The Ultimate Saturnalia celebration?

[Neuro]

Yesterday I booked a trip between 20-23 December to Longyearbyen in Svalbard, for me my wife and 2 children. It is at Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, the worlds most Northern Hotel. It is guaranteed to be the darkest place and time you could go to on earth (at ease at least). A few things that may light or stay somewhat though:
1) Northern lights, the sun went through its maximum this year, though, it has been a very weak maximum, but hopefully we will get some magnificent light shows...
2) Comet Ison, if the sun doesn't disintegrate it, it should be ultimately viewed at this time, but its not projected to be incredibly bright any longer.
3) Full moon happens on 17th of December, so it should still be quite full when we come.

Looking around for trips to warmer climes during the children's school Christmas holiday, I stumbled across this, for all of us it cost less than $2000 Hotel and flight. It was a tall task to convince wife of the brilliance of this, and my daughter (13) is still not very convinced.

Anyone wanting to look into this ULTIMATE Saturnalia celebration should go in at norwegian.com. As far as I know they fly from LA, NY and Ft. Lauderdale, via Oslo/Stockholm to Svalbard/Spitsbergen. You can also book hotels on this sight. If you want to go out on a walkabout, you HAVE to be armed, to be able to fend off the polar bears...

Midwinter North Pole anyone? ;)

[Glass]

well Its an excellent time of year to be in scandinavia but you knew that. Will you have the bonfires and so on. I guess thats a few days later, for NY.

One of my most memorable times was Christmas/NY in Denmark. Such a long time ago now. Still seems like yesterday. Wonderful part of the world. Warm people. Great food and drink. NY was at a very swanky invite only party for 200 of the richest Denmarkians under 40 in this 5 storey mansion on the coast. What a blast. As far as the eye could see there were bonfires roaring up and down the beach. Lots of fireworks. hehe. We nearly turned over a car when some smart ass tossed a slightly military training device over their shoulder onto the road. Lifted the car quite a bit. I couldn'ty hear anything for about 20 minutes. Those two greek girls thought I was being rude. Never mind.

Sounds fantastic. Hope you have a great time.

[Neuro]

I hope we will not become the Smorgasbord of Polar bears...

[Bigjon]

As I recall the Radisson which was one of the larger hotels in downtown Minneapolis, is owned by Curt Carlsson companies the founder of Gold Bond Stamp company. In my youth if you wanted to take that special someone someplace The Flame Room at the Radisson was the place with liveried all male waiters and the Golden String Violins playing at your tableside. Ah, romance and it now sounds oh so schmaltzy, but it was great fun way back when I was young and single.

[Neuro]

What if the Mayans were off by a year, and earth as we know it ends on the 21st of December 2013? If that is the case I would prefer an EMP from the sun, imagine the light show on Svalbard then... ;)