Create a Vacation Experience at Home for the Holidays
Many signs point to curbed holiday travel for people around the country. Rises in fuel prices have caused airlines to pass on fees and surcharges to riders. Cut service, reduced amenities and pumped up ticket prices are all trickle-down effects of the fuel price surge.
In the wake of fuel costs and reduced business, some airlines have disbanded. Additionally, the Official Airline Guide (OAG) reports that an anticipated 60 million seats on flights will be eliminated for the fourth quarter of 2008 -- just in time for the peak travel season. For those who are traveling for Thanksgiving, Chanukah or Christmas, experts advise booking flights early to ensure the best deals and a seat.
Although the holiday season is traditionally a busy time for travel, many will forego flights and road trips this year and opt to spend the holidays at home. But doing so doesn't mean one has to go without the benefits a holiday vacation typically would provide. A wintertime staycation can be just as enjoyable when you employ a few techniques to increase the comfort factor.
- Set aside a week and act as you would on vacation. While on vacation mealtimes are often lax, beds go un-made, and a laissez faire attitude ensues. If you're at home, keep up the same come-what-may attitude. Ask friends or relatives who are seeking gift ideas to provide gift certificates for area restaurants or at-home catering, so you don't have to lift a finger in the kitchen. Another indulgence is to have a housekeeper come in a few times during the week to take care of cleaning chores.
- Plan an at-home vacation itinerary. If your idea of a vacation is sitting with your feet up watching television, so be it. But if you yearn for a little more action, plan some excursions the entire family will enjoy. Now is the time to visit all of those tourist attractions in your hometown that you may overlook because you're not a tourist. So if you're a New Yorker, visit the observation deck of the Empire State Building. If you're a Texan, go see the Alamo. Those living in California should get to the San Diego Zoo. Take advantage of Duck tours and narrated bus rides to learn some unknown facts. When will you have the chance again?
- Give a gift that pampers. Many people who go on vacation treat themselves to a massage or a spa treatment. There's no reason not to enjoy the same level of pampering even on a staycation. Many salons and spas offer holiday gift promotions that are perfect for those who need a little recharging and relaxation. Again, these make great gift ideas if someone is stumped on a holiday present.
Turn a stay-at-home holiday into one where you rest, recharge and enjoy the benefits for which vacations are famous.
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