The holidays, don’t you love them? They bring family and friends together, but at time they can be stressful. It seems like there’s so much to do in such a little time.
However, if you really want to take the family on a holiday and have some fun quality time together then planning ahead is the key. I have some helpful tips from the experts that will help make your holidays worth remembering.
1. Get a jump-start.
One of the primary keys to a successful vacation or holiday is to start preparing early. Get geared up by going to bed early and get plenty of rest and even exercise if you don’t already. Make sure you have no pending work left from the office, so that your mind is free from the hassle of replying to your client’s emails or answering the angry phone calls from the boss. Not only make a list to prioritize your duties, cross off urgent matters. Leave the rest to do once you return.
2. Travel light!
Those who travel often know that we return home carrying much more than we started out with, so pack only what you truly need. Having a bag that you carry means you can easily adapt to travel changes, especially when you are flying. It also means, there’s less chance of your luggage getting lost.
3. Arrive ahead of time.
If you are driving out to the airport, leave at least one hour before the suggest time. In other words, if you must be at the airport two hours before departure time, add another hour so that you will allow for rush hour traffic or unexpected detours.
4. Leave wireless devices at home.
Vacationing is about getting away from stressful situations so don’t bring them with you. Remember the good old days when the cell phone was not a necessity? This could be a good time to revisit those days as well. It may feel weird at first, but you may come to relish the feeling. However, if you can’t leave it behind, at least screen your calls. Send calls to your voice mail when you can.
5. Keep calm and relax!
Vacations can be stressful events, so make every attempt to remain cool, calm and collected. Plan out your day before leaving the hotel room and consider making a Plan B. If everything doesn’t go as planned, don’t freak out, calmly move on to Plan B.
6. Take it nice and slow.
It can be overwhelming, trying to cram too many attractions and activities into one day. Create the itinerary that will allow you to take part in couple activities a day to avoid burn-out. By doing this, you put less stress on yourself and decrease your chances of suffering from disappointment. Although you’re vacationing, sleep is still an important aspect of your enjoyment.
7. Book during the off-season.
Arranging your holiday vacation during the off-season will allow you the time to properly plan for the trip. More importantly, you can take advantage of huge savings this way, always check travel comparison sites to make sure you are getting best value for your money. In addition, many travel companies offer convenient ways to secure your trip such as making a down payment coupled with a few scheduled monthly payments.
8. Unrealistic expectations.
Setting your expectations too high can cause disappointment. Putting the pressure on yourself and others to have the “perfect” vacation is emotionally unfair. Again, always pack a Plan B. Anticipating what could go wrong will help to ensure your holiday goes smoothly.
9. It’s okay to say no.
If you travel with a group, there’s a great possibility that not everyone will agree to same choice of restaurant or particular adventure and that’s fine! If an attraction or event isn’t pleasing to you, you can choose to stay behind, it’s perfectly okay to do so. Relax! You’re on vacation.
10. The “norm.”
There’s nothing like a vacation or holiday break to get you off schedule. Try to stick with a routine similar to the one you have at home. If you exercise before going to bed at home, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue working out while you’re away from home. Uniquely, people are creatures of habit and keeping to a normal routine will provide a balance of things.
11. Use a camera.
Keep in mind, you shouldn’t be using your cell phone, and to make up for it, bring a camcorder or a camera. Get up close and personal with your memories. Use an online source such as Shutterfly to create a photo album in light of the hilarious snapshots you took. In addition, you can upload, develop and print pictures using your phone. In many instances, their offers are exceptional so don’t be shy about sharing your email with them. Shutterfly will store your pictures online and will mail them directly to your doorstep.
12. Having fun yet?
The holidays are great reasons why family and friends get together. I especially love Christmas time. The larger than life blow-up characters are adorable as well as the red and green decorations enhance any street sign, building or landmark.