Bus service is extremely limited Christmas Day.

Thanks everyone for all your help. And thanks Dave for your original posting which asked the same question I had.

Daveesl!
Your trip sounds like the one I want... where are you staying in Ostia and Sicily?
I don't want to "do Rome" at Christmas, but will be in Italy, trying to figure out an "alternative" holiday week...

We've been to Rome two weeks before Christmas several years, and we only experienced one really rainly day and only one really cold day. The rest of our two visits the weather was brisk and sunny. Rome itself was magical at that time of year- the streets were decorated with twinkly white lights overhead. Nativity scenes, large and small were in every church and shop window. Piazza Navona was full of performing artists and Christmas boothes, selling candy and nativity figures so you could make your own Nativity scenes. We will definitely go back again in December another year.

Hi BRR

We're staying in the Ostia Antica Park Hotel. Not exactly 4 star, but our friends were there last year and said it was fine. Hotel is $58 per night.

We're renting a car for the entire stay, primarily for use going to and around Sicily, but also to play around with on the 24th and 25th. It's actually cheaper to do this than to only rent it for a week in Sicily and pay for cabs in Rome. While in Rome we plan to use it mainly to take us from the hotel to the train station. No, I'm not crazy enough to drive in Rome.

We're renting an apartment near the beach in Alcamo Marina in Sicily for the last half of the trip. Apt. cost is $320 for the week.

Yes, we like cold, deserted beaches. :-)
We always travel at the "wrong time of year" and we always have a great time and save a bundle.

dave