Often times for Christmas we head north to the small German island of Usedom where D's family lives. Usedom sits on the Baltic Sea and offers beautiful beach views, enjoyed particularly when strolling from glühwein stand to glühwein stand. 

Strolling through Heringsdorf, the seaside town where we stay, is like walking through Pleasantville, with pristine buildings with the cleanest cobblestone you've ever seen, passed only by the friendliest and most relaxed of German vacationers.  

The beach itself is nothing short of breathtaking. Even though I'm not accustomed to beach-going in the winter, and certainly not used to walking through the sand in boots and a coat, I'm starting to get used to this holiday ritual. 

Although it was warmer than it's ever been, we still took the opportunity to sip on glühwein under the heated tents. 

How did you spend the holidays?  Do you have a tradition of going somewhere special?