Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories: Travel

Prompt for December 13 -
Holiday Travel

Did you or your ancestors travel anywhere for Christmas? How did you travel and who traveled with you? Do you remember any special trips?

Growing up, Christmas was always at my family's house. There were seven of us, and my mother's two siblings had no children, and my dad's siblings and parents all lived far away (we were in Houston, Texas, and they were in the Chicago area and Rochester, New York). So no, we didn't do any traveling for Christmas.

Nowadays, my family of origin's Christmas is usually at my brother Mark's house in Austin. He and Debbie have the most kids (four) and the biggest house. When I moved back to Texas in 2006, we drove down there for Christmas Day.  I tried to drive back the same night. THAT was a mistake. Tons of deer along the road - very stressful. So now, if we go, we stay overnight. In 2007 and 2008, we stayed at the famous Austin Motel, but we didn't stay there in 2009, because Christmas was on a Friday and "weekend rentals must include Friday and Saturday." Kinda defeats the purpose of staying in an $80 room if you HAVE to stay two nights.

Pape Ranch Xmas Tree, 2008

In 2010, we went to Austin for Thanksgiving, and went to Mark's daughter Kim's home in McKinney (about a two-hour drive) for Christmas Day, and spend it with Kim and her husband Mike and their seven yours-mine-ours children.  We've been invited again this year.  We will see at least my parents and aunt Sister Jean Marie (who'll be visiting them) on December 27 and/or 28.  Kind of hoping that Mark and Debbie and the kids will be at their ranch near Bend during that time and that can be our meeting place, as it's about halfway between my parents' home and ours.  It's also not too far out of Austin, so perhaps some of my other siblings can make it there as well.

(Post #13 in the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories hosted by Geneabloggers.com. Originally published December 13, 2009;  major additions and revisions were made this year and in 2010.)

© Amanda Pape - 2011 - click here to e-mail me.