20 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017 21 Ready to roast turkeys, shop for gifts and decorate the house? While the holidays might signal preparations ahead, there are also many family traditions that can make them extra special. Holiday activities are a way to make memories and pass along traditions for families of many different cultural backgrounds. Most begin when the children are small, but what happens when the younger generation grows up and starts their own family? Can old traditions die hard or is it possible to embrace new ones? Wendy Sandridge, Master Travel Planner, affiliate agent for TravelStore, says travel with family for the holidays is a growing tradition as the kids get older. “I’ve been in the travel business for 15 years, and I’ve seen a lot of my clients adapt as their kids become adults and start to have their own families,” she explains. “I’ve helped families go on multi-generational trips that provide a lifetime of memories instead of giving gifts.” “We loved taking our family on vacation rather than having a traditional Christmas at home because we created memories that will last a lifetime.  Working with a travel specialist was an added gift. Wendy recommended the perfect destination for us and helped us plan every last detail, so we could just show up and have fun,” says Janie Burke, a Plano mom. Sandridge says cruises, luxury resorts, all-inclusive resorts and renting a villa in a tropical location are popular. Some families choose villas, so they can all be together under one roof; others spend the holidays on a cruise or at a resort where they gather at meals. Many resorts, such as the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, want to make the holidays special for families. The Gaylord Texan puts on Lone Star Christmas, during which families can build memories snow tubing, experiencing Santa’s Christmas Cottage Escape Room or touring ICE! Twas the Night Before Christmas, an attraction with two million pounds of ice sculptures. Leslie Purdy, a Dallas mom, agrees that holiday traditions can be adapted as children get older. Her son and daughter both graduated from college and went from having spring break, winter break and three months free in the summer to a limited amount of vacation time. “We all had different schedules, so it was hard to plan anything,” Purdy says. “To extend our time together, we use the week between Christmas and New Year’s for a family getaway, so we can tack on the ‘free’ days off for the holidays to use fewer paid time off days.” The family begins planning in March, choosing a destination anywhere in the world, as long as it includes a beach and a golf course. “We always rent a home, so we can all be together and cook,” says Purdy. “The trip becomes our kids’ Christmas present. We’ve done this for nine years, and there’s always anticipation of where to go next year.” Purdy’s daughter is getting married, so the tradition will be further expanded in the years to come. Proof positive that holiday traditions are more than just activities: no matter what families do, it’s about the time spent together, enjoying each other’s company and making memories for the next generation. FAMILY VACATIONS ARE A GROWING TREND IN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS BY KARYN BRODSKY “WE ALWAYS RENT A HOME, SO WE CAN ALL BE TOGETHER AND COOK. THE TRIP BECOMES OUR KIDS’ CHRISTMAS PRESENT. WE’VE DONE THIS FOR NINE YEARS, AND THERE’S ALWAYS ANTICIPATION OF WHERE TO GO NEXT YEAR.” -Leslie Purdy The Purdy family at Ambergris Caye, Belize (l to r):  Jonathan, Leslie, Alex and Brian Purdy The Burke family and friends celebrating Christmas at Secrets Akumal: (l to r) Mike Burke, Janie Burke, Sander Bryan, Ryane Burke, Sean Burke, Kelsea Burke, Mark McCoy, Shana Burke and Kevin McCarthy.