One of the most beautiful parts of worldschooling is the people. The friendships that form on the road have a way of turning into family—and this holiday season was a perfect reminder of that. This year, we celebrated Christmas with 17 of us and rang in New Year’s with 19, all together as our little travel tribe. Different backgrounds, different journeys, but one shared home for the holidays.
We had an adventure on Christmas Eve. Our friend Mel broke his wrist at 11 pm. I followed behind as he headed to the hospital in an ambulance. They had him bandaged up and home before Santa delivered the presents.
Christmas was pure magic. There’s something incredibly special about waking up in a house full of people you love, the kind of morning where no one’s rushing and everyone’s just there (although Dexter had channel his inner strength while waiting for everyone else to wake up to open presents). We did a Secret Santa, and honestly—every single gift was spot on. The thoughtfulness, the laughter, the “how did you know?!” moments reminded us how well you can really know people, even when your friendships are built across countries and time zones. Lucas’ excitement over receiving a Scrub Mommy was unforgettable 😂. The excitement was real, the laughter uncontrollable, and it’s now officially part of our family holiday lore.
Jake and Lucas did a cold plunge on Christmas and Vicki and I took a dip in the sea on Boxing Day.
Ringing in the New Year, Travel-Family Style
By New Year’s, our group had grown to 19, and the energy matched the numbers.
We spent the day and night doing what we do best—being together. There was water pong, intense (and very competitive) rounds of table football, an epic dance party, and a full-on karaoke session that proved confidence matters far more than talent. It wasn’t fancy, but it was joyful, loud, connected, and exactly where we wanted to be as one year ended and another began.
More Than a Holiday
Celebrating Christmas and New Year’s like this reminded us why we chose this life. Worldschooling isn’t just about places—it’s about community, about creating traditions wherever you are, and about showing our kids (and ourselves) that family isn’t defined by geography. This holiday season, our hearts felt very full. And as we step into the new year, we’re carrying that gratitude with us—thankful for our travel family, shared memories, and the knowledge that home really is where your people are.
