to welcome friends and strangers alike, with warm hospitality - and of course a kiss - to wish everyone a ‘Guid New Year’. The underlying belief is to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note! The origin of the word is somewhat ‘cloudy’! "It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane." Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693. Opinions differ as to whether it originated from the Gaelic oge maidne ("new morning"), Anglo-Saxon Haleg Monath ("Holy Month"), or Norman French word hoguinané, which was derived from the Old French anguillanneuf ("gift at New Year"). It's also been suggested that it came from the French au gui mener ("lead to the mistletoe") or a Flemish combo hoog ("high" or "great"), min ("love" or "affection") and dag ("day"). Hogmanay Package includes
New Year House Party Some Scottish Christmas and New Years traditions: Hogmanay Traditions (New Years) Traditionally, the Scots were a superstitious race at the best of times and for an event as significant as the dawning of a new year, customs, rituals and traditions inevitably arose around the country. Many of these have now disappeared but others have carried on down through the years and some have even become essential ingredients of today's celebrations. Cleaning the House The last day of the year was traditionally regarded as a time of preparation: business would concluded to let the new year start afresh and houses were thoroughly cleaned (known as 'redding'). Fireplaces in particular had to be swept out and in a variation on reading tea-leaves, the ashes of the last fire of the old year were believed to show what lay ahead in the new year. First Footing One of the major Hogmanay customs was 'first footing'. Shortly after 'the bells' - the stroke of midnight when public clocks would chime to signal the start of the new year - neighbors would visit one another's houses to wish each other a good new year. This visiting was known as 'first footing', and the luckiest first-foot into any house was a tall, dark and handsome man - perhaps as a reward to the woman who traditionally had spent the previous day scrubbing her house (another Hogmanay ritual). Women or red heads, however, were always considered bad luck as first-foots. First-foots brought symbolic gifts to 'handsel' the house: coal for the fire, to ensure that the house would be warm and safe, and shortbread or black bun (a type of fruit cake) to symbolise that the household would never go hungry that year. First-footing has faded in recent years, particularly with the growth of the major street celebrations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, although not the Scots love of a good party, of which there are plenty on the night! Regional Variations Each area of Scotland often developed its own particular Hogmanay ritual. In the east coast fishing communities and Dundee, first-footers used carry a decorated herring while in Falkland in Fife, local men would go in torchlight procession to the top of the Lomond Hills as midnight approached. Bakers in St Andrews would bake special cakes for their Hogmanay celebration (known as Cake Day) and distribute them to local children. Other Scottish towns and cities had their own celebrations, as did institutions. For example, amongst the Scottish regiments, the officers had to wait on the men at special dinners while at the bells, the Old Year is piped out of barrack gates. The sentry then challenges the new escort outside the gates: 'Who goes there?' The answer is 'The New Year, all's well.' Sadly, almost all of these regional traditions have now lapsed although a number of Scottish communities still retain their own very distinctive ways of celebrating Hogmanay, notably Stonehaven, Comrie and Biggar. Other Traditions Two further Hogmanay traditions that have survived are the singing of 'Auld Lang Syne' and the making of new year resolutions. It's not clear when joining hands with your neighbor for the singing of the Burns' favorite became associated with Hogmanay particularly, although it's now a world-wide phenomenon. Because of this widespread popularity, the song's rather touching lyrics tend to get reduced to a spirited repetition of the chorus which is a shame. So impress your friends and learn at least a verse or two, particularly if you're planning to take part in the world's biggest 'Auld Lang Syne' as part of this year's Edinburgh's Hogmanay. Victorian Dickens Christmas Parade in the village of Rochester Irish Christmas Christmas in a Scottish Castle New Year's Packages in Ireland |
Dalhousie Castle
near Edinburgh. Dalhousie Castle and Spa is the ideal retreat to enjoy an
enchanting Christmas. While away Christmas Eve by the fire in the Library,
celebrate a traditional lunch on Christmas Day and there will also be a special
visitor dropping in from Lapland with celebrations continuing in the evening
with live entertainment.
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