One of the dilemmas facing many fulltimers is where to spend Christmas. Some people join other fulltimers (and snowbirds) for Christmas celebrations in campgrounds or resorts. Many campgrounds have decorations, parties, singing and music, and of course a big meal.

Other travelers fly or drive "home" to celebrate Christmas with family and friends, often traveling across the country. They say they want to be with family during the holidays.

Linda and I both grew up with traditional family Christmas celebrations and again this year we will return "home." Of course of home is our motorhome no matter where its parked, but we still consider Kentucky home. This is our fifth year to return for Christmas and sometimes it is a challenge. Our first year we were in central Florida, the second year in Summerdale, Alabama, the third year in Sorrento, Florida, the fourth year in Benson, Arizona and this year in western Florida. Two years we drove the car to Kentucky and stayed with relatives and this will be the third year we've driven the motorhome to Kentucky. Our first year we had terrible weather with snow and below zero temperatures. The motorhome make it fine and kept us warm but snow melted and re-froze forming ice around the slideout, satellite dish and TV antenna. We could not move the motorhome and had to stay an extra day until it thawed out.

My parents are ages 93 and 88 and my mother still cooks a feast for everyone to enjoy. My son and his family from Minnesota will be there, my son and his wife from eastern Kentucky will be there, my son from Louisville will be there. My sister and her husband, their sons and their families will be there along with other family members who fly and drive in from all over the country. We will meet the weekend before Christmas and have a great family reunion.

Christmas Eve and Day we'll be at Linda's parents' house eating more good home-cooking. Linda's son and his family will be there, her daughter too, her sister and her husband from Georgia, her brother and his family from Ohio and other family members and friends. So we will have a great family reunion with them too.

Christmas is the only time we get to visit some of the family members and of course we want to be with the grandchildren too. So on our trip from Crystal River, Florida to Quartzsite, Arizona we'll make a side trip to Kentucky for Christmas and family visits. It is a trip we plan to make many more Christmases. We just hope we don't get frozen in again this year.

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas.