Not sure about xmas eve as we usually arrive on boxing day but New Years Eve get down to the beach. We usually tend to abandon our evening meal or have something on the way back from the beach, then have a few drinks on the Candolim beach road from about 9ish and head down to onto the beach around 11ish. Great atmosphere, music, dancing, fire eaters acrobats etc and lots of fire works at midnight. Lots of the shacks have a bbq/buffet on which we did used to do but now prefer just moving around from shack to shack. Its a great night goes on for as long as you want it to. Found this year that some of the shacks drinks were hiked up a bit...I am sure we were charge 100 rups per drink at Spottys ( they have a good dance floor ) but for one night and a for the couple of drinks we had there it didnt make that much difference. Whatever you decide I am sure you will have a great time.

Just had a word with OH and he reckons that when we used to be there for xmas a few years ago now the hotels tended to put on a Gala night on either xmas eve or xmas day we never went to them so cant really comment but if your on a package it may be included in the price.

we will also be spending xmas/new year away for the first time and can,t wait.but just 1 question, [sorry to be so sad] but where can we get a tradional xmas lunch.,we tried a few sunday roasts on our last trip and cant say we were to impressed,

christmas is pretty low key in Goa but there are lots of places now for xmas eve/day dinner, as valleylady says it wont be like home!! we have had a good meal on xmas day the last couple of yrs at Nirvana... very good considering.. but it will never be like a home cooked one...but then rarely is it in the uk when you eat out xmas day,,, as for New year, thats it as said above by nejulie has to be the beach... fab!! we usually eat first with friends and go to the boat shack about 10 or 11pm as they usually have mumbai DJ's and lay a dance floor and it rocks.also its not too far to stumble home and the drinks are kept a reasonable price ( a lot of places hike the price new year).. and of course all the fireworks are amazing... the length of the beach...
Chilly

chilly

We usually go to Over the Flames on Xmas Day, very good Xmas dinner and entertainment of a sort. You have to book in advance though and as everyone else says, the beach on new years eve, although we are flying home on new years day, don't suppose we will get much sleep that night as we have to leave about 4 a.m. to get to the airport as the traffic is horrendous. No doubt we will sleep well on the plane on the way home though.