10 Reasons to Travel over the Holidays
I love traveling over the holidays. My family has only recently started traveling over Christmas but it’s become one of our favorite times of year to take epic trips! I touched on this last year in my Christmas in Cape Town post but I want to give you a more solid list of reasons why traveling over the holidays is so special.
Here are 10 reasons why I love holiday trips:
1. YOU CHOOSE THE CLIMATE
Whether you want a snowy Christmas in the mountains or a tropical holiday on the beach, taking a trip over the holidays allows you to choose what you wake up to on Christmas morning. I personally would always choose to avoid the cold. Luckily, the holiday season is also summertime in the Southern Hemisphere.
2. IT’S EASIER TO BE PRESENT
I always find it easier to be present with my family when we are traveling as opposed to when we are at home. Having time zones between us and our separate lives allows us to be fully engaged with one another. There is something about a new place that relieves us from our usual day-to-day distractions.
3. THERE’S PHYSICAL DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
One of the reasons I find it easier to be present on a trip than at home is because of the literal distance between me and my responsibilities. Having a flight or two between you and your job and even your social life can give you the true break that the holidays are meant to be.
4. THE MEMORIES YOU MAKE ARE SURE TO STICK
The memories I’ve made on holidays spent abroad are so unique that it makes them hard to forget. While I have fond memories of the many Christmases spent in Michigan, I can’t pinpoint specific moments from those years the way I can from years we have spent Christmas or Thanksgiving overseas. Memories like the Christmas-morning beach walk in Myanmar or Thanksgiving dinner on the Sydney Harbour will remain vivid for years to come.
5. YOU DON’T HAVE TO COOK
The holidays are almost always accompanied by a massive feast. But a big meal requires a lot of work and work is the last thing you are supposed to be doing during the holidays! Relieve yourself from the burden by dining out somewhere special on your holiday trip.
6. EVERYONE HAS TIME OFF
Traveling over the holidays also has logistical benefits. It’s the only time of year the whole family is guaranteed to have some time off and that’s worth taking advantage of.
7. IT’S STRESS FREE
If you travel over the holidays there’s no big meal to cook or to clean up afterwards. There’s no one to host. There’s no rushing to the store the next day to make gift exchanges. Need I say more?
8. YOU CAN TRY SOMETHING NEW
The holidays are often a time to reflect on the past year and start making plans for the next. In light of this, the holiday season makes for an ideal time to try something new or get out of your comfort zone. Travel will give you plenty of opportunities to do just that. (If you need inspiration, just check out my story on bungee jumping on Valentine’s Day).
9. THE CELEBRATIONS AREN’T BOUND TO ONE MEAL OR ACTIVITY
At the Livermore Household in Michigan, Christmas Day has three main events. Scones and presents in the morning, Christmas dinner, and going to the movie theatre. I love these traditions. But there is something just as sacred about the adventures we have had on special holidays around the world from spotting members of the Big 5 at Kruger National Park on Easter Sunday to exploring the Cape Peninsula on Christmas last year. Traveling over the holidays expands the celebrations to be so much more than the usual traditions.
10. YOU HAVE AN EXCUSE TO FULLY INDULGE
If travel isn’t an excuse enough to splurge on foods and experiences, celebrating a holiday certainly is! Whenever we are traveling for fun, my family’s favorite phrase is It’s vacation! That phrase seems to justify everything we’ve splurged on throughout our trips. Another bottle of wine? Yes, it’s vacation! Ice cream before noon? Sure, why not? It’s vacation. Turns out the phrases It’s Christmas! and It’s Thanksgiving! work the same way.
Are you a fan of holiday travel too? Tell me what you love about it!
