We’ve dragged gear across continents, stuffed it into overhead bins, hauled it through border crossings, forgotten it in rental cars, and learned quickly what’s worth carrying and what quietly gets left behind on the next trip.

This guide isn’t about shiny gadgets or trends. It’s about the things that make travel easier, calmer, and a whole lot more comfortable, whether you’re heading out for a weekend road trip or crossing oceans for months at a time.

These are the travel essentials we actually use. Some are about comfort. Some are about reducing stress. Some are about avoiding those tiny travel annoyances that pile up fast. All of them have earned their place.

Portable Power That Actually Changes How You Travel

Bluetti Elite 100 V2 and PV100L solar panel

This power combo has become one of our favorite additions for outdoor days, picnics, and casual camping. The Elite 100 V2 is compact enough to throw in the car but powerful enough to run lights, charge phones, power laptops, and keep small appliances going without anxiety. Pair it with the PV100L solar panel and you’ve got a surprisingly flexible setup.

What we love most is how low effort it feels. Set up the panel, let it sip sunlight, and suddenly you’re not hunting for outlets or rationing battery life. It’s perfect for picnic days that turn into sunset hangs, campground mornings, or even just peace of mind during power outages at home.

It’s not overkill. It’s just solid, quiet reliability.

The One Car Accessory That Actually Reduces Stress

Gooloo GP4000 jump starter

If you’ve ever turned the key in a cold parking lot and heard nothing, you already understand why this lives in our car.

The GP4000 isn’t just a jump starter. It’s a stress remover. No waiting for roadside assistance. No awkwardly asking strangers for cables. Just pull it out, hook it up, and get on with your day.

We especially love it for road trips, winter travel, and long stretches where cell service isn’t guaranteed. It’s one of those things you hope you never need, and then you’re incredibly grateful when you do.

Real Comfort for Long Travel Days

Cabeau Evolution X neck pillow

We’ve tried a lot of neck pillows over the years. In fact, we have over a dozen at this point. Most end up shoved under a seat halfway through a flight and tossed into a closet when we return home to never see the light of day again.

The Cabeau Evolution X was different. It actually supports your head instead of just existing around your neck. It stays in place, doesn’t collapse, and makes long flights or car rides noticeably more comfortable. Our daughter now swears by it.

If you travel long haul even once a year, this one’s worth it.

Quiet, On Your Own Terms

Loop earplugs

Sometimes you don’t want silence. You just want less.

Loop earplugs are perfect for flights, noisy hotels, shared accommodations, too loud concerts or even just blocking out background noise while still hearing what matters. They’re comfortable, reusable, and don’t scream I am wearing earplugs.

They’ve saved our sanity more times than we can count and the whole family owns a pair.

Power That Keeps Up With You

A reliable USB power bank

This is basic, but essential. Phones are boarding passes, maps, cameras, translators, and lifelines. A good power bank means you stop worrying about battery percentages and start focusing on the experience.

We always travel with at least one solid, fast charging power bank (often 2 or 3). It’s one of those items you’ll use constantly without thinking about it. Make sure you include a few extra charging cables too in case your main one decides it never wants to go back home.

Language Help Without the Awkwardness

Timekettle W4 AI Interpreter earbuds

These are one of those tools that quietly remove friction. Whether you’re checking into a hotel, ordering food, or asking a simple question, real time translation can turn a moment of anxiety into a smooth interaction.

The W4 earbuds are surprisingly natural to use. You don’t feel like you’re holding a device between you and another person. Conversations flow more easily, and that matters when you’re navigating a new place.

They don’t replace learning the basics of a language, but they absolutely lower the barrier to connection.

One Adapter to Rule Them All

Universal travel adapter

There’s nothing fun about arriving somewhere late and realizing you can’t plug anything in, including your phone.

A universal travel adapter that works across countries is non negotiable for international travel. The good ones are compact, handle multiple devices, can even charge your phone directly and eliminate the need to pack a bag of random plugs.

It’s simple. It works. You forget about it, which is exactly the point. Just realize they’re adapters and not converters so make sure your device can handle different voltages before plugging anything in.

The Day Bag You’ll Use Everywhere

Lightweight foldable backpack

This might be one of the most underrated travel items. A small foldable compact backpack takes up almost no space but becomes invaluable once you’re on the ground.

Perfect for groceries, beach days, hikes, city wandering, and souvenirs you definitely didn’t plan to buy. We keep one in our bag on every trip.

Organization That Saves Time and Energy

Packing cubes

Packing cubes aren’t about being fancy. They’re about knowing exactly where your stuff is.

Clean clothes stay clean. Dirty clothes stay separate. You unpack faster and repack even faster. When you’re moving often, that mental relief adds up.

Once you use them, you don’t go back. Here’s why you should use packing cubes.

Avoiding the Airport Surprise Fee

Small luggage scale

Some countries and airlines take weight limits very seriously. A compact luggage scale lets you know where you stand before you’re at the counter, stressed and reshuffling your bag in public.

It’s small, lightweight, and can save you real money. We don’t take it on every journey but when we know weight matters, we toss one into our bag.

Final Thoughts

Travel gets better when the little things work. When power is easy. When comfort is handled. When stress is reduced instead of added.

This guide isn’t about owning more stuff. It’s about owning the right stuff. The small pieces that quietly support the kind of travel you actually want to do.

After two decades of learning the hard way, these are items we trust. And if they’ve earned a permanent place in our bags, they’ve earned a place on this list.

It’s a chance to enjoy the holidays without shoveling snow, and instead, relaxing while lying on a tropical beach. There’s so much to enjoy on this Caribbean island nation, dotted with rainforests, mountains, and white sand beaches, while listening to local reggae beats and chowing down on fresh seafood.

A traditional Jamaican Christmas is a festive mixture of unique Jamaican traditions and your typical Christmas traditions.

How do they celebrate Christmas in Jamaica?

Jamaica is a wonderful vacation spot to celebrate Christmas. A Christmas celebration in Jamaica looks a lot like Christmas in North America, with Santa Claus, presents, Christmas trees, and Christmas carols galore minus the snow and cold we get up north here.

During Christmas, radio stations play Christmas carols, people hang decorations, and there’s a festive mood that descends on the island.

For many Jamaicans, Christmas is a time to be spent with family and friends. Like a lot of other countries, radio stations play carols all through the Christmas period and you’ll often hear Christmas music while shopping or while out and about around the island.

Many Jamaicans paint their houses for the holidays and hang new curtains and decorations for Christmas. Most families spend Christmas Day at home with friends and family members.

Is Christmas a good time to visit Jamaica?

If you don’t mind crowds, Christmas is a great time to visit Jamaica. The weather is good, hotels and restaurants are open and ready for business, and there are plenty of Christmas celebrations to enjoy.

When are the Jamaica Christmas holidays?

In Jamaica, you can often see signs of Christmas as early as November, when stores begin decorating, and stocking Christmas wares.

Christmas Eve in Jamaica is celebrated on December 24th. It’s a day when Jamaicans traditionally visit the Gran Market, and when Santa Claus visits.

Christmas Day is the main day for family celebrations and big Christmas meals. Though Christmas Day is a public holiday across the nation, most restaurants stay open.

Like Britons and Canadians, Jamaicans traditionally observe Boxing Day on December 26th. Like Christmas itself, it’s also a public holiday.

What’s the weather like in Jamaica for Christmas?

Christmas coincides with what most people consider to be Jamaica’s best weather.

Daytime temperatures run around 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius). Winds are generally calm, and the water is warm.

Christmas dinner in Jamaica

During Christmas, family and friends gather for what are often elaborate Christmas meals.

The Christmas dinner menu varies between houses, but traditional meals include mains of roast beef, curried goat, Christmas ham glazed with honey and pineapple, stewed park, chicken, or fried fish. Side dishes include rice and gungo peas, and fresh salads.

Christmas drinks

Jamaican Christmas food doesn’t stop at the main Christmas day meal.

The most popular Christmas drinks include rum punch, eggnog, and sorrel.

Sorrel is probably the most popular Christmas drink. It’s often called Roselle, Sudanese tea, or Red tea. Sorrel is made from the Jamaican sorrel plant, a member of the hibiscus family. It’s made by pouring boiling water over the fresh sorrel and accentuated with grated ginger, pimento, and cloves. It’s then steeped for several hours, and mixed with sugar, rum or wine. It’s served cold, typically over ice.

Eggnog in Jamaica is served warm, mostly at breakfast on Christmas day. Adults sometimes add brandy or rum.

Christmas breakfast in Jamaica

Christmas breakfast in Jamaica is traditionally served with eggnog. Ackee and saltfish, made with salt cod, and served with roasted or fried breadfruit, is popular for Christmas breakfast. Sweet potato, banana, and boiled yam are also common.

Christmas cake in Jamaica

Jamaican Christmas cake and Christmas pudding are popular in the country. Christmas cake is made with cherries, prunes, raisins and almonds. It’s common for the whole family to spend an entire day baking for Christmas, and cakes are often given as gifts.

Jamaican Christmas traditions

Christmas Jamaican style looks familiar to Europeans and North Americans, with some unique Jamaican twists. There are Christmas trees and caroling, but Jamaica also has unique traditions like Jonkunnu.

Jonkunnu is one of Jamaica’s oldest traditions, dating back to at least the 1700s. It’s a unique Jamaican experience that blends African masked dances and British fold plays.

Visiting Gran Market is a tradition for many Jamaicans. Gran Market is less a place than a type of market that’s held across towns and cities of the island. It’s a large market that’s usually set up on crowded streets that are closed to cars, and accompanied by dancing and music for shoppers.

For many Jamaicans, Christmas is a time for church services, regardless of denomination. You can find midnight masses on Christmas Eve at Roman Catholic and Anglican churches.

Though Christmas caroling seems to be waning in the US and Canada, it’s going strong in Jamaica. Church and community groups gather and walk through mostly rural neighborhoods early in the morning in the days before Christmas Eve.

In larger towns across the island, Christmas tree lighting events are a tradition, often accompanied by fireworks, Christmas carols, gift giving, and speeches by local government officials.

Sharing gifts is a big part of Christmas in Jamaica. Families exchange gifts, co-workers exchange presents, and Christmas treats are given to those in state-run institutions, and vulnerable community groups.

Does Jamaica have Santa Claus?

Yes, Santa Claus visits Jamaica. In Jamaica, Santa is better known as Father Christmas or Kris Kringle. Santa leaves gifts for the kids under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

Jamaica Christmas music

Jamaican Christmas songs run the gamut of traditional carols to reggae to pop tunes. You’ll find songs like Mek Di Chrismus ketch yu in a good mood by Home T., Christmas Behind Bars by Gregory Isaacs, and Santa Claus (Do You Ever Come to the Ghetto) by Carlene Davis.

Christmas Carols

Jamaicans sing a mixture of traditional Christmas carols like Silver Bells, Little Drummer Boy, and unique carols. Popular Jamaican Christmas carols include Breadfruit Roasting on an Open Fire (by Yellowman), Irie Christmas (by Fab Five), and Warm Jamaican Christmas (by Wayne Wonder and Baby Cham).

Fun Facts about Christmas in Jamaica

There’s so much to see and do in Jamaica, especially during the holidays.

Want more bang for your buck while you visit Jamaica? See our holiday travel tips and hacks.

How do you say Merry Christmas in Jamaican?

In Jamaica, the official language is English, but many Jamaicans speak Jamaican Patois.

Merry Christmas in Jamaica is said pretty much the same as in North America. Jamaicans say Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays.

Jamaican Patois is an English based creole language spoken in Jamaica. In Jamaican Patois, it’s Merri Crissmuss.

What is Christmas called in Jamaica?

Christmas in Jamaica is called Christmas, but you’ll also occasionally hear Xmas or Happy Holidays as well.

Christmas in Jamaica song

Toni Braxton (feat Shaggy) sings the Christmas in Jamaica song. They lyrics start:

We'll be having fun
Under the golden sun
Christmas in Jamaica here we come
We'll just sail on, just sail

Christmas in Jamaica movie

If you’re looking for a movie featuring Christmas in Jamaica, the pickings are fairly slim.

The movie Romance at Reindeer Lodge, starring Nicky Whelan and Josh Kelly, aired on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel. It rates a 6.4/10 on IMDB.

Looking for more travel tips and inspiration? Read our articles on:

• How To Find The Cheapest Flights To Anywhere
• 31 Top Family Travel Tips
• How to Save Money While Traveling

Are you planning to celebrate the holidays this year with a Christmas vacation package to Jamaica?

First as a couple, and now as a family of four, Charles and I have travelled together since 2002. In those 15 years, we’ve managed to learn a few things about holiday travel. Some were tougher lessons than others.

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. – John Powell

Sometimes, we’re the ones who’ve made the mistake, like the time we were stuck in a small Thai town for 3 days because we forgot to check if local transportation shut down for the holidays. Other times, we’ve learned from the mistakes of our Barefoot Nomad community, as well as friends and family. Either way, those mistakes have taught us plenty.

Here are our best, hard-learned travel hacks and tips for holiday travel to help you save money and travel more smoothly this holiday season.

So what are travel hacks? They’re tips, tricks or tools to help fellow travellers get the most from their travels. That can mean saving time, saving money or saving them from making the same mistake others have made beforehand.

Don’t wrap gifts before you fly

We’ve been guilty of this one. Wrapping gifts before your flight sounds like a great way to save time when you’re flying, right? Unfortunately, no. Airport security can ask you to unwrap gifts to see inside, meaning you may have to wrap them twice. We’ve also found that gifts often get little tears and rips in transit, anyway.

Instead of pre-wrapping our gifts, we now bring tape and wrapping paper and child safe scissors for this reason. Gift bags are also a great solution, as you can easily pop the gifts into the bags at your destination.

Even better, consider shipping your presents to your destination ahead of time. You can also have presents shipped directly to relatives through Amazon as a gift. Just be sure to tell your recipients not to open them before you get there!

Sign up for price alerts

Price alerts have saved us a lot of money over the years. Last year, we needed to fly over the Christmas Holidays in late December from Calgary to Cancun, Mexico. You could have knocked me down with a feather when I first saw the high prices. Even worse, almost all of the flights had a long connection somewhere in the USA. Luckily, we had over a month to find a better price, so I set up a flight alert.

Boom! A few days later I got a flight alert saying that there was a sale on direct flights on one of our favorite Canadian airlines. Taking two minutes to set up a flight alert saved us hundreds of dollars, and also a lot of time.

Take advantage of cancellation policies

We’ve rarely seen this tip anywhere else, but it could save you a lot of money.

Book in advance to lock in a good price, but make sure that your hotel or flight has a clear, no cost cancellation policy. Then, mark the last day you can cancel by on your calendar, and set a reminder for a day or two before.

If your plans change, or if you find a better deal before the cancellation date, you can cancel without penalty. If your plans don’t change, you’ll have grabbed a good early booking discount.

Stay flexible

It’s hard to have a lot of flexibility during the holidays, but if you can use an alternative airport, or fly on alternative days, you can save a lot of money.

Even managing to move your flight or hotel reservation a day or two can be a big money saver.

Consider Christmas in early December

Even if you’re incredibly flexible on dates, travel during holiday peak season costs more, and attractions are almost guaranteed to be more crowded.

If you can reschedule your trip, consider travelling during low season. Not only do prices drop, there are also fewer people around, and you’ll have a better choice of accommodation.

In North America, low season is usually mid-September to early December, and then mid-January to the end of February, and finally April to May.

Be prepared for delays

Unfortunately, since the holidays often bring poor winter weather and busier airports, delays become more common. You may end up having an extended wait at your gate, or even a delayed flight.

Be prepared by having a movie on your phone or laptop (Netflix now lets you download many shows for offline mode!) in case airport WiFi is overwhelmed or spotty.

Strongly consider buying trip cancellation and interruption insurance that covers you for itinerary changes or cancellations.

Choose alternative airports

Want to save even more money or get a more direct flight?

When selecting your destination on a search engine, check the little box that reads Nearby Airports at the top of the drop down menu. You’ll automatically see results for airports close to your original choice, which can help you snag a flight with a chance of fewer connections or at a better price. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are perfect examples of this. We’ve saved hundreds per ticket by flying into one airport and departing from the other.

We’ve also saved by flying into one place and renting a car and driving down to another. The nice part is that we’ve often incorporated the drive into the journey. Like the time we flew into Las Vegas, stayed for a few nights then rented a car and drove to Arizona to visit family. Not only did we get to check out Hoover Dam but we also had the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon and the picturesque town of Sedona. The nicest part was that we saved so much on our tickets by flying into Las Vegas that it paid for the cost of our rental car and a few nights in a hotel.

For Canadian flights, depart from the USA instead

For Canadian departures or arrivals, you can save a fair bit of money choosing an alternative airport at a border city in the United States. It’s common practice for Canadians to do this, but it’s not common practice for other nationalities flying into Canada.

You’ll need to drive, or grab a bus or taxi from Canada, but you can save a lot of money. We did this for a trip to Oahu, Hawaii back in 2012, choosing to depart from Bellingham, Washington instead of Vancouver, Canada (the cities are 56 miles or 89 km apart). We saved hundreds of dollars on that flight, plus we got a better direct flight, and had a chance to do some shopping in Bellingham on the way back.

Common US border cities are:

• Bellingham, USA for Vancouver, Canada
• Grand Forks, North Dakota for Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Detroit, Michigan for Toronto, Ontario
• Burlington, Vermont or Syracuse, New York for Montreal, Quebec

Book two one-way flights

Surprisingly, booking two one way flights with different airlines can save money over a round trip ticket with the same airline.

Warning! Be cautious if you’re booking with two separate airlines in one direction. If your first flight is delayed or cancelled, the second airline isn’t obligated to reschedule your next flight. If you can, allow plenty of time for delays and cancellations and if delays do occur, contact the next airline as early as possible so they can arrange alternative flights.

Fly on the actual holiday

We’ve found some smoking hot airfare deals by being willing to travel on Christmas Day and even New Year’s Day.

Since most flyers want to be at their destination early, tickets for flying on the actual holiday are often more affordable. We’ve flown on Christmas day and New Year’s Day several times over the years when trying to see both sides of our family during the holiday break and have found it to be one the quietest times to fly. As a bonus, companies often include holiday perks like special snacks and holiday themed meals. We even had the president of Canadian airline Westjet join us on our December 31st flight to wish the passengers Happy New Year!

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There are good things about being with family and friends, like delicious holiday fare, going to fun get-togethers and having the kids play with their cousins, but we also love being away from all the chaotic holiday insanity, like excessive shopping, constant festive preparations and the feeling of having to keep up with the Jones’. We would much rather stay at a nice resort in Vegas with our grown up friends for a few nights.

To be perfectly honest, we’re not exactly fans of winter and having to celebrate the holidays in freezing temperatures means we’re absent more often than not. If Christmas was in the middle of summer, like in the southern half of the world, it might be a different story, but as Canadians can attest to, it can get quite cold in December and January.

That all said, traveling over the holidays has some real drawbacks. This post might make you think twice about booking your dream vacation during this period next year. If you have the option, leaving a week or two before or after the holidays makes so much more sense.

In no particular order, here are nine reasons you shouldn’t travel over the holidays:

Traveling over the holidays is expensive (bring your wallet)

It’s no secret that traveling over the holidays is more expensive. With kids off school, a few extra paid days off from work, temperatures plummeting in most northern cities and the desire to get away from all the chaos back home, it makes perfect sense to schedule it then.

The problem is that this applies to almost everyone around the globe around Christmas and places get overbooked. It’s a simple equation of supply and demand, with demand far outpacing availability. Hotels, car rental agencies, planes, trains and even buses jack up their regular price since it’s not a question of whether people will come, but rather how much money are they willing to dish out.

While looking into accommodation this year in Mexico we saw prices rise fourfold for some places for Christmas week. The same thing happened with car rentals. Most people need to factor this major extra cost in when they do their calculations. Those two extra paid work days probably won’t even cover the additional expense of airfare and hotel at this time of year making them no more valid than taking two unpaid work days any other time of the year.

Surprise, businesses close for the holidays!

Just like you, shop owners and business people want to enjoy the holidays and spend time with their loved ones. This means that there will be far fewer shops, tours, rental agencies, running buses and taxis over the holidays. During Christmas and New Year’s day a lot of countries simply close up shop. This means that at least two out of the seven days of Christmas week, entire cities could look like a ghost town.

You might be on holiday, craving excitement and adventure, but that doesn’t mean the world is waiting on you with baited breath. Couple that in with more than the usual amount of tourists about and things can start to get crazy.

When we were Thailand over the holidays one year it happened that our visas were about to expire. We got stuck in a small town for three days when transportation literally stopped for the holidays. Luckily, we didn’t get questioned when we crossed the border and they didn’t notice our visas were overdue, otherwise that would have been a nice fine.

Hiking up the prices and lowering your options

This is similar to the first point, but this is about the little things that nickel and dime you to death. Over the course of Christmas week small things can definitely start to add up.

One of the most visible ways restaurants hike prices is by only offering set meals around the holidays. Sure, this can be a great deal if you were already going to order a seven course steak and lobster meal, a bottle of wine, the most expensive dessert and a bottle of champagne each, but if your stomach (or wallet) isn’t ready to take that you’re out of luck. That’s all they’re offering and if you want to eat at all that’s all they have.

We’ve seen it advertised as a holiday tax, a holiday gratuity, a holiday special and one place even called it a Christmas Bonus (I guess we were paying for the staff’s yearly bonus). It’s a lot easier and less labor intensive for a restaurant to have everyone eating the same thing. Holiday fare is definitely limited around this time and those that don’t force everyone to eat their specials usually include extras that cost you if you partake or not.

Reduced business hours for everybody!

We know a lot of places are closed certain days over the holidays, but every year we always get blindsided by reduced business hours. These are generally never mentioned when you sign up for the rare tour on a holiday day or head to an attraction. You show up, you drop full fare (and sometimes even an increased holiday fare) and start to enjoy yourself thinking that this is the best Christmas ever. Several minutes or hours into it and you’re suddenly being shuttled to the door.

Sure, the place is normally open until 5 pm, but because the staff (understandably) want to spend some holiday time with their kids they close early that day. Being told you that you should understand because it’s the holidays and to come back the next day (and pay full price again) doesn’t lessen the pain. Of course, since it’s the holidays and you don’t want to look like a jerk, you smile, pretend to understand and then go on your way trying to figure out how kill a few hours before your overpriced set meal is ready.

Wow, where did all these people come from?

That’s exactly what I say whenever I witness the holiday masses. It’s especially hard because we’re usually at our destination well before the holiday crowd shows up. It seems that between the 22nd and 24th the population in any tourist town almost doubles in size. People arrive by the plane, bus and boatload. It’s almost scary to see and tends to make me want to go hide. Little out of the way areas quickly become hot spots and finding your own place away from the crowds becomes almost impossible.

The holiday influx have as much right to be there as we do, but sharing everything that you thought of as your special place only days before gets hard to take. If you love crowds, waiting in line for everything, getting the worst service and being crammed in like sardines then by all means, take your vacation over the holidays. Everyone else is doing it!

So sorry, it’s a holiday, maybe tomorrow…

It’s ridiculous how often we’ve heard that phrase over the years. It’s especially bad over the holidays because, well, people take time off. Weirdly, we’ve had major plumbing issues twice over Christmas during our travels. Once our hot water tank exploded and once a water pump seized. Both on or around Christmas. Hard to enjoy the day when you can’t take a shower or flush the toilet.

This doesn’t only apply to people in homes or condos, this can also apply to those staying in hotels or renting a car. Water, electricity and gas can stop anytime. Parts can break any day of the year. Servicing can be required regardless of the holidays. Repair parts and centers can be closed, technicians can be absent. If they happen around the holidays they could easily ruin a few days. We always make the most of it and make sure those days are always free but we have the gift of time. If we were only here for a week and spent two of those seven days waiting for the car part or water hose to be replaced we would be mighty upset.

Bring it, buy it there or ignore it altogether?

Those are your options for gift giving on the move over the holidays. Sure, you spent a fortune buying overpriced plane tickets, staying in an overpriced hotel and continually paying for overpriced meals and drinks, but all your kids care about is what Santa is going to bring them.

With airlines charging a small fortune for every piece of luggage, do you really want to drag their dream present with you? Is that new bike really going to fit in the overhead compartment? Maybe you downsize this year and pick up a few things locally. Are you ready to gamble that they’ll have what little Jimmy or Jane have their heart set on this year? Will the price of it be double what it is back home?

Those were all questions we asked ourselves this year. Having already been to this area before we knew better what to expect. A few years ago we bought a few small trinkets here for the kids and they were all broken a week after Christmas. This year we decided to buy a few small, higher quality toys back in Canada and bring them with us. Since weight is a definite issue with our long timelines, we kept them small and knew exactly how much space they would take in our luggage going forward. Our kids understood this months in advance. Yours might not.

What are all these locals doing here?

As well as the hordes of holidayers sharing your space, this time of the year you also have to factor in the locals. Like you, they’re off for the holidays and enjoying their time checking out the local scene with their kids and families. Unlike you, they speak the language, have a friend in the business and are getting in everywhere a lot cheaper than you are because they either don’t pay the tourist prices or know their way around the system.

They’ll make their own line, take the best spots and infuriatingly know that the place is closing earlier because they had the good sense to ask about it. They’re generally in a much better mood than the tourist because they know the lay of the land and aren’t at the mercy of those that are willing to forgo their holidays in the hope of making enough cash in this one week to fund their lifestyle for the rest of the year. They add another layer (though generally a fun one) to the already crowded season.

Unforeseen events happen more frequently over the holidays…

Perhaps it’s the extra chaos that marks the holidays or maybe it’s the result of too much going on in one time of space, but the likelihood of something going amiss always seems to intensify around Christmas. Hotel losing your hotel reservation, check. Car rental not having your car available for two days, check. Things spontaneously breaking Christmas Day, check. Buses inexplicably not running, check. Taxis almost non existent, check. Food stores all shut down, check. Restaurants suddenly requiring reservations, check. Prices quadrupling, check. Tourist sites suddenly shutting down half an hour into your visit, check and double check.

It seems over the years we’ve seen it all. If you asked me if you should postpone your trip for a few weeks rather than travel Christmas week I would yell a loud Hell Yeah!

However, the reality is that most people know this all going into it. Does it beat being a slave to Christmas tradition back home with crazy shopping, mad preparations, ridiculous weather, long visits with family and friends, yuletide cheer, Christmas morning unwrapping presents under a real Christmas tree and everything else that goes along with it? Well, the jury is still out with that one.

What I do know is that almost anything beats being stuck in cold weather and snow. For now, that’s reason enough for us to continue our journey and who knows where we’ll be next Christmas holiday season!

Happy New Year all you barefoot nomads out there!

If you have an amusing Christmas travel anecdote we’d love to hear about it below. Good, bad or simply absurd it doesn’t matter. It’s the sharing that counts!