The countdown has begun! In many stores it began well before the leaves began to turn. The early appearance of Christmas cards and decorations in the stores doesn’t mean you have to begin your shopping now, although the retailers might think otherwise. What it does mean is this; if you are thinking about a holiday vacation, it’s probably high time to get started. You’ll need to plan where to go, how to get there, where to stay, and what to do.
You can do all that now, and in the comfort of your own home, as those who advertise online like to point out. A ski vacation in itself can be a great way to spend the holidays. If you like to be home for Christmas, you can take your vacation during the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a time when most ski resorts will be opening or have already opened. Most of the western states plus several of those in New England have great places to ski, but for some, Colorado tops the list, and one of the best places in Colorado you can put on a pair of skis is at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The town itself is a fun place to spend a few days, but the action you’re looking for will mostly be at the resort.
Mark Your Calendar
The 15th of December is situated roughly mid-way between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so you might start by circling that date on your calendar and then planning around it. Why the 15th? It just so happens that is when one of the premier events of the year is held in Gunnison – Crested Butte, the getting-more-fun-and-famous-by-the-year Santa Ski & Pub Crawl. This event is fun to watch, but you really need to participate to make your vacation one you’ll long remember. To kick off the holidays right, pencil in the 15th now, and begin your real planning tomorrow, if not later in the day today.
You’ll need to make travel arrangements, find lodging, register for the event, purchase a red Santa suit, and then just show up. The Santa Crawl features two main events; the Santa Group Ski and the Pub Crawl that follows. The Group Ski is open to anyone who can ski, or at least thinks they can, but you have to wear a Santa suit, complete with white beard, in order to participate. The Pub Crawl is limited to those who are of legal age (bring your ID) which is 21 in Colorado. Keep your Santa suit on.
What better way to spend part of your holiday vacation than skiing down the slope in the company of several hundred other men, women, and children dressed in Santa suits? The event’s sponsors are hoping a thousand will participate this year. It’s an absolute blast. Be sure to choose one of your family or a friend as your designated photographer as both the Santa Ski and the Pub Crawl are events you’ll want to capture on camera or video.
When your vacation comes to a close, the first thing you’ll want to do is to kick off next year’s holiday season right, which means finding out the date for the 2019 Santa Ski & Pub Crawl and penciling it into next year’s calendar.