Comment by rconti

A couple of years ago in early December, we took a trip to Berlin and Strasbourg, and spent our time visiting many Christmas markets. It was a really enjoyable trip.

Yes, it was very cold, which is not deal when you're spending 12 hours a day outside (hovering around freezing the entire trip, a small amount of snow a few days). Yes, it gets dark early and the days are short -- but that's true back at home in California too. We do share a hemisphere, after all. And yes, after awhile, the markets all do tend to look the same. But I find it nice to travel, and I love traveling in the off-season.

Yes, you can travel at the same time everyone else wants to travel, with long days, long lines, and large prices. But everywhere you go has traditions year round, and the weather and lifestyle changes with the seasons. Every place and every time of year has things worth seeing and experiencing.

Or you could travel to the opposite hemisphere when the days are short back home, that's fun too :)