It's the most wonderful time of the year… Or is it? What if Christmas is less a time of joyful wassailing over dry turkey and bad jokes, and more a holiday to be dreaded – a time for family arguments, hangovers and excess? What if Scrooge had it right all along?

Well, suffer ye not, because – domestic circumstances permitting – Christmas is not compulsory. Even if it’s for one year only, there is an indulgent joy to be had in escaping the enforced revelry – to embark on a true Christmas getaway to a place that Santa forgot. Here are five you should consider this year.

You’d struggle to travel further – in terms of geography or setting – than a tropical island. Yet a white Christmas is always guaranteed in the Maldives, where the blindingly pure sand is the perfect place for anti-festive reclining. In the Unesco-protected Baa Atoll, home to some of the country’s fanciest resorts, there may still be sightings of whale sharks and manta rays come the end of December. To add a dose of architectural sophistication to the getaway, head to Amilla Fushi, where Mr Leonardo DiCaprio has been spotted at this modernist take on Robinson Crusoe chic.

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There’s arguably never been a better time to visit Jordan, which is swiftly recovering after regional conflict sent tourism numbers plunging. Christmas also happens to be a fine time of year to tour the country’s traditionally crowded sights – including the carved Treasury at Petra – when temperatures are mild, but more than manageable.

To head further off the beaten track and avoid any risk of festivity, head to the bewitching Dana Biosphere, a couple of hours north of Petra, and the Feynan Ecolodge, a solar-powered luxury Bedouin retreat in the middle of the mountains.

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There are plenty of signs of secular Christmas in Buddhist Thailand as Bangkok’s malls and hotels vie for seasonal trade with giant Christmas trees and air-conditioned Santas. But the festivities don’t trouble the country’s more remote islands and resorts, when the (relatively) cool and dry season is in full swing. To keep things intimate, take the entire six-bedroom Villa Laemson, one of the finest places to stay on the island of Phuket. The house resembles a miniature Aman resort and has some of the best views of the Andaman Sea on the island.

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An Alpine resort is perhaps second only to Lapland or a German Christmas market in the Christmassy stakes. I mean, every tree’s a Christmas tree at a certain altitude. But, if you don’t want to sacrifice the joys of winter – or skiing – then escape is still possible in a private rented chalet. Megève, the beautiful village and playground for wealthy French sophisticates, is home to some of the finest chalets in the Alps. And when you’re paying this much, a request to go easy on Christmas decorations will be met. The six-bedroom Chalet de Sens is up on the mountain and includes a private chef.

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Turkey tagine, anyone? Probably not, because Christmas isn’t really a big deal beyond the bigger international hotels and malls. Don’t expect to sunbathe (although temperatures can creep into the twenties in December), but do enjoy the buzz of commerce in the souks without the festive stress of Regent Street. The further you head from the major cities, the more complete the getaway will feel (you’ll still find the odd Buche de Nôel in Moroccan bakeries, thanks to the country’s French history), but for a base in the city, try the impeccably tasteful L'Hôtel Marrakech, an intimate 19th century riad updated by Mr Jasper Conran.

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