Would you rather go on a trip or have a regular Christmas?

[zoebartlett]

My sister and I have been trying to convice our parents that we don''t need a whole lot of things and we''d rather go away on a family vacation (which we haven''t done in about 8-10 years, I''d say) for the holidays. My mom still needs to see presents under their Christmas tree, and I think she prefers the more traditional Christmas celebration(s). Would you rather go away for the holidays or celebrate it "as usual?"

 

[KimberlyH]

My husband''s family went to Hawaii for the holidays every year (from Christmas Eve through New Years Eve) when he was growing up. His parents are both deceased and I think it''s hard for him that my family is very traditional in regards to the holidays (i.e. meet at mom and dad''s open gifts, eat dinner, etc.). I think a family vacation in lieu of presents would be so much fun. I don''t think my mom would go for it either, though, Zoe.

 

[Skippy123]

It depends on the plans. Last year my FIL rented a huge beach house for my SIL and her 2 boys, my hubby and I and my FIL and MIL. I did find it a little more hectic. They went out and bought a tree and decorations and cooked meals there; it was nice to wake up each morning and walk on the beach though.

There have been times hubby and I traveled on our own during the holidays and it didn't feel the same as being w/family and doing the wonderful little traditions.

 

[Ellen]

I''d definitely want to be home at xmas. The only place I might consider going is to my favorite SIL''s/best friend in Ohio. We have a standing invite to come any holiday, but my older ones don''t want to go, and I wouldn''t leave them, so I don''t see that ever happening.

 

[lyra]

One year I''d like to go away for Christmas, but my family (husband and daughters) would absolutely rebel! I think it would be nice to have a family vacation, but probably most people would find it disappointing. My DH went away to Hawaii for Christmas when they were teens, and everyone in the family hated it unfortunately. Maybe the climate change was partly to blame?

 

[Mara]

We talked about a week in Hawaii with my parents this year, doing no gifts and being in Hawaii for Xmas and coming home before New Years. it would have been totally doable, we started researching it in spring of 2007 for this holiday. But then my parents bought a property and are building a new house which is costing an arm and a leg so there was no big trip for all of us this year. But it would be nice to do that I think, break out of the ''rut''...esp right now since we have no kids in our family (well super immediate family) to rebel or want to be at home. We really should have done it this year because next year my parents new house will probably be done so they will probably want to have a big thing there...so if we do the travel for Xmas thing it won''t be til 2009 at least and by then there may be more kids in the family!! So I think we lost our opp. Oh well! Tradition can be fun too.

 

[hlmr]

I love both. Last year we went to Cuba for Christmas and New Year''s and my husband and I loved it!

We probably won''t do that again until our son is all grown up though, as he really missed the traditional Christmas. I am hoping this year will make up for it as I have a couple of special surprises for him.

 

[iheartscience]

Hmm...I''d probably rather just have a regular Christmas! I love to travel, but I get soooo traditional and sentimental at Thanksgiving and Christmas and I just want everything to be the same!

 

[BriBee]

Throughout the years my family has done mostly traditional Christmas celebrations, but we've taken our fair share of trips as well. As much as I love travelling and vacations, I always feel a little melancholy (sp?) not being home for the holidays. A few years we've gone to Tahoe and it's been snowing and we've been able to have a "white christmas" but even then I always kinda wished I could be home. There's something about Christmas morning in my PJs at home that I just love.

ETA: One year we had the best of both worlds. We spent Christmas at home and left for Hawaii the following day, and were there for New Year's, that was a great year!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

I'd go away [but, then again, I am older than most of you - 39 again in a week or so! LOL!]. We would be gone this year if we had our act together! LOL!

I guess we are beyond the stuff under the tree deal. DD, who is almost 20, doesn't seem to care too much either. I could see a nice luxurious trip with some fixed amount of money to be spent by each on something lasting as a Christmas gift to memorialize it.

[Did that make sense? I'm tired so I'm not as articulate as usual.]

Now, where would I go?

The Water Club in San Juan, PR - very cool art deco [as a repeat guest!

]
The El Conquistador is more of a resort
Las Ventanas al Paraiso is drool worthy
and I could go on but I don't want to bore you.

I think that even going to the Mandarin Oriental or the like in NYC would be cool. What interests me is to go away to a gloriously pampered place. I will be sure to take care of my own Christmas gifts when I am there!

 

[E B]

It just depends. When I was in high school (and a few years before), my mom, grandmother and I made a fun tradition for several years of going to Hot Springs, AR for Christmas. We''d stay at one of the fancy hotels, get full body massages/mineral soaks and wander around the little town, ducking into antique shops and checking out the city''s feature magician. We always had a lot of fun.

I wouldn''t want to travel EVERY Christmas, but once in a while, I''d love to!

 

[zoebartlett]

EBree, I agree -- I wouldn''t want to travel every Christmas, but once every few years would be nice. My family wasn''t one to travel to see relatives over the holidays, so most of our Christmases were spent as a foursome (parents, my sister, and I). Maybe next year or the year after we''ll go somewhere. Now WHERE to go, that''s a good question. I have so many places on my travel list...Italy, Spain, Hawaii, Monteray/Carmel, and many others.

 

[Steel]

Great question Zoe!

Hmm,

In theory: Holidays please, somewhere sunny and luxurious or snowy and log cabin-ie!

In practice: Who would make a fuss of my cats and chase them around the house trying to dress them up? I think I would have difficulty in practice going away for Christmas day. But would love a holiday starting boxing day or going over the New Year, preferably to Houston so I can visit a certain attraction which holds many sparkly pleasures....[Well a girl can dream]

 

[door knob solitaire]

If I had my own private jet, boat, train car and a sprinkle monkey I would say YES!

But the travel mess is so outta control here in the states that the stress is way off the charts from enjoyable. So I would prefer to stay tucked safe and stress less at home with tradition and things from years past.

Have you seen those train cars? You buy them. Design them to your specs and park them until you are ready to travel. Then they hook you up and off you go with everything you need inside your car. Kitchen, toity, shower...bed, office, what ever you want. You can get really big ones!! Stocked pantry with your grub. Your own sheets. No ickys. Awhhh. Luxury.

I was just reading about Tomkat's Colorado travel plans and the family baking cookie plans EVEN TO INCLUDE SPRINKLES!!!!...and thought if I were in that caliber I wouldn't mind. I bet the sprinkles have been bought and are waiting in the pantry for their arrival. See, they probably have a sprinkle monkey.

§

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I am so tired of traveling to see family during the Holidays, that now that we have our own house, it''s time to start our own Christmas traditions, even though we''re only a family of 2 right now. I would definitely have to vote for being home for Christmas.

My husband and I take 1 big trip a year normally - this year it was Hawaii - and that''s normally all I have in me.

 

[matildawong]

Ooh! My mom has always talked about doing something over Christmas -- going somewhere like NYC or London. But her mom would have guilted her out of it had she even suggested it.

We''ve always celebrated Christmas on whatever day we could (we did "Christmas in January" a few years ago) because my dad was an airline pilot. Now we do it because I''m usually working at some job that demands my presence on the holiday and because we all seem to move around a lot.

This year my sister and her husband are stationed in Hawaii, so I''m meeting my parents there. We said we weren''t going to do presents, but it''s my niece Ingrid''s first Christmas and then my sister and I started finding perfect gifts for everyone so...

I''m already putting a word in for Christmas in Virginia (where my parents retired to) for next year, because I miss my family''s little crazy traditions. I haven''t lived near my parents in years and I do tend to get especially homesick for them over the holidays.