Christmas brings high expectations. Family members probably expect you to visit, but should you do that, stay home or go on a Christmas vacation? Get help deciding.
Here are each of the options, pros and cons to each decision, and options for smoothing things over or compromising:
Staying Home for Christmas
This is certainly the least stressful option. If you have children, it's even more hectic to travel when the masses are also hitting the roads, stations and airports. It's even harder if you have to travel with newborns.
Pros of staying home for Christmas: It's probably easier. You don't have to lug Christmas presents while you travel, and you don't have to figure out how to get your own families' gifts to your destination and back home again. You get to enjoy Christmas morning at your own home, with your own Christmas tree.
Cons of staying home for Christmas: You may not get to see your extended family or friends who live elsewhere. You need to pay more attention to decorating and getting your home trimmed for the holidays. You won't get a chance to shop in another town.
Compromise: Invite extended family to visit you instead of you visiting them.
Visiting Family for Christmas
For some, this is the only option considered acceptable in the family. For others, it may be hard to imagine Christmas anywhere but the inviting home of a parent or grandparent.
Pros of visiting family for Christmas: You get to see extended family members over the holidays, and perhaps brighten Christmas for someone who is far from the people he or she cares about. You don't have to host anyone or do much special with your home for Christmas Day.
Cons of visiting family for Christmas: You have to get there, and you will either need to stay at someone else's home (which may not have all the comforts or necessities you're used to) or pay for lodging. You'll have to travel when many others are traveling. You'll have to transport gifts.
Compromise: Visit on another holiday, such as Thanksgiving, and forego the Christmas visit. Or visit right before or after Christmas, and have your Christmas celebration and gift exchange then.
Going on Vacation for Christmas
Pros of going on vacation for Christmas: You get to bond as a family and do something enjoyable. There are tons of wonderful Christmas vacations you can take. You get a chance to shop somewhere different to find unique gifts, and you'll get interesting memories to cherish for years.
Cons of going on vacation for Christmas: You will probably tick someone off who thinks you should be with extended family instead of traveling. You will not get to see family members. You will not have that feeling of being home for the holidays.
Compromise: Encourage your extended family to travel with you. Plan a destination family reunion over the holidays so everyone can enjoy travel and visiting with family.
The copyright of the article Christmas Holiday Travel Dilemma in Family Adventures is owned by Kelby Carr. Permission to republish Christmas Holiday Travel Dilemma in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Nov 19, 2006 8:45 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
Good article. We've actually done the travel compromise one several times - it seems to make as many people happy as possible while only ticking off the ones who kinda use "ticked off" as their modus operandi in the first place. :)
