Christmas and NY season

[thrifty++]

I am wondering what you ERE types are doing over the holiday season? Are any of you going away? Where I am the country more or less shuts down between now and 5th Jan and most people will go away for some sort of holiday. Because I am now so ERE I have turned down a couple of plans which would have been quite expensive. I'm somewhat regretful now to be honest as I feel like I might be wasting my scarce time away from work just hanging about home.

[vexed87]

Spending time with my family Christmas morning and SOs family in the evening. No kids here yet! No doubt copious amounts of beer, wine and food will be consumed by all, but really not that expensive if done at home. For those that have the option, stay at home with your loved ones/friends and just enjoy each others company (a rare treat as we are in work most of the time!).

I'm off 25th Dec - 4th Jan and have zero plans! I just intend to read and hopefully get out on the bike if the weather permits.

Hope everyone has a great day tomorrow.

[thrifty++]

Sounds good Vexed. Maybe I should be happy having a staycation as it sounds you are and pepper my holiday with random day trips.

[Dragline]

Staying home. Like we always do. I have refused to travel for Christmas since 1995 when our first child was born. I don't mind driving to visit some relatives a few days after, but we won't be doing that either.

We don't currently have any New Years plans either.

[OldPro]

Holiday season? Ah, you mean that story the working class are told about how lucky they are to have days off work.

Every day is a holiday and every day is not a holiday, when you belong to the leisure class thrifty. Thankfully, I continue to be in that class.

I do have a New Year's resolution though. I have the same one every year. I resolve to do my best never to have to work a day again.

[Ego]

This year the family is gathering in Tijuana on Sunday. We haven't seen everyone in a while so it should be fun. In years past it was a gluttonous feast with marathon discussions until 4am. Now that we're older I expect it to go until....ah, hell we'll probably be crossing the border at dawn. Ho, ho, ho.

[George the original one]

Visiting the inlaws & friends; my relatives all abandoned Portland this year for Hanford, Washington, or Fossil, Oregon, or maybe warmer climes, LOL.

Eating cookies wife baked.

Stoking the fires of both lust and the woodstove to stay warm.

Fishing even though there aren't any fish in my backyard as we're between fish runs. Necanicum River is looking fabulous, a nice steelhead green and trending to clear until the next rain/snow storm hits. Might swing by the North Fork Nehalem River next week as it has a slightly earlier run of steelhead.

[thrifty++]

Stoking the fires of lust! lol
Well I have spent the day with the family on the northern beaches. Now home. Wondering about being a hermit the rest of the holidays. I am not sure whether my craving to go somewhere over the holidays is for the excitement or to appease others (keeping up with the joneses) or both.

[llorona]

Staying local here, too. Going to visit family and friends, catch up on sleep, and start seedlings for our spring vegetable garden. Yum.

[TopHatFox]

I am currently stranded in Boston Logan airport on my way back from being abroad in NZ

I don't usually travel for holidays either. I think it's literally the worst time to travel haha: everything runs late, flights and buses are missed (resulting in 10 hour waiting sessions like I am now experiencing), people are stressed, etc. etc.

I'll take a nice, special dinner with local friends on Christmas or NY, and leave the travelling for M-F during the work calendar in 5 yrs time! >:D

[thrifty++]

I don't usually travel for holidays either. I think it's literally the worst time to travel. Everything runs late, flights and buses are missed (resulting in 10 hour waiting sessions like I am now experiencing), people are stressed, etc. etc.

Yes its really not the best is it. I just wish I was not so pressed to have time off work and feel the need to maximise my time off when it is so expensive to do anything this time of year. All the more reason to get FI and do anything any time when I want.

[TopHatFox]

Onwards to FI, it affords so many little & big luxuries.

[IlliniDave]

I'm in the middle of visiting family several states away. It's a relatively somber trip due to the health concerns of some family members. Ove the weekend I'll be heading home for some solitude and have no plans for New Year celebrations.

[cmonkey]

Just the usual trip to the in-laws. 7+ hours one way of driving across the midwest. I have come to not enjoy it as much as I get a little older and even the DW is considering doing an every other holiday travel thing, at least until we move closer someday. I look forward to when we just stay home, I get sick of timing the trips and everything with good weather patterns. We are heading home tomorrow and I plan to spend the week revving up on our remodel project again. No New Years plans.

[bradley]

I feel like I might be wasting my scarce time away from work just hanging about home.

That just depends on what you want to spend that time away doing. You could be spending lots of money on a trip (short term satisfaction) therefore ensuring that you will just have to work longer or you could do something more affordable right where you are so that you can stop working earlier (long term satisfaction).

I'm in NY too, and most of DH's and my friends actually stayed local. I think we're all tired of traveling for a week and then returning home unrested. I've placed a moratorium on all leisure travel plans, though, as I work to pay off my debt, become FI, and save for a baby.

We went to each others' parents (NJ and NY) for dinners and all that. And we'll be hosting a New Year's Eve party. Other than that, DH has been watching TV and playing video games, and I'm currently curled up in bed, drinking tea, and getting some writing done

[thrifty++]

I am starting to very much enjoy my staycation now. I have been taking day trips with friends to gorgeous islands and lakes and beaches to hike, bask in the sunlight and have refreshing swims. The rest of the time I have been relaxing and reading at home with the place to myself. I have offers of places to go camping at beaches over New Year but not sure I want to go now. I am enjoying my time staying close to home and am glad I have not gone on an expensive holiday.
One thing with some social group holidays I notice (even day trips) is that people can engage in so much excess. Excess of alcohol and food, spending, and too much sunlight. While I enjoy my time with friends I equally enjoy returning to the peacefulness of my apartment to resume healthy habits and relax. I don't think I want to be trapped with loads of people and excess for a whole week at a time. I am thinking that after New Years I might go away somewhere nice by myself. Like a retreat or something. Or where I can enjoy a holiday while experiencing peace and health.

[enigmaT120]

Mmmmm, too much sunlight....

thrifty, are you in the southern hemisphere?

[thrifty++]

Yes. Which is why things shut down at Xmas and its such a thing for people to go away somewhere.