What are your little holiday "traditions"?

[CarolDanvers]

Those little things you do that wouldn't really excite anyone else but you make you happy and enhance your holiday? I like going to a supermarket as soon as possible after arrival and buying shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion in a scents or brands not available in the U.K. Then we use it all holiday and if I like it I buy some more to take home and then whenever I use it it takes me back to being on that holiday 😊

When the DC were little & we did self catering in the UK I used to buy those multi packs of junk cereals for them as a treat for the week!

We also had a tradition of everyone got to choose a day out during our holiday week & the rest had to fall in with it!

We have a pre and post holiday tradition.

We eat out for the last meal, so that there is no washing up to do before we lock the house up......

And when we get home, we always go out for lunch the next day. We like to have loads of veg, after the excess of the holiday without the faff of going shopping and preparing them.

We then do the shop on a full stomach!

I also change the beds so our first night home we get a good sleep.

We always go self catering in UK. I have a tesco crate in spare room which is the "holiday box". So we have one week spring and one November.

During the year I pop in treats and nice booze for us all. Dogs included. So nice toiletries, maybe a flavoured gin, chocolates, snacks. Then I add like books, magazines, and sometimes a game. By the time we go it's usually full with loads of nice stuff we wouldn't normally buy. Everyone loves the holiday box!!

If we're flying then DH always has a Bacardi and coke and a beer. It wouldn't be a holiday flight if he changed his beverage.

For a beach holiday, the last weekend before we all go round the local charity shops and choose a couple of books to read on holiday. The theory is that we'll just leave them behind after but often I bring mine back as it reminds me of the holiday.

In the days before streaming films from the internet was common, if we were going for a UK cottage/caravan holiday we would also buy a few DVDs each from a charity shop and watch them on rainy days/evenings in. I feel slightly aggrieved that I've lost this tradition now that we just take a laptop and use Netflicks.

Ooh I love these, especially The Holiday Box. Might do that one for Center Parcs later this year.

The Holiday Box is a lovely idea! 🙂

We always but Nutella when on holiday - don’t date have it at home.

I let the children pack their own cases and then they line up.

"Everyone who has packed a toothbrush take one step forward...."

At least two children run upstairs ….. come back

start again …..

"Everyone who has packed a sunhat take one step forward!"

and so on...
swimming costume?
pyjamas?
etc
eventually they get to the front door and we can leave...

We tend to do UK holidays, and I like looking in the local charity shops & antique places wherever we are. It's amazing the difference between regions and I've unearthed some terrific stuff over the years.

Another thing we do (started when dc1 was a baby) is to find a steam railway and go on a train ride. Love it. Love the sound and smell of steam trains. Love trundling slowly along through random picturesque countryside. Not interested in the trainspotting side of it, I just like the nostalgia of it all.

We also like finding little tucked-away museums. And coffee shops. And fish & chip shops.

Must-have purchases: (bit sad ) souvenir tea towel and shopping bag, and a notepad for shopping lists. I also have a penchant for picking up unusual or interesting-looking stones.
Yes my house is full of crap

our tradition is to go to the same place every year! Love knowing where the best beach is, a good pub, all that - but also finding a couple of new things each time as well.

Oh, I always buy a fridge magnet when I visit somewhere new.

And when away camping, I take a picture of each pub sign we visit. We have no kids, so it's quite a few now!

I love the charity shop idea!

We have blankets and hot water bottles for the car (usually UK based).

We always buy the cheesiest, tackiest fridge magnet we can find. It started when DH went away when we were first together and got me one as a joke. The kids love competing to see who can find the 'worst' one

I love going to the local supermarket for good insights on the local culture.

When travelling to our holiday destination (always somewhere in the UK) we’d stop for “breakfast” in a lay-by and I’d always have a wee box of coco pops from the selection pack!
We also had (and my parents still have) a holiday box where we’d collect bits to take with us that we never usually had (chocolate spread, peanut butter etc)

@homemadegin I'm stealing that idea as we do UK holidays, that's so lovely!!

Love the holiday box idea!

Always buy a fridge magnet and a postcard.

When I was little my parents got a postcard from every place we went and put in a scrap book with the dates of our trips and I have always done the same as an adult.

I love a magnet, out fridge is almost full!

It’s a bit sad but if we have a break in the uk the kids insist on McDonalds breakfasts. It’s becoming far too regular and I’m starting to get addicted to hash browns

We go out for dinner the night before and always buy a picture of where we are staying and have it framed on our holiday wall

Arrive at airport early, have breakfast, two large Chardonnays (am petrified of flying), have about twenty wees, get on plane with bottle of water in a plastic bag and put audiobook on headphones and pray during takeoff!!!

It's not a holiday without a boat trip is some sort.

@homemadegin I like the thought of your dog enjoying luxury toiletries and quaffing gin on your holidays 😂😂

I have to buy something new from the airport.Perfume,sunglasses etc