Does the Tooth Fairy Know I’m Not Home?

Does the tooth fairy know I’m not home? This was the first question my son asked me after we celebrated the excitement of loosing his first tooth this past summer. Away on vacation and not in our home, so how would the tooth fairy know where he was?

To a five-year-old this is a major concern because he hadn’t left a note or sent a text to the tooth fairy (yes he asked me to text… the world is changing quickly) and we need to make sure he got his money in exchange for this very special tooth.

This one was a fairly easy one to explain, “Of course the tooth fairy will know where you are, she has magical powers to track you all around the world”. Now, this was something that could not have been planned and as long as you have a few dollars/pesos/euros/etc in your pocket you should be okay. But it got me thinking about how we try to keep some family traditions alive while we travel and explore the world even if we aren’t at home.

We have yet to be away for any big special holiday (for us it is Easter and Christmas), but we are always traveling and away for New Year’s Eve. What we have found is that we created some new family traditions without even realizing it. For example, we always have a big special supper on New Year’s Eve, sometimes at a restaurant and other times it’s homemade, but we always have that special meal and gather with any friends and family that are with us that night.

We have contemplated going away for the big special holidays but usually what happens is that the cost outweighs our ability to go. When talking with other families that have been away here are a few tips they have explained to me that have helped them keep their family traditions while away.

Tips to Keep Family Traditions While Away

1. Try and keep some consistency, especially if they are younger and “still believe”. Some examples include bringing their Christmas stocking, Elf on the Shelf, etc.

2. Many families have celebrated before they go or after they get back with family and friends.

3. It’s okay if it is a little different. Let’s be real, if you live in a place that has snow and you go away for Christmas and swim in the pool all day with your kids, they will be just fine with it.

4. If there are specific religious services, ceremonies, celebrations, etc that you want to attend then do research and look into the place you are going to see if there are any locations that can accommodate.

5. Get your kids involved as much as you can with making their holidays special. Ask them what they are thinking it will be like and/or how the celebration might be different than their usual traditions.

6. Immerse yourself in the cultural traditions of where you are visiting. That is part of traveling and enjoy some new cultural experiences.

The key for us during special holidays is to spend quality time with our family, regardless of where we are. What truly matters is being able to share the day together and be grateful for each other.