If your Christmas includes travel, allow plenty of time at the airport or on the road. If flying, drink lots of water during the flight to stay hydrated and help combat jet lag.
Keep in mind that your child(ren) will be in "holiday" mode. They will be easily over-excited, so it will be your job to keep them focused on things that will keep them grounded. When traveling with my children, I always pre-wrapped little travel surprises to keep them busy and focused on the "now." When they first got in the car (or on the plane), they would open their first surprise - a travel game they could play together.
After 1/2 hour (more than enough "together" time), they would receive another surprise - crayons/markers and paper. Another surprise could be a small chalkboard and chalk - even though they're still drawing, a different medium makes it a completely new activity! Continue with this every 30-60 minutes, using small items that can be played with quietly. ALWAYS give the next surprise before they have a chance to start whining - you don't want to reward the whining!
To prevent any antsy behavior, play "follow the leader" at each rest stop. Be sure to include stretches, some aerobic activity, some more stretches, then some relaxing breathing once they're back in the car. After you've led the first one, the kids will do a great job of leading during the rest of the stops - and they'll love it!
For your holiday travel season or any other time, put a piece of paper in each suitcase, saying where you can be located, when and the phone number, in case your luggage is separated from you or in case of emergency.
"NEW YORK (AP) -- Talk about an exclusive vacation.
When Ken and Linda Jordan of Rochester Hills, Michigan, landed their single-engine plane on Cayman Brac on October 1 for a weeklong trip they'd planned months before, they were the first tourists to visit since Hurricane Ivan.
And as the sole guests at the Divi Tiara Beach Hotel, they enjoyed being spoiled by the staff and having use of a 40-foot (12-meter) dive boat all to themselves."
"(CNN) -- The surge of excitement many travelers feel when planning a trip tends to fall flat when it comes to making holiday travel arrangements.
After all, for many the big draw is family and friends -- rather than the destination -- and getting to those loved ones among the throngs is a yearly ritual most people would rather forget.
There are a few strategies to keep in mind to ease travel during the holiday season. CNN asked Paul Eisenberg of Fodor's travel guides and Amy Ziff, Travelocity's editor at large, for some planning tips."
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Tip: Holiday Travel Tips
Archived on 11/07/2008
Keep in mind that your child(ren) will be in "holiday" mode. They will be easily over-excited, so it will be your job to keep them focused on things that will keep them grounded. When traveling with my children, I always pre-wrapped little travel surprises to keep them busy and focused on the "now." When they first got in the car (or on the plane), they would open their first surprise - a travel game they could play together.
After 1/2 hour (more than enough "together" time), they would receive another surprise - crayons/markers and paper. Another surprise could be a small chalkboard and chalk - even though they're still drawing, a different medium makes it a completely new activity! Continue with this every 30-60 minutes, using small items that can be played with quietly. ALWAYS give the next surprise before they have a chance to start whining - you don't want to reward the whining!
To prevent any antsy behavior, play "follow the leader" at each rest stop. Be sure to include stretches, some aerobic activity, some more stretches, then some relaxing breathing once they're back in the car. After you've led the first one, the kids will do a great job of leading during the rest of the stops - and they'll love it!
