None that is high season

wow - my bank balance decreased just thinking about that!

Bluwater, my balance did go down, but I figure it is worth every penny. Soon, the kids will be on their own...college (I hope), trying to settle into adulthood, and working on a career and they probably won't have the time to take off on a trip like this for a while. We have been fortunate when it comes to travel......I am retired military (although it is really just a career change because you can't really retire with what the retirement pay is) and we lived in Europe for several years when I was stationed there. We have been to almost every country in western Europe (I was also fortunate enough to spend a couple of years in the Middle East). I can still remember the fun we had as a family traveling around. Due to school, sports and some other commitments, I chose the Christmas time frame because we wouldn't have to have the kids miss any school. I would have preferred going in the low season, but it just wasn't feasible with the commitments during the other parts of the year. Anyway, I would like for the family to have something to remember since it will probably be the last big trip we make together.

Some things are worth more than money and Family Time is number 1.
Have a wonderful trip.!!

Mark, we went to STT this past Christmas w/my 13 year old daughter and had a blast. We were able to get a great airfare. Even if we hadn't received such a great price, it would have been worth every penny! Nothing like hearing "White Christmas" while you are ordering another Bushwacker from the pool bar!

The stores will all be open. We assumed they would be closed, but if there are cruise ships in, they are open!

Just curious about the Christmas travel with kids. Are the people who travel over Christmas with kids mostly of non-Christian faith? Are there forumites here who are Christian who travel over Christmas?

I know Sherri gets to see people's reactions to her Christmas tree in the villas over Christmas and I know that some of her guests have an issue with it while others are happy. Although, I think both guests she mentioned may have been Jewish.

Just cruious about who is doing this and their feelings on it. If yo uare Christian and you travel with your children over Christmas, how do you handle the holiday and your faith?

So Mark, what about you? Blu's question is an interesting one!!!! 🙂

I had one guest who put up Christmas lights, only thing was, they unplugged the Satellite Dish! lol! We couldn't understand why we were loosing our TV programming for 3 nights until I went down to the villa to clean the pool!! Too Funny!!!! Left them an extension cord to plug in their lights and all was well after that!!!
Blu, this last Christmas I didn't put up the tree. I have one Christmas rental, maybe I'll ask McLaughlin to write them and ask if they would like a tree?

Christmas is a great time to travel with your children. We have done it often. First, as Mark brought out, the kids are out of school during that holiday. It's important to not take the kids out of school for vacations. After all, in most districts, unless they are on an extended year calendar, students only are in class on an average of 180 days per calendar year. With teacher in services, non-student contact days etc, it's usually less days. We have several bi-lingual schools where the parents take their families back to Mexico for the entire month of December to spend the holiday with family down there. We have had to adopt seperate calendars for those schools to allow them to do this and the start earlier and end later. We work with all different cultures to ensure a proper education for our students.

It really is not a religious decision, usually. We, for example, have no living family in CO, therefore we often did travel on vacation during Christmas. Now our daughters are grown and their work schedules don't allow for them to come "home", therefore, we travel to them for the holidays.

Christmas, or any other religious decent celebration, is where you are....doesn't have to be at "home".

The years we get to the islands, it's always at Christmas. Being a Christian family was never an issue. We take lights, a small fiber optic tree, and stocking stuffers. We gave up trying to bring gifts. That happens at home before we leave. Hanging out by the pool, a palm tree wrapped in lights... nothing beats it! Although this year we'll be in the BVI, we look forward to returning to St Thomas. Merry Christmas gang! Oh, and check out Elton John's Christmas Party. Great CD!

Exactly...the vacation and the time together becomes the "gift" to each other. If we feel the need to exchange gifts, we do gift cards. They pack pretty easily. Last Christmas, I couldn't get my youngest home due to 5 back to back mamouth snow storms. We waited it out and finally were able to fly her home 2 weeks after 12/25. It was still Christmas to us!

Anyway, I would like for the family to have something to remember since it will probably be the last big trip we make together.

Mark, believe me, they'll remember it all. Congrats on your Christmas trip. It will bring alot of memories!

Watch "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. It says it all.

P.S. The week between Christmas and New Years is a great time to travel, if you can get a decent airfare. Hotels are mostly vacant and often offer a great rate. With the exception of Orlando.

Hmmm, seems like nobody's putting Christ in Christmas on this forum - seems most people posting think of Christmas as tree, lights, and gifts.

I love to travel during Christmas to see how other cultures celebrate and interpret the holiday. You can tell from the decorations if the community is religious or secular. I would probably visit a local church to hear the music, and to hear the Christmas message. Though I don't attend church now, religion is a big part of most cultures, and when I travel, I like to experience something of the local culture. When we were kids, our parents/grandparents always insisted we go to a church wherever we visited, so I guess that's where the influence comes from.

Last year, ST didn't have as many Christmas decorations in town as in previous years. When I first got here, I was surprised to see the creche in Emancipation Garden since that's govt property, and in the States, that's usually no longer allowed. Last year, for the first time that I know of, it wasn't there, and I didn't see any mention as to its absence. I'm wondering if it will be there this year, or if ST is bowing to Stateside political pressure? Maybe Ron can shed some light.

Christmas to our family is a celebration of Christ and being together wherever that maybe. I think we all agree that Christmas is celebrated, or not, differently in all families and we need to totally respect that. Done here with this subject.

You know, several times our family has discussed going to local services. However, being "visitors" we didn't want to intrude. Not to mention the family ranges from non-believers to baptist to pentecostal. Makes for a strange mix, but we are family and care about each other. I, personally, would love to attend services on island. Are tourist generally welcome or no? I'm seriously curious-not trying to start anything.

divapam, I know NIsky Morvian Church (near the airport) welcomes visitors, and tourists sometimes drop in. They don't frown upon casual dress, so you're welcome in casual clothes. They have a candlelight service on Christmas eve starting at 10 p.m., and they light the advent candle and have a procession through the church. The service ends shortly after midnight on Christmas day.

I also know the Reform Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in town are also ppular with visitors. The Evangelical Lutheran Church has a steel pan choir, which is a very nice touch to the service.

Good to read everyone's feeling on it. I was thinking about it from a religious and from a family perspective. In our family, we traditionally gather with the extended family on holidays....aunts, uncles, cousins, close family friends. When someone is missing due to whatever reason, they are missed. That's why I was wondering how others handle it. I hadn't thought that many are living away from family anyway.Traditions come in many forms.

divapam: You would be more than welcome at any services!

As to Christmas in the Caribbean... I will not start with Trade's favorite song ;), BUT King Obstinate's CD with "How Will Santa Get Here?" is great. The Rising Stars, a home grown steel pan orchestra, has a classic including the Hallelujah Chorus. And then there are the Christmas lights, Miracle on Main Street with the lighted boat parade. Don't get me started. Christmas is a lovely time in the tropics! Search the archives for ideas put forth last year...

And don't forget "Santa's Looking for a Wife" and "We Ain't Going Shopping Until Santa Gone" and "Christmas Slide" by Express Band.