For my money, there is nothing I like better for Christmas than a Las Vegas vacation in a swanky hotel. I love getting out of Reno where it is generally cold and snowing. Many hotels in Vegas still have availability over the holiday and a personal call to reservations can sometimes result in a nice surprise. Last year, I was online trying to book a suite at one of the hotels in Las Vegas and my computer was not cooperating. In frustration I called the hotel and was offered an upgrade to a suite about twice the size of the one I was attempting to book for a savings of several hundred for the week. This is a possibility whenever the hotel is still showing availability this close to a big weekend or holiday. It is something of a risk to wait until this late in the month, but it can wind up paying off. My preference of hotels in Las Vegas is to go slightly off the strip. I have always enjoyed staying at the Rio because their rooms are huge. And all the Las Vegas Casinos are nearby. There is nowhere on the strip I can't go for about a $2-$3 taxi fare. The savings are well worth it and I love the hotel.