Have a Holly Jolly Christmas–On The Road
Look who’s here! Santa!
Just about every year we round up the troops, grab all our gear and hop on a flight to see family for the holidays. This year is no different for Little B and the Boy.
For those of you that haven’t convinced your extended family to travel to YOU for the holidays (or they can’t), follow these tips to make your holiday travel less stressful and more fun for the kids.
Santa’s other form of transport
1. Write a letter or email to Santa letting him know where he can find you on Christmas Eve.
2. Look out for Santa on the plane ride. Remind your kids to “keep looking!” if they get restless.
3. Track Santa on your iPhone or iPad using the “Santa Tracker” app. Kids love the countdown of sleeps to go…, sightings, Santa’s blog, and the GPS tracking of Santa around the world.
4. Ask your hotel or relatives in advance to have diapers, wipes, food, milk and other amenities waiting for you upon arrival.
5. Have gifts for relatives/friends shipped to your destination. Send a box ahead of time or have online orders sent directly to your relatives’ house. If you are taking gifts with you on the flight, consider wrapping them once you arrive to avoid possible unwrapping by security.
6. Leave the gifts for your immediate family at home. Wrap a picture or the label of each gift or bring just one small, lightweight gift for each family member to open. Arrange for Santa to make a special stop at your house before or after your trip.
7. Arrange to have gifts from friends/relatives shipped back to you after you leave or bring an empty duffel bag to load up with gifts for the trip home.
8. Load up your iPod or iPhone with holiday songs and movies for the kids.
9. Practice your yoga breathing. This is especially important at the airport, on the plane, and at your relatives’ house.
10. Start a new tradition that you can do each year no matter where you are, such as decorating a gingerbread house (such as this small kit from Mike and Ike) or make a light-weight ornament to bring home (such as these ornament craft kits from Oriental Trading Company).
Baby decorates the tree for Christmas
Do you have any tips for holiday family travels? Please share in the comments below.