For many, the festive film The Holiday is a source of seasonal cheer. For one British couple, it became the blueprint for a life-changing travel habit that has seen them celebrate Christmas across the globe.
From Screen to Scene: A Festive Inspiration
Matt and Sophie Bailey, both 47, were watching the classic movie starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet when they decided to turn fiction into reality. "We were in a flat in London, and it was primarily because we wanted to get away for Christmas," Matt explained. Keen to avoid extortionate holiday accommodation fees, they immediately registered on a house-swapping website.
Their search quickly led them to an irresistible offer: a direct home exchange in the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. Matt describes it as "one of the most Christmassy towns in the world." Through the platform Love Home Swap, now known as Home Exchange, they traded their Earlsfield flat for a cosy home integrated into the town's historic walls.
Their German Christmas adventure lasted from December 21 to December 31. "It was small and cosy, it was just what we wanted," said Matt, a commercial director. They explored the year-round Christmas museum, visited the festive market, and enjoyed a traditional German celebration on Christmas Eve. "It was like a little chocolate box town," he recalled.
A World of Christmas Celebrations
Emboldened by their success, the Baileys' house-swapping journey didn't stop there. The very next year, in 2013, they spent Christmas in Bangkok, Thailand. They connected with a couple whose grown-up children lived in London, swapping their South West London flat for an apartment in the heart of the bustling capital.
"They don't celebrate Christmas over there at all, so Christmas Day was just a normal day," Matt noted. The couple embarked on a food tour, rang home to hear about traditional dinners, and then experienced an unforgettable evening. "Six or seven VW camper vans pulled up, opened the doors and bang, it's a cocktail bar on the street," he described. The impromptu street party, complete with food trucks, became their unique Thai Christmas celebration.
A Lasting Family Tradition
Now living in Lincolnshire with their two children, William, 10, and Jack, six, the family continues to embrace the home exchange lifestyle. They have used it for New Year trips to Bruges and Bonn, and for half-term holidays in destinations including Portugal, France, Spain, Denmark, Iceland, and Wales.
In total, the Bailey family has completed 12 trips using Home Exchange, covering only transport and food costs while their accommodation is free. The practice has even helped them trial living in new areas before making a permanent move.
Reflecting on that first inspired swap after watching The Holiday, Matt admitted that not being in the UK felt "a bit" unusual initially. However, they felt "at home straight away" in their German exchange, proving that sometimes, the best festive traditions are the ones you create yourself.
