Getaway Holiday Gifts And Rambles

With the arrival of December many of us look for three things, the ideal gift for a loved one, satisfying our own selfish need for some winter getaway recreation and, in keeping with the season to offer some comfort and joy to a perfect stranger - just because. So join me in recalling a trio of personal experiences that have been tried, tested and succeeded.

THE GETAWAY GIFT

How do you wrap a holiday gift of "April in Paris" while it's still December and the trip is months away. Here's how I did it a number of years ago. I put a series of packages in order so the final gift would be the big surprise. The first, when unwrapped was a CD of classic Parisian music to set the mood. You can update that with the soundtrack from the hit flick, Midnight in Paris. The second gift in line held a French Cookbook, Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris (The ingredients for one special dish were artfully hidden in the fridge). Then there was the Fondue pot with French cheese and a fine bottle of Bordeaux. And finally - you guessed it, a pair of Air France tickets to Paris. This just happened to be our "French Connection", but it works as well for anywhere in the world. From a cost standpoint, there's no better time. The American dollar has soared against the Euro, the Pound and the Loony (Canada). It gives you over 25% more getaway for the money. And remember, that gift of travel has an added bonus since the giver benefits from 1 of the tickets, half the meal, cheese and wine. Bon Voyage!

THE HOLIDAY GETAWAY

Here's the selfish part. During my days as a bachelor and far from family, but living within a few hours of ski country, I couldn't wait for years when Christmas fell on a Sunday. You may have noticed that 2016 fits the bill. Why? Here's why. Even the most zealous of skiers and snowboarders who celebrate Christmas and living near family find that Christmas Eve day is one of last minute preparation for Christmas, not skiing or riding. Christmas is a family day around the hearth. That means the ski trails, while open are sparsely populated. There is rarely seen room for exuberant rambling and lift lines do not exist.

So, where to go in Pennsylvania? To be sure of uncrowded slopes on the holiday weekend, I chose a farther point - Elk Mountain. It's a 3 hour drive from Philadelphia and some western suburbs, a bit less from others. Elk is also a big mountain at 1,000 vertical feet, holding some of the state's most challenging as well as easy cruising runs. You can put together up to 2 miles of non-stop sliding and have 27 slopes and trails with 2 terrain parks, served by 6 lifts. Amenities include an eyefilling full-service eatery with picture window views of the mountain, a friendly bar and lounge along with a cafeteria for a quick nosh and run back to the snow. Adult all-day holiday lift rates are $66. Check Elk's website for a rundown on places to overnight. My choices generally ran to the Crystal Lake Hotel and Fern Hall Inn, both on Crystal Lake, just 8 miles from the mountain, both with tantalizing kitchens.

GIFT TO A STRANGER

Folks who live at the south Jersey shore have a unique opportunity to share Christmas day with young men and women, many away from home for the first time as new recruits at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May. Gretchen Whitman and her husband, Mark, a Marine veteran have volunteered as "Operation Fireside" hosts for 6 years and have taken 24 recruits into their home for a holiday meal at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's one of the few breaks that recruits get from a rigorous 8 week training schedule. And it's their only chance to relax and enjoy a family dinner with fewer than 400 shipmates in a "Mess Hall". The Whitmans still receive letters and post cards from many of their "adopted" recruits. Operation Fireside is coordinated with the Coast Guard by the American Red Cross. They can be reached at1-609-560-2258. By the way, I still fondly recall the families who graciously hosted me and my shipmates during 13 weeks of Cape May Coast Guard training in 1952 - 64 years ago. Some traditions have staying power.