A gift giving tradition of family adventure!

When my kids were little, there were of course the years of plastic toys and stuffed animals, games and new footie pajamas. After those first few (and fabulous) years, I decided that experiences were what it was all about. I reflected back to my childhood and how our times spent traveling together were my clearest and most cherished family recollections. Of course dinnertime around the table and a myriad of other memories bring me great joy but the time spent with my parents in other parts of the world are crystal clear and truly carved into my heart.

Luckily my husband agreed that the gift of a family trip would be the most impactful present and when our kids were 6 and 8, we started a new tradition of having them unwrap a trip every year for Christmas. The first year they needed luggage so I filled each little roller bag (carryon compliant, of course - let the good habits begin!) with little bits and bobs related to where we were going. The next year, I needed a new vessel...enter the RED BOXES! I can't even remember where I found them but the beloved red boxes have become a symbol of adventure and excitement these last 13 years! They are the last gift opened and the excitement mounts all morning! Each item in the boxes is individually wrapped in the same tissue paper and my kids, to this day, race to see who can figure out the destination first. At the bottom of each red box - a double wrapped guide book for the destination and the itinerary sealed in an envelope!

Here are some of the items they've unwrapped over the years:

France: Eiffel Tower socks, a bottle of french bubbly water, a box of macarons, a beret

Italy: tiny pasta, a mini panettone, an Italian flag scarf, a wee bottle of olive oil

Greece: a tin of dolmades, a box of baklava, an ornament of the parthenon, a jar of greek olives

Spain: a Spanish hat (which my daughter wore the whole trip!), Alicante Turrón, a box of paella

London: Crunchy bars, a British flag beach towel, tea bags, hobnobs

Japan: sushi rice, manga books, a small bottle of sake (now that one kid's legal!), chop sticks

Even now, when they're college aged adults, they will sit patiently until we say go and then the flurry of unfurling paper and reading of finely printed labels begins. Each item is produced in the destination country or countries (depending on the itinerary) and obviously over the years they've gotten pretty fast at figuring it out! I honestly don't know who loves it all more, us or them and we've yet to blow the secret destination before the unboxing, knock on wood!

Some parents hesitate to travel with their young kids for 2 main reasons...they don't believe they'll appreciate it, or more often, they fear that they won't remember it! I lovingly, wholeheartedly disagree! While my daughter may not remember the first time she saw the Eiffel Tower, the love of travel was ingrained in her from that moment on. My son may not recall the details of his first exploration of the British Museum or playing hide and seek in Ostia Antica, but I have no doubt that his passion for history stems from these experiences. Learning about other places and people in the world is the gift that keeps on giving!

Am I brimming with excitement as I search for the perfect parcels for this year's red boxes? You bet I am! I'm also acutely aware that these years will not last forever so I cherish each one more than the last. But hey, we all know travel is expensive and we're also super fun so hopefully our kids will want to keep coming along for the ride for as long as possible.

It's never too late (or too early!) to start this meaningful tradition of giving the gift of family travel!

Photos printed with their permission, honest!