5 Tips for Celebrating the Holidays Away from Home: Making Memories with Your Kids While Traveling

The holiday season often brings a mix of excitement and nostalgia, especially when we find ourselves away from our usual traditions and loved ones. Whether it's due to work commitments, travel adventures, or other life circumstances, celebrating in a new environment can feel challenging.

We've compiled five practical tips to help you create meaningful holiday experiences, even when you're far from home. These strategies aim to blend familiar comforts with new opportunities, ensuring your celebrations remain joyful and memorable. By embracing flexibility and creativity, we can discover fresh ways to honor cherished traditions while forming new ones in our temporary surroundings.

1) Create a Festive Playlist

Music has the power to instantly transport us to a holiday mindset. We recommend curating a playlist filled with your favorite seasonal tunes to capture the spirit of the holidays.

Include classic carols, contemporary hits, and any songs that hold special meaning for your family. Don't forget to add some traditional music from your host country to embrace local customs.

We find that streaming services make it easy to create and share playlists. This allows family members back home to enjoy the same festive soundtrack, creating a sense of connection across distances.

Consider adding instrumental versions of holiday songs. These can provide a pleasant background ambiance without overpowering conversations or activities.

Remember to include a mix of upbeat and relaxing tracks. This variety will suit different moods and activities throughout your holiday celebrations away from home.

2) Host a Virtual Dinner Party

We know it can be tough to miss out on family gatherings during the holidays. But with today's technology, we can still share a meal together, even from afar.

Let's set up a virtual dinner party! We'll pick a time that works for everyone across different time zones. It's a great way to keep our holiday traditions alive.

We can plan the menu together and share recipes beforehand. This way, we can all enjoy similar dishes, just like we would if we were in the same room.

During the meal, we'll prop up our devices at the table. It'll almost feel like we're all sitting together. We can chat, laugh, and catch up just like always.

To make it extra special, we might consider coordinating decorations or place settings. It adds a festive touch and helps create a shared atmosphere.

Don't forget to take a group screenshot! It's a fun way to capture the moment and create a new kind of holiday memory.

3) Send Handwritten Cards

We all know how special it feels to receive a heartfelt card in the mail. When we're away from home during the holidays, sending handwritten cards can be a wonderful way to stay connected with loved ones.

Taking the time to pen personal messages shows our family and friends that we're thinking of them. It's a gesture that carries more weight than a quick text or email. Plus, it's a fun activity we can do with our kids, teaching them the value of thoughtful communication.

We can make it a family project, setting aside an evening to write cards together. Let's encourage our children to draw pictures or add their own notes. This personal touch will surely bring smiles to the recipients' faces.

To add a festive flair, we can use holiday-themed stationery or decorate plain cards with stickers and drawings. Remember to mail them early, especially if we're sending internationally, to ensure they arrive in time for the holidays.

4) Decorate Your Space

Even if we're far from home, we can still create a festive atmosphere in our temporary space. A few simple decorations can go a long way in bringing holiday cheer to our surroundings.

We can start by putting up some string lights or battery-operated candles to add a warm glow. These small touches can instantly make any room feel cozier and more inviting.

Bringing along a few cherished ornaments or small decorations from home can help us feel connected to our traditions. We can display these on a tabletop or hang them in visible spots around our space.

If we're crafty, we can make our own decorations using materials found locally. This can be a fun activity to do with children or friends, creating new memories while adding a personal touch to our holiday decor.

Don't forget about festive scents! We can use holiday-themed air fresheners, candles, or even simmer some spices on the stove to fill our space with familiar aromas that remind us of home.

5) Cook Traditional Recipes

When we're away from home during the holidays, cooking traditional recipes can bring comfort and familiarity. We can recreate the flavors of our childhood or family gatherings, even in a different setting.

Let's start by making a list of our favorite holiday dishes. We can reach out to family members for recipes if we don't have them on hand. It's a great way to connect with loved ones and share memories.

Shopping for ingredients in a new place can be an adventure. We might discover local variations or substitutes that add a unique twist to our traditional dishes. Don't be afraid to ask locals for help finding specific items.

If we're staying in a place with limited cooking facilities, we can simplify recipes or focus on dishes that require minimal equipment. No-bake desserts or one-pot meals can be great options.

Cooking together can be a fun activity for those we're traveling with. We can share stories about our holiday food traditions and create new memories while preparing familiar dishes.