Get out of the gift stress These 8 destinations will make your December instantly better

A festive menu, biscuits, presents - for many, Christmas is all about pressure. If you want to escape this, pack your suitcase and spend the holidays where light, warmth and winter magic await instead of a family program.

For some people, Christmas means one thing above all: stress. The festive menu still has to be prepared, everyone wants to bake cookies and before that, all the presents have to be curated and lovingly wrapped. If you'd rather do without all that, pack your bags and say goodbye to Switzerland during the Christmas season.

Whether it's the warmth or the sparkling Christmas world: we reveal which places are particularly beautiful in December and where you can escape from the wrapping paper and the family tube.

Langos with cheese, Baumkuchen and bird's nests: if you want to experience the Christmas feeling without all the stress, head to Budapest. A true winter wonderland is created here during the Christmas season. At the Vörösmarty Square market, you can find handmade arts and crafts and Hungarian delicacies such as Kürtőskalács (Baumstriezel). And you can warm up wonderfully in the thermal baths of Budapest.

Between half-timbered facades, fairy lights and the scent of spices, Strasbourg has a very special atmosphere during the Christmas season. The city is transformed into a warm, glowing feast for the senses - with choirs around the cathedral square and sparkling stalls selling freshly baked bredele, pain d'épices and Alsatian tarte flambée.

Disneyland Paris shows its best side at Christmas time. Around Sleeping Beauty Castle, artificial snow and the scent of cocoa create little moments that look like Christmas movie scenes. Even skeptical adults find it hard not to believe in magic here at Christmas time.

Snow in the lowlands is a rare commodity. In December, it's usually rather slushy and slippery in cities like Zurich or Basel. And yes, Switzerland has its own mountain world - but practically everything is fully booked at Christmas time. An alternative is South Tyrol with its snow-white mountain landscape and great accommodation.

As soon as the first rays of sunshine glide over the Sciliar peaks, the entire plateau glistens like a single, silent carpet of light. When the mountains shimmer pink in the afternoon, the parlor of an alpine inn warms you up: wood-burning stove, lambskins, a glass of South Tyrolean wine. And: you can look up at the stars perfectly. Who needs presents under the Christmas tree?

If you want to enjoy winter in its purest form, go to Norway. Whether in Oslo or somewhere in the forests: Here you can experience silence and cold from a whole new perspective. A fine haze hangs over the fjord, the lights along the promenade are reflected in the water like little lanterns, and the city suddenly seems softer, calmer, a little dreamy.

While the highest elevations of the Atlas Mountains can get white in winter, most of Morocco is dry, mild and bathed in winter sunshine. Ideal for those who don't fancy winter sports or snow-covered landscapes. Here, winter is more of a cool break than a cold shock. In the blue city of Chefchaouen, it remains mild and pleasant even in winter.

If you can do without the smell of cinnamon and crépes, December is the perfect time to travel to South Africa. Because then it's high summer here. The Garden Route along the coast is covered in lush greenery and is a Christmas highlight. But be careful: find out about the necessary vaccinations if you are going to the Kruger National Park.

White, endless sandy beaches on turquoise waters: the Seychelles are the perfect destination in December to be out of reach for family drama over the holidays. Simply switch off your cell phone and enjoy the sun. Temperatures between 27 and 30 degrees are pleasant, with a little rain now and then. But as the underwater world is an absolute highlight of the Seychelles, you're bound to get wet in this vacation destination anyway.