16 quirky British Christmas traditions Americans may have never heard of

A last minute Eurostar strike has ruined Christmas travel plans for Brits with tickets booked this afternoon.

2023 has been a challenging year for air travel, with the aviation industry plagued by strikes, system hiccups and disruptive weather conditions.

If, somehow, you’re still looking for a spot to spend Christmas or the final week of 2023, the personal-finance website WalletHub’s latest report has some important insights for you. It reviewed data on the nation’s 100 largest cities to find out which are simultaneously the most festive and affordable for celebratory getaways this Christmas season.

Fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be happy to know they can experience the wild and wonderful world of Willy Wonka during their next trip to Britain. The newly released film Wonka is based on the 1964 novel written by British author Roald Dahl, and it tells the tale of Willy Wonka’s early days as an eccentric chocolatier, counting several notable British sights as backdrops.  From actual film shooting locations to chocolate-centric attractions, you will find a wonderful Wonka-esque experience waiting for you at any of the following places in Britain. 

By American standards, the holiday season starts early in Europe… Halloween isn’t traditionally celebrated here, and Thanksgiving doesn’t exist, so Europeans start thinking ahead to December in mid-October.

Nothing says “happy holidays” like an extravagant Christmas display. Hoteliers know this. That’s why every winter hotels across the country get dressed in their holiday best, with twinkly lights and holly wreaths and maybe a reindeer lawn ornament or two. But only a handful of hotels truly go all out. From stories-high Christmas trees to beachfront ice skating rinks, these nine US holiday hotels take seasonal cheer to a whole new level.

In some parts of Europe, high prices and Christmas markets go hand in hand. But in others, this year’s soaring costs have come as a shock.

British Airways is working with SigncodeUK on a new partnership to provide accessible signed video content for its deaf and hard-of-hearing customers.

In a major bit of unwelcome news for U.S. travelers, British Airways has increased award prices for many award flights operated by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, as flagged by AwardWallet. Unfortunately, this comes with no notice, as the new award rates are now showing up through British Airways' search engine.

Christmas pudding may be Britain’s best-known festive dessert, but in France, the bûche de Noël — or yule log — reigns supreme, with skilled pâtissiers and home bakers creating an array of different versions, from the classic to the outré.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Monday, December 12. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

To be in Copenhagen in December is to experience truly exhilarating tastes of Christmas. The air is heavy with the scent of caramelised almonds that are sold in red and white striped paper bags, while stalls on the harbourside at Nyhavn are dispensing glögg, mulled wine with almonds and raisins. And there’s Julebryg, Tuborg’s Christmas beer, delivered to bars across Copenhagen by horse-drawn wagons.