Home for the Holidays
By Justine Seligson
Okay readers, this is a travel site. Right? You expect me to write something having to do with travel. Well that’s not happening in this piece! I am not going to talk about going on some exotic vacation. I am going to talk about something that a travel writer’s daughter rarely gets to do on vacation.
And that is stay home.
During almost every school break I’ve had since kindergarten my family has gone away somewhere. In the winter, 89% of the time we go skiing. Rarely have I had the opportunity to just spend a week sleeping until noon every day, like many of my peers.
What’s more, in years past on breaks, I would often have to leave a day or two before school actually ended to go away. The point of vacation is to relax, right? Well I would get home from whatever the expedition more tired than I had been from the start.
But guess what?
My family has learned that there is such a thing as too much vacationing.
Months ahead of holiday break this year, my parents were discussing where we should go. In the past, we’ve always avoided flying on the holiday breaks so we wouldn't have to deal with the crowds. Instead, we often just drive up to a ski club we belong to in Vermont. I have nothing against the lodge but just the whole idea of having to pack everything up and drive what seems like a gazillion hours in the frigid weather was not that appealing to me this time.
I desperately wanted to just chillax at home. I begged my parents to let us stay so I could catch up on my rest and watch TV shows I had recorded. They kept talking about how much fun it would be at the annual New Year’s Eve party at the lodge. But I was thinking how much more I’d prefer to just curl up with my dog on the couch in our family room to watch the ball drop.
Finally after much discussion, the verdict was in: we decided to stay home. In hindsight, not a bad decision, as the snow conditions, were well…let’s just say skiing would have been a challenge.
And I have to say, this was one of the best vacations of my life.
I spent every day doing whatever I wanted. We spoiled ourselves by going to many of the local restaurants and watching movies. We visited family. We did a bunch of day trips. Of course I had to do what the devil cursed me with: over-vacation homework. BUT most of the time I just enjoyed relaxing.
And I learned something. Home over the holidays may just be the best vacation spot of all.
Just-Teens Travel is written and photographed by Justine Seligson, a high school student. If you would like to suggest topics--or write a teen travel piece-- e-mail Justine. |