As crazy as it sounds, you may want to start thinking about your holiday vacation plans and what better time to do that then Christmas in July. If you’re a family that usually travels for the holidays, you probably have the routine down, but if you’re new to the holiday travel scene, you may be looking for some tips and tricks on how to make traveling during the holidays extra special.

In my mind, the holidays are all about tradition and it’s important that those traditions don’t fall by the wayside because you’ve decided to spend the holidays somewhere warmer. Below are a few ways you can keep your family traditions alive while enjoying the sun and sand at Dreams Resorts & Spas.

Bring an ornament: Have each member of the family bring their favorite ornament on vacation. You can display them in your room or if you’re feeling a little more festive, even purchase a small palm tree to hang them on.

Don’t forget stockings: Stockings are an integral part of the holiday experience. Be sure to pack stockings to hang in your room so Santa can come fill them with goodies!

Read a bedtime story: One of my favorite books is The Night Before Christmas. In fact, I read it every year during the holidays. Packing a few holiday themed books and reading them before bed will keep the holiday spirit alive and help build anticipation for Christmas Day.

Pack the presents: It may be difficult for each family member to pack a present for everyone in his or her suitcase, but it’s always fun to have something to open Christmas morning. This year, why not try a Pollyanna and have each family member pack just one present. This way, everyone has something new to enjoy!

If you plan on visiting us at Dreams Resorts & Spas over the holidays, check out this video of a Christmas show, which shows just what you can expect to experience. As you can tell, we definitely know how to get into the holiday spirit!