The memories of your holiday adventures will last a lifetime. They’ll always be, “That time we went on vacation for Christmas,” or, “That Thanksgiving the family went to…” But how do you bring your holiday traditions with you to a place far from home? We’ve got five ideas for you.

1. When choosing gifts, pick experiences over bulky packages.
   Santa never had to deal with checked luggage fees. When you’ve got limited luggage space and a list of people you want to give gifts to, go for experiences over physical items that will take up precious suitcase space. Gift certificates for skiing excursions, makeovers, and massages will fit in fancy envelopes and fit neatly in your carry-on.

   If your gift recipient isn’t big on skydiving expeditions, check out the local shops for a gift that doubles as a memento. They’ll love the tangible memories of your epic holiday trip.

2. You don’t need your own kitchen to eat, drink, and be merry.
   Vacation rentals are the perfect solution when you want to host a holiday dinner even though you’ve headed to far-flung places. Most have a full kitchen for you to stock up with dressing, green beans, and potatoes to mash. Just be sure to arrive with plenty of time to hit the store for all the fixings. Don’t forget you’ll need to defrost the turkey, too!

   Not in the mood to cook the roast beast? Plenty of markets have pre-prepared holiday meals you can order ahead of time and pick up before the big day. If you want to use this option, research your options well ahead of time. Many places have a deadline for ordering a holiday meal.

3. Deck the (borrowed) halls with boughs of holly.
   That massive Thanksgiving centerpiece will not fit in your carry-on, and good luck with the Christmas tree. If you want to decorate your home away from home, you’re going to have to get creative. No problem! You can rock your decorations old school, and have some relaxing fun to boot.

   Popcorn wreaths never went out of fashion. String some (unsalted, unbuttered) popcorn with colorful cranberries, Cheerios, dried fruits, and other bird-safe goodies. They’ll look festive hung around the house. When you’re ready to head home, you can hang them out for the birds and not need to worry about wasted decorations!

   You can also acquire inexpensive decorations from craft stores and thrift stores to give your vacation rental a holiday flair. Research Christmas tree disposal plans for your destination, and pick up a live tree for a bit of arboreal cheer. You can donate the decorations to charity shops and shelters before you head back home.

4. Go native and celebrate like the locals.
   Most cities plan holiday celebrations that are well worth the time to attend. Local traditions can teach you a lot about the cultural quirks of your destination, and are often a lot of fun you won’t find any other time of year! Hit up Google for local holiday celebrations you won’t want to miss.

   Many towns have holiday light drives, or neighborhoods that go whole hog on the holiday displays. Even zoos get in on the action with award-winning displays. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

5. Commemorate your adventures with the perfect photos.
   You’re going to want to look back at “that year we went to Colorado for Thanksgiving” or “that time Dad put an Idaho potato in my stocking”. Snap copious pics of your vacation and buy special frames to put them in. But what about that all-important group shot the photographer always ends up absent from?

   Practice with your camera’s timer mode before you need to shoot that critical picture. Become familiar with how to set it, then dart into position. You can acquire a tiny tripod for your phone, too. This lets you avoid propping your phone up in flowerpots for snaps. You can even study a few family portrait tips and tricks to get the best picture you’ve ever taken.

It’s Time to Gather for the Holidays

This year, make it, “The year we stayed in that awesome vacation house and had the best holiday ever” by booking a Gather vacation rental. We’ve got places in the best destinations just waiting for you to bring your family for the holidays.