What Do The Holidays Mean to You?
Plus, tips for smoother travels during the busiest season
The holidays mean something different to everyone—what you’re celebrating, who you’re celebrating with and where you’re celebrating.
A few years ago, my family experimented with traveling abroad during the holidays—we flew south to the Caribbean for a week and spent Christmas Day munching on the daily catch and sipping minty mojitos.
It wasn’t the island life swap for snow and Christmas roast that felt odd, but perhaps the fact that I’ve never traveled somewhere new during the holiday period, so that it seemed like it wasn’t ever Christmas at all. That feeling—or lack thereof—is what really stood out to me.
Even though I was with my loved ones, the traditions of baking Christmas cookies, holiday shopping, decorating the tree and cruising past festively lit driveways were missed.
Of course, a vacation with the family isn’t a bad way to spend Christmas (woe is me!) but in recent years when my family’s suggested another destination holiday, I’ve suggested staying put. It feels more homey, a chance to slow down and to reconnect with one another rather than get lost in a new destination.
This is my preference but I know many folks who opt for using the holidays—and the oft consecutive days off—as a chance to take a long-awaited and well-deserved trip. I asked a few industry friends who are traveling for the holidays about what this means to them and their hot tips for smoother sailing during the busiest travel season. Here’s what they had to say:
Todos Santos, Mexico
I’m spending the holidays in Todos Santos, Mexico for the first time. I typically do every other year with my husband's family so either in Florida with my dad or somewhere with his family of 15!!! This year, we are all staying at the same Airbnb—8 adults, 2 teens, and 5 kids under 10—in Todos Santos. I’m looking forward to the sun, warm water and margaritas. As we get older, the presents are not what we need, but presence is.
Tip: pack lighter than you ever plan to. Bring something that rings holiday-ish, so you can keep tradition alive such as a mini menorah or stockings. I bought every member a branded Turkish Towel this year that I will put in their stocking. — Debbie Rizzo, beverage and lifestyle publicist
Switzerland
I will be spreading my time between Zurich for some city time and the mountains in Graubünden to get some fresh cold air. It's one of my favorite places, especially during the festive season when my family gets all together. When you live in Morocco, it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit; camels may be exotic, but they are not synonymous with the traditional ideas of snow and Santa. I love seeing the Christmas lights and markets. Glühwein at the Zurich Christmas Market on the Opera Platz is always one of my highlights. It really creates the Christmas magic and feeling; it's definitely worth the travel and chase to feel something like that. I'm also excited to take the Glacier Express to the mountains. This train takes you up and through the Swiss Alps directly. The views are out of this world, it's one of those moments where you wonder if this is real or a photo.
Tip: I always avoid traveling the day before and after Christmas and New Year’s. The airports tend to be at their busiest and when flights get delayed, all hell breaks loose; give yourself a day or two to beat the stress and the rush. Also pack your gifts for your loved ones in your cabin luggage; you don’t want to deal with misplaced gifts during the holidays. — Mounia Ezzaher, owner of Hotels Villa Maroc and Les Jardins de Villa
Lake Tahoe
I’ll be in Lake Tahoe this year for the first time over Christmas! My fiancé has a condo at Northstar there, and this is the first holiday where we will have all our kids (aged 11, 13 and 16) together for a major holiday. He’s spent many Christmases there, but I’ve always just hosted at my house or my mom’s. We felt that Tahoe would be a better alternative than staying home so we could get our kids off their devices and not sit in their rooms (as they often prefer to do at home) with a wealth of activities, from downhill and cross-country skiing to ice skating and snowshoeing. The Northstar Village is really lively and festive over the holidays and has casual, fun restaurants; it’s only a 3.5-hour drive (barring traffic) from San Francisco, so it is a relatively easy getaway. I’m excited to ski with my son, cook some great meals, and have us relax in a cozy home, without the distractions of the kids’ sports and other activities! — Charlotte Milan, owner of C. Milan Communications.
New Zealand
I was born and raised in New Zealand, so it is not the first time — but it is my first Christmas back home in five years! I have been craving going home for the season; you cannot beat a kiwi Christmas by the beach. It's been an insane year, so it will be a nice reset to focus on what is to come in 2025. There's a certain type of magic in the air when you travel during the holiday season. It's the anticipation and excitement all wrapped up in one. First and foremost, I want to see my gorgeous golden retriever, Hudson, and then, of course, family and friends, new babies, and engagement rings to gawk at! I am also excited to check out some new spots I have yet to visit in New Zealand: a new hiking trail, a hidden beach, a surf spot, or a cute little cafe.
Tip: Forget a neck pillow; back pillows are in. At the ripe age of 27, I have the worst lower back pain, so I always pack an additional pillow to put underneath me so I feel supported for the over 18-hour trip! — Gabbie Tutheridge, publicist
Disney World
Normally, I travel home to Australia for Christmas. This year, I was determined to have a NYC Christmas since it's been a while since I stayed in the city. That's mostly going to be, but the plans kinda changed and I'm going to Orlando, FL (aka, Disney World) for Christmas. My boyfriend's parents travel to Florida every winter to escape the cold and I guess going to Disney is their tradition... so, this very critical, very skeptical, amusement park-loathing, Aussie, is going to the Happiest Place on Earth for Christmas. My boyfriend and friends think I'm going to be mad about how much I like it. I'm very skeptical. I'm more worried about the food to be honest! Apart from wanting to secure serious brownie points, and making my status on Delta (... joking). You gotta be with the people you love (friends or family) during the holidays—they just so happen to be in Orlando, Florida this time round.
Tip: Carry on only, honey!! I also find ~other~ travelers are peak annoying so to stay in a good mood while traveling, I always have my podcasts downloaded (Las Culturistas is my go-to — it makes me feel like I'm just bantering with my best friends and makes the trip so go quickly). Finally, being aggressive or impatient won't get you anywhere faster and you'll likely ruin someone's day who is working over the toughest time; so being nice, calm and positive (as cheesy as it sounds) will help you survive the madness. — Francesca Squillacciotti, co-founder Bond Global PR
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XO,