Last minute trip to Europe, are we crazy?

Not at all! I've been to both with less than 2 weeks notice. If it's a first to either place, you might want to get busy on the research. I don't have kids, but if the youngest is 14, I bet you won't have any issues having the kids do the research on which one. I'd pick a place quick and nail down where to stay/ how to get there. The rest is easy. If you are considering it this close, I imagine you aren't huge on over-thinking a rigid schedule. That time of year you will find plenty to do in Paris or Rome. Plenty of threads here on it. Have fun!

Amber I don't think you are crazy at all,, but i am not as optimistic as Leslie ,, simply because its Christmas week and many places are booked up.. And as a family of five you have the challenge of either finding an apartment, or two hotel rooms minimally,, ( you will have to find a double and a triple, as no normal hotel has rooms for five,, which frankly who would want that much togetherness! lol Start looking right away,, I would spend hours checking out accomadations. Paris would be lovely at Christmas, the hot mulled wine and roasted chestnuts they apparently sell on the street ,, the lights, but Italy would probaly be a bit warmer( not warm,, warmer, ) Good luck!

Hi Amber, Not sure about flights but I was just looking at apartments; 2 bedrooms two bathrooms in Rome and found VRBO#301781 might be available @200 Euros per night. Much better price than most decent hotels. Christmas in Rome should be very special and if restaurants aren't open on Christmas, you can always cook your own meals. If you can make the flights work, I say go for it. Ciao, Sherry

Amber, I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not? It's a long way to go for only about 10-days. One thing to keep in mind is that especially in Italy at Christmas, some tourist sights will be closed while people celebrate the holidays. The New Year's parties would likely be memorable though. If it's the only time you can travel, that might be the deciding factor? Good luck and happy travels!

You aren't crazy! I, too, recommend Paris. It is AMAZING at Christmas - and it's great for teens.

Thanks everyone! You have given me hope that we can pull this off. Yes, we have been to Paris before, but the children were much younger, and are anxious to see it again. Flights to Paris seem to be less expensive than those to Rome, so assuming I can find accommodations today, that is what we will do. I am searching for apartments and/or B&B's in order to fit us all in. Another possibility is to stay in Paris for a few days and then travel to another part of France for a few days. Any thoughts on that? My husband and I are excited to be able to give our children what we feel is the most valuable gift of all - the chance to experience new places and cultures. Thank you all for helping make that happen!

Most definitely go.... one of the best Christmas gifts ever. I just got back and would repack and leave again tomorrow if I could. I took a 15 year old and he loved Bayeaux as well as D-Day beaches. Very moving experience for both of us. You could get a car at CDG after some days in Paris and explore the countryside. Have a wonderful Holiday!

GO!!! Probably look into an apartment in a city like Rome or Paris. Rent it for your entire stay, then take day trips from there. That will probably be the easiest and will make dealing with holiday closures easier. Another option is stay in a smaller town or two for the first few days (the hotels and B&Bs will probably be fairly empty at that time of year) and then spend the last few days in the city you are flying home from. Can you imagine New Year's eve in Paris!!! the kids will love it.

I wasn't entirely clear as to whether you plan to leave Houston on Christmas Day or arrive in Paris (my top pick also) on Christmas Day. I hope you are arriving on the 26th...all of the holiday decorations are still up and Paris is lovely, but everything is open and you will have no trouble getting around. My family had some difficulty finding a restaurant that wasn't booked solid for New Year's Eve...perhaps plan to eat a huge festive lunch, then put together a picnic for munching while waiting for midnight. We left on Jan 1st, so I can't give you any advice on finding places to eat that are open on New Year's Day, but I am sure other posters can. Bring lots of layers...we found many interiors stiflingly hot while the outside (on some days) was bitterly cold. Expect rain at least one day you are there, but snow isn't too likely. I would think that the hardest problem would be finding a room for 5 in a hotel...Paris hotel rooms tend to be small, and you might well have to do a two doubles and a single, so if you can find an apartment for the period under consideration as other posters have suggested, that would be a big advantage. You might also, as others have suggested, also consider an overnight trip to one of the many places in easy reach of Paris: the Loire, Strasbourg, London, etc.

We will be arriving on the 26th. I am still trying to find an apartment available, this might be difficult part of the trip. I am pretty confident that we can make the rest of it work as we are a very laid back family.

yes, i would be concerned about finding a place,, many people love xmas in Paris , it books up. There are hundreds if not thousands of hotels and apartments so sure you will find something, just be very careful of the it sounds too good to be true thing.

Just an update- we found an apartment in the middle of the city using vrbo.com, got our flights booked, and are looking at a side trip to Stasbourg or Colmar. The kids are thrilled. Thanks so much everyone for all of the advice!