With my increasing want and need to travel the country and possibly live overseas for a year or two, it got me thinking. I’ve never been away from my family during the holidays. I don’t count the times I’ve had to work on a holiday. I mean I’ve never intentionally been away from my family during the holidays. With my trying to determine if being a full time RVer is for me, I figure I can always pack up my travel camper and swing back home for the holidays before hitting the road again to continue my travels.
However, if I move overseas, I’ll be in a country where I have no family. I would love to live in Ireland for a little bit and it’s possible that I could meet cousins that still live there based on my genealogy research :). While my family loves to argue with each other, we’ve always come together for the holidays. With that said, I want to see different cultures. I want to experience life outside of the United States. I’ll miss my family and friends and it goes without saying that I would miss my daughter like mad. But, there are planes. They can come visit me too, right?
I asked friends if they’ve ever traveled during the holidays. What was their motivation. What did they enjoy about it. What did they miss. Would they do anything differently?
Brooke Knisley, who is a freelance writer, says that she actually travels WITH her family during the holidays. They do it because they feel that seeing new places is better than buying a bunch of gifts. They skip the gift giving and pick a spot in the world to meet up. Two years ago they went to Costa Rica, last year they went to Ensenada and this year, because her father is having health issues, they are staying closer to home and visiting San Carlos, Mexico.
Ivanna Figueroa, who writes over at Provocative Joy said that she’s missed the last two Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays due to her volunteer work overseas. She was motivated by her desire to help others and serving people who don’t have access to the healthcare that we do. She’s enjoyed learning how other cultures celebrate and what they do differently from America, such as decorating for fall and Halloween. While she loved her time overseas, she did miss her family and making memories with them. This year she plans to stay home for the holidays to enjoy that time with them.
Great post! I spent one Christmas away from my family on vacation. It’s something I plan on doing again. However, with them :).
I missed spending the holidays with my family a couple of times when I was younger and lived so far away and didn’t have enough time off from work to visit. I hated not being with family. Now, if we travel during the holiday season, we do it together.
I can’t even imagine being away from my family during holidays. Several years ago, my hubby and I were away from home for job training for a couple of months and got home just a few days before Thanksgiving. It was such a nice homecoming. If we travel at Christmas, it would have to include everyone, especially the grandchildren!
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I always had a hard rule not to travel for Christmas. Two years ago I abandoned that rule and we rented a huge house in the mountains. My family of 4 and 12 other family members spent five days doing all of the fun winter activities in the snow and we were there for Christmas.
It was fun, but we wouldn’t do that again. Dragging all the gifts with a bunch of kids had us all loaded down to the ground. Next time we would do Christmas at home and go up the day after.
I’ve always wanted to travel for the holidays with my family. I have to wait until my kids are a little older. They still love getting toys and staying home for now.
I’ve always spent the holidays with my parents I couldn’t imagine otherwise these days, it was always a big family time when I was growing up so I guess in many ways it is habit.
Last year I spent the holidays traveling and missed some days with my family. I missed them because I was used to being with them for holidays but at the same time it was nice to do something different make new memories.
Silvia
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I treasure the time that I spend with my family over the holidays and I couldn’t imagine it without them! We have traveled as a family during the holidays and that was fun too 🙂
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I woudl pick traveling any day over a family holiday. Family will always be here is my idea – vacations and trip excursions and life experiences are so much more important! Especially if you are younger. I traveled so much before I got married and I cherish those memories!!
I have spent the last 3 years away from home during the holidays. Ivanna what a sacrifice to pay it forward.
There have been times when I have traveled during the holidays instead of spending it with my family it can be hard but also fulfilling depending on why you can’t spend it with family
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I have a feeling that you’d always be at home with a new family as you traveled. I don’t think, just from reading this, that youre the type of person who wouldn’t find your people in any place on the globe
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These are great reason to travel during the holidays. I only traveled sometimes as a child during the holidays to my dad’s hometown in Ohio but we never went anywhere else. The idea of traveling during the holidays as a family instead of giving gifts is a great idea now since my boys are now men now I believe. I love the idea of traveling to volunteer for the holidays is a great idea too. Thanks for sharing the travel ideas.
I miss a lot of holidays for my job and that sucks. Luckily when I do get to attend it’s only a couple of hours away!!
I’ve always wanted to live in Ireland for s stent! So cool!
I don’t think I have ever traveled during the holidays. Sounds like something I probably will do in the future though with family.
I have never been away for the holidays. I would love to spend Christmas someplace warm and tropical and bring in the new year on the beach.
I would really love to go somewhere warm during the holiday season but probably not this year.