mommyoffive Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Have you ever done this? Did you like it? Where did you go? How did the kids react? Would you do it again? I swore I would always be at home for Christmas eve and morning, but now I dont know. I read some article in Family Fun of some great resorts that do lots of fun stuff for the holidays and it sounded like it might be nicer. Like I might get to sit back and enjoy it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Only sort of. We traveled to see family, several times, while we lived in Brazil. So, we were at our US "home base" but not our home. We did our special gifts to each other, and then the family gathering with the family. Not the same as a real vacation, though. We have vacationed over our Christmas break, but not gone on Christmas Day, just because the week prior is so much less crowded (or, well, two weeks prior, before the public schools let out). We detest crowds on vacation, so we don't usually go on the holiday. I do love traveling at that general time, though, it is beautifully relaxing. Even having that escape before the holiday, and coming home to actual Christmas, is so lovely. If the timing of being gone works better for you to do it over actual Christmas, go for it. Take your family stockings and whatever gift(s) you would want to give on Christmas morning, and go enjoy the relaxation of not being caught up in the holiday rush that characterizes Christmas these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted November 24, 2016 Author Share Posted November 24, 2016 Yeah I am thinking of trying it. I just don't know if I will like it. We don't have a rush, I put a big no to that as soon as I had the first kiddo. I just thought maybe being some place else would be nicer for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 my sister went to a B&B where they could also crosscountry ski. they ended up doing it every year. she likes the area so much, she's talking about moving there when her dh retires. her dd and her boyfriend live in that area now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Almost every year for the last 15. I struggle with seasonal depression, so have a hard time managing Christmas. Going somewhere else where other people do the decorating and I can keep my part to a minimum is a big help. We have gone to a lot of amusement parks on Christmas Day proper. I have met a lot of other people who are doing the same thing, and there is a companionship in being with others who also find the holidays difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 (edited) Yeah, we went to Disney World/Orlando for Christmas years ago, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The crowds were awful. We have also gone skiing over Christmas, and that was very, very nice! Half the skiers on the slopes on Christmas day was in a Santa costume. :) Edited November 24, 2016 by trulycrabby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 We went to ski resorts. Some skied, some didn't. We rented a house and family joined us for part of the time, friends for other parts. It was great--sort of I-host so everyone chipped in. We did this a number of times and it was a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Yes, we went to Disney world over Christmas when my kids were 16 and 9. We enjoyed it so much that we are going back this Christmas. I am counting down the days. I will admit that I ententionally waited until my youngest was that age. We were no long trying to keep up the illusion of Santa. We do not have any relatives that live close by, so big family get togethers are not a tradition in our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 We went to San Diego for the last two years during the holidays and it was wonderful. Coming from the PNW, the weather was warmer and sunnier and it was great spending so much time with our college aged son. Had we been home, he would have been working part of the time and also spending sometime with friends, so we wouldn't have gotten to see him as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrittanyM Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 When I was 12 or 13 my family took my Grandparents 5th wheel and went camping a couple hours away for Christmas. It was one of the best Christmas' I remember! We had a great time opening our gifts, playing games and hiking. We also went away to a cabin once with my Mom's side of the family but that wasn't quite as "unique" and ended up not being as fun. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 We haven't yet, but we talk about it every year. It's always just the three of us for holidays anyway, so there's nothing keeping us at home. I'd love to go somewhere like the big hotel at Mt Washington for a few days. It seems so romantic and lovely. Hmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 we did a beach house one Christmas in Destin, FL. The kids still talk about how much fun that year was. We played on the beach every day and swam in the pool that came with the house. The family drove in for various days during the two weeks we were there to spend time with us. We brought one small gift for each kid to open on Christmas Day. Relatives brought gifts when they came, so the kids got to open a gift pretty much every day we were there. Best memories of running down the beach playing tag at 11pm at night on Christmas Eve. it was really fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Yes, we've traveled over Christmas. It's no biggie. We did the main Christmas before we left, and kept a few packable items as additional surprise gifts. We've also often done birthdays overseas (kid has an early January birthday). It's fun to see how other places do Christmas. For us, it's less stressful than other times since most of our clients are taking time off too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 My grandparents went on a Christmas cruise one year. We were absolutely desolate at not seeing them and not having Christmas Day dinner at their house. But we gave them all their presents in advance to open on the ship, and a little tape player with selections from our family--piano, Christmas carols, etc. Then we each wished them a Merry Christmas at the end of the tape. Rumor has it that when my grandfather heard this he teared up and said he would never go out of town at Christmas again, and Grandma agreed, and they never did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 We had a really wonderful Christmas at Eagle Crest (central Oregon) one year. The kids loved it. We had a ball playing in the snow and swimming every day. We only did it once, but it was super fun the one time we did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hgreenm Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 We haven't been on vacation on Christmas Day yet, but every year we take a trip (usually a cruise) during the holiday season. We are in Tampa right now, leaving tomorrow for a 2-week Caribbean cruise. Every year I tell my kids (8 & 10) "we don't buy gifts, we buy memories that will last forever". They do get candy and something tiny that fits in their stockings, but nothing to really unwrap. We spend Christmas Day watching movies and spending time together. My kids love traveling and seeing new places. I ask every year if they want to travel or get presents and they choose to travel. I would vacation over Christmas in a heartbeat. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyn in WA Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 One year we went on a mission trip to Honduras to help build a church and then spent an extra week in Honduras just relaxing. I enjoyed it but one of my sons did not. He refuse to acknowledge that year had happened for quite some time. He would say he was a year younger than he was because that year just did not exist. He prefers staying home in general though. He is not interested in traveling at any time of the year. And he loves putting up a tree and having the gifts. Neither of my sons enjoys traveling though, one tolerates it. When they were young, we would travel to visit with family about 5/6 hours away and stay at the family cabin in the woods. They were fine with that since it was decorated and they went sledding and skiing with Grandma and Grandpa but as they got older they just wanted to be home. I think they enjoyed going to Christmas programs and parties with friends. This year is our first year with one son away at college so we plan to be home at the holidays and spend time together as a family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer&Mom Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 I loved Christmas when we lived overseas. Instead of trekking to five different houses (we have a complicated family) we relaxed and went to the theater. It was wonderful to be away from obligations. I imagine a vacation would be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 We talk about it, but never have since we had kids. The last time were away, I was pregnant with my oldest and expecting to get laid off from my work within months, so we did the "grand tour" and flew around visiting relatives for two weeks. We spent Christmas in the Rockies with my family (it snowed), and then New Years in Florida with DH's family. We have friends and relatives in the Bahamas that we'd love to visit that time of year. Mine are older teens, so they'd be fine with it, I'm sure! The island we go to has all kinds of fun events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Yes, we rented a beach condo. Its great to stop at the Florida Welcome Center and realize its time to pack away the winter coat and put flip flops on. So nice to relax and leave the inlaw insanity behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Lots of families here in Colombia do that. They go to San Andres Island (Colombian island in the Caribbean Sea) or to Miami or Orlando or New York, etc.) A lot of them have long vacations, until mid-January. The downside is that's "peak" season and the airline fares, hotels, etc. charge much higher than in off season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 We travel to see family but I do not count visiting family as a vacation, so my answer is no, we do not vacation over the Christmas holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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