The Christmas holidays are the only time of year when Getaway Magazine photojournalists actually go on holiday. Most of us head to the beach, turn our cell phones off, stop tweeting and just chill out. Here’s where we are all going to be spending our precious Christmas break this year.
Cameron Ewart-Smith, editor
I am spending Christmas at home in Cape Town with my family. I’m so excited to be exploring Cape Town with my boys. My wife is finishing her PhD so its going to be pure man time: climbing, beaching, Table Mountain, sailing and kayaking!
Jacqueline Lahoud, publisher
Christmas time is family time! I’m going to Hermanus to be with part of my family and spending New Year in Langebaan with friends. I’m so excited – I love Christmas! I can even hear BoneyM playing in my head…
Vanessa Berger, designer
I’m going to Paris with my family for about 10 days. I’m very excited about possibly having a white Christmas this year! I’m sure we’ll be spending time doing lots of touristy things like visiting the Eiffel Tower, going to markets and eating delicious French food.
Sasha van Zyl, events assistant
I will be spending the holiday season in Cape Town, which by the way was voted by the New York Times as one of the Top 10 ‘hip’ cities of the world recently! I plan to submerge myself outdoors and soak up enough sun and fun to last me until next year. That includes learning how to surf (properly), visiting as many of our beautiful national parks as I can get to (to get some holiday exercise) and indulging in the numerous wine farm festivals! Bring on the holidays!
Sarah Isaacs, editorial assistant
I’m in Durban for Christmas to spend time with the family. After that, I’m doing a road trip to Hogsback with a bunch of buddies for a New Year celebration, camping at Terra-Khaya Backpackers.
Claire Reddie, sub editor
I’m heading home for Christmas to Kimberley, for what I hope will be a great family shindig. As temperatures in the Northern Cape get quite unbearable during December, I plan on spending a large amount of my time in or near a swimming pool, lounging with a good book, and eating copious amounts of braai and homecooked awesomeness. I have also put in a request for unlimited supplies of ice-cream, which my folks make themselves.
Evan Haussmann, photojournalist
For once, I’m not making any plans and will be taking each summers day as it unfolds at our new home in Kommetjie. Reading, eating, surfing, sleeping and not in any order.
Ingrid Versfeld, adsales
I am going to be spending Christmas in Cape Town, exploring all that the Mother City has to offer, from doing day trips to the winelands and the beaches, singing Christmas carols at Kirstenbosch, having braais with friends, and visiting craft markets.
Dylan Kotze, photojournalist
The whole year has been based around planning and deadlines. I have decided to wing it on my time off. All I know is that I’ll be road tripping with good mates and surfboards on the roof. The only decision left is West or East Coast?
Marisa Steyn, senior designer
I’m going to KwaZulu-Natal for two weeks but I’m avoiding the beach! I’m planning to visit as many of the game parks near Durban as I can (I’m rhino spotting!), after which I’ll go up north to stay with family in Melmoth.
Justin Fox, editor of Getaway International
Every year for the last four decades, my whole family has descended on our 200-year-old beach house in Simon’s Town. It will be no different this year, as it should be.
Claudia Hodkinson, online travel marketer
I will be heading to George this Christmas to visit family. I might even attempt to weber a turkey again. I’m excited to spend time outdoors, going on hikes and to the beach.
Fatima Jakoet, photojournalist
I’m staying in Cape Town for the festive season and Christmas, having a themed New Year’s Eve party, then after my Cape Town break I head off to Ponta Du Ouro for a week of scuba diving.
Tyson Jopson, online journalist
I’ve formed an away-from-home Christmas Dinner alliance with a group of friends who will be away from their families during the holiday season. We hope to find comfort in a few bottles of wine, the inside of a turkey and stories from our childhood. As for the rest of the holidays, I don’t have to go anywhere. I live in Cape Town, that’s a holiday enough, right?
Marion Whitehead, assistant editor
Am so chuffed I’ve been offered a place on the Whale Trail with some friends who planned ahead and had the good fortune to get a booking over the long weekend. Then it’s back to the office to tie up a few loose ends and then I’m off to a quiet backwater in the Eastern Cape which shall remain nameless to ensure it stays that way!
Lisa Johnston, photojournalist
We (daschunds included) will be flying to the Eastern Cape for Christmas in Kleinemonde with the millions of members of my boyfriend’s family. If past holidays there are anything to go by, we’ll be taking lots of long walks on the beach, canoeing up river, playing with the kids in the lagoon and enjoying sundowners on the river bank.
As for me, I’m heading to Pennington, a tiny beach dorpie on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, where I spend Christmas every year with my extended family. It’s all about lazing on the beach, afternoon siestas, drinking beer shandies and cocktails and eating a lot of food. For New Year’s, I’m staying in a self-catering cottage in De Hoop Nature Reserve with some friends for more beaching, eating a lot, braaiing and drinking beer.
Where are you going this festive season?
