How We Plan an Annual Family Vacation- Experience Christmas Gift- Food, Crafts and Fun for a Group

If you ask any of our family what weekend they look forward to most each year, I think every single person would say our annual family vacation. My parents gift us an Airbnb rental for three nights together as our Christmas gift. Somewhere within driving distance, and everyone takes turn covering a meal. If you’ve ever wanted to start a yearly family getaway or host a reunion that people genuinely love coming to, here are some of the things that make ours so successful.

Create Traditions Everyone Expects

My parents give everyone the shirts we are wearing on Christmas with a little treat and they announce where we are going this year for our gift. We have been to Yellowstone, Driggs / Jackson Hole, and Bear Lake. We have repeated the Bear Lake trip several times. I set up my camera on a tripod and snap a family photo in the backyard.
(We give the shirts back to my mom on Christmas and she brings them all, making sure we don’t lose or forget them).

Why an Experience Is the Best Gift You Can Give

The excitement starts months before we ever pack a suitcase. We just got home from our yearly trip to Bear Lake, and once again it reminded me that some of the very best gifts aren’t things…they’re time together.

Start the Fun Before You Ever Leave

About a week before our trip, my mom sends everyone a flexible itinerary. Nothing is scheduled down to the minute, but everyone knows what the general plan is for each day. The kids especially love knowing what’s coming, and it helps everyone feel prepared while still leaving plenty of room for spontaneity.

Kick Off the Weekend with a Celebration

Our trip usually falls around my mom’s birthday, so we always begin the first night with a birthday party. But this could easily be a welcome party celebration!

This year I made adventure-themed party bags for all the kids, and they were a huge hit.
Each one was filled with things they could actually use throughout the weekend. Find everything here.

My niece Kasidee also made the most beautiful birthday cake. It was our family’s favorite chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, completely covered in fresh raspberries. Bear Lake is known for its raspberries!

Everything fit our Bear Lake adventure theme perfectly. Sources Here

Everything couldn’t have been more fitting. It was the perfect way to kick off a weekend full of fun together.

Start the Day with Movement

One tradition that’s become a favorite is starting the morning with a family workout. Kevin puts together a workout each year that’s fun, approachable, and designed so anyone can join in, no matter their fitness level. Most of our family genuinely loves beginning the day this way. Of course, every family is different. If a workout isn’t your thing, there are so many fun ways to get everyone moving together, even just a walk!

Keep Meals Simple

One of the smartest things we do is divide up the cooking. My parents provide lunch each day (everyone tends to bring things they want too) and then each family signs up for either one breakfast or one dinner. That means every family only cooks once during the entire weekend, leaving so much more time to actually relax together. Everyone brings their own drinks, and cleanup stays simple.

For breakfast my sister and her husband made egg, sausage, and cheese breakfast sandwiches.

We make our version of J Dawgs using all-beef hot dogs on toasted buns with barbecue sauce, grilled peppers, onions, pickles, mayo, ketchup, and mustard. On the side we had broccoli salad, potato salad, and chips. We served everything in hot dog trays with paper liners, which made cleanup incredibly easy. Sources Here

My sister makes the homemade sloppy joes using this chili sauce. Her recipe couldn’t be easier: one pound of ground beef for every jar of chili sauce. We serve them on toasted hamburger buns with melted cheese, then pile on creamy coleslaw and plenty of bread-and-butter pickles. It might sound a little different, but trust me…the combination is so good!

Homemade Cafe Rio salads, or you can make them into a taco, are always a hit for a big group!

Homemade fruit bars for dessert. Simple meals somehow always taste better after a day outside!

Rich, chocolatey, and topped with warm frosting, this Texas Sheet Cake is always one of the first desserts to disappear. It’s easy to make for a crowd and has become one of those recipes we all hope shows up at every family vacation.

Always Have a Craft Ready

One thing we’ve learned is that downtime happens naturally. Instead of everyone reaching for phones, we always bring a few easy crafts.

This year’s favorite craft was definitely paracord bag charms or key chains! They were simple enough for the kids to make but fun for the teens and adults too. Sources here.

Another craft that was a fun this year was fishing lure jewelry. We made bracelets, necklaces, and anklets using colorful beads and fishing swivels to fit our Bear Lake theme. It was such a fun way to incorporate a little piece of the lake into a keepsake everyone could wear. We always keep plenty of beads on hand because someone is always in the mood to make something. Sources here.

Over the years we’ve collected quite the list of family-friendly crafts. Some of our favorites have been beaded fish charms. Sources Here

Cross-stitched Bandanas // Materials Here

You can see Finn’s soccer ball my mom stitched on his bandana! DIY Cross-stitched // Materials Here

And an activity that’s equal parts craft, science experiment, and dessert is making homemade ice cream in a bag! The kids love measuring the ingredients, shaking the bags, and watching liquid magically turn into ice cream.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the ice cream mix: Put the milk, sugar, and vanilla into the small quart-sized bag. Seal it tightly.
Double check: It is a good idea to double-bag the mix to prevent leaks.
Prep the cold bag: Put the ice and salt into the large gallon-sized bag.
Combine: Place the sealed small bag inside the large bag of ice. Seal the large bag tightly.
Shake it up: Wrap the large bag in a towel or wear oven mitts so your hands do not get frostbite. Shake the bag for 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid becomes thick like ice cream.
Serve: Wipe off the top of the small bag to remove any salt. Spoon the treat into bowls and add your favorite toppings like sprinkles