While many people are preparing to spend Christmas at home, some families have an entirely different plan. Instead of quality time spent at the house, American parents are rounding up the kids and heading out of town for the holidays. However, orchestrating your family’s Christmas holiday on vacation can be a feat.
Depending on the size of your family and where you’re headed, there could be a laundry list of preparations to make before Christmas Day. Whether it’s booking flights or finding the right accommodations, here are a few tips to help you get everything mapped out before spending Christmas on vacation.
Be Realistic With Your Travel Time
Traveling as a unit is a different ballgame than solo travel. This is especially true if you’re traveling with small children. It’s important to be realistic with your travel expectations over the holidays. Make sure to map out extra time for commuting, checking into your accommodations, and for any unexpected delays.
Choose A VRU Over Hotel Accommodations
When traveling as a family during Christmas, many travelers advise choosing an Airbnb or other vacation rental units (VRUs) instead of a hotel. There are many wonderful things about hotel stays. However, they typically come with limited space that larger families need. Therefore, a VRU is the best pick for family holiday travel. Rental properties also usually come with a full kitchen and appliances. If you want to cook a traditional Christmas meal, you’ll have everything you need to do so minus the groceries.
Create An Itinerary That Caters To Your Family’s Needs
Creating an itinerary before traveling helps you stay organized and efficient on the go. This rule still applies when traveling as a family and it’s vital to map out activities and plans that fit the needs of your family. Be sure to have a healthy combination of family time while also freely experiencing the destination you’re visiting. It’s important to also build in time for rest and recharge between activities and exploring the city. Another thing to consider when traveling as a family for Christmas is that many businesses and excursions may be closed due to the holiday. This is something to look into before heading out of town.
Bring A Touch Of Home With You
Sometimes travel accommodations can lack the special holiday touch you can only find at home. If you plan on traveling with your family during the holiday season, consider bringing a little touch of home along with you. This can be difficult depending on where you’re going. However, you can bring travel-size goodies to decorate your hotel or rental property to make it feel like Christmas at home. This can include decorations, stockings for each family member, photos, and other small items that don’t take up a lot of space in your suitcase.
Incorporate Family Oriented Crafts And Games
Another thing to do during family time on travel holidays is to incorporate family-oriented crafts and games into your plans. Time spent creating gingerbread houses, writing letters to Santa, and painting ornaments help create timeless memories. There’s no better way to enhance those memories than by experiencing them while traveling with your family. It also ensures you get quality time with your family between sightseeing.