(A picture of my favorite ornament…I got it on a trip to The King & Prince Golf and Beach Resort)

A Christmas Quiz:  How many days of vacation do you deserve when this holiday is over?

Let’s face it, not everyone considers this the most wonderful time of year.  Yes, there’s a lot of wonder, excitement, and festive activity going on.  And we get to celebrate the birth of Christ, which is the best part of it.  The carols are great, the decorations are fun to see, but the season does create a very large holiday to-do list on top of your regular to-dos.  So I have created this quiz to help you determine how many days of vacation you deserve after this season is over.  Get out your pen and paper, and let’s begin! Choose one answer for each question, and give yourself the corresponding number of points.

1. How’s your Christmas spirit right now?
   1. Santa, stop here! Cookies and milk are waiting! (Give yourself 1 point.)
   2. Just tying up some last minute details today and listening to Christmas carols on the radio, and then I will be ready for egg nog tonight. (Give yourself 2 points.)
   3. My Fala lala la is all Jingle Belled out. Can I take down the tree yet? (Give yourself 3 points.)
2. How many days off do you have for Christmas?
   1. None, really. I’m working or on call for Christmas Day and/or Christmas Eve. (Give yourself 3 points.)
   2. I have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day completely off. (Give yourself 2 points).
   3. I have more than just these two days off – I am one of the fortunate ones! (Give yourself 1 point.)
3. How many houseguests do you have?
   1. My family is local or we are seeing them another time. (Give yourself 1 point.)
   2. I have up to 2 guests, or am visiting at someone else’s house for a few days. (Give yourself 2 points.)
   3. I have 3 guests or more descending upon my home for an overnight stay. (Give yourself 3 points.)
4. Are you baking or cooking for others?
   1. Nope! They can find their own goodies. (Give yourself 1 point for this.)
   2. My spouse or significant other did that. (Give yourself 2 points.)
   3. Whew. 8 batches of fudge and now working on tomorrow’s side dishes. (Give yourself 3 points.)
5. Last question…How’s the outside of your house looking?
   1. Scrooge lives here. I put up a wreath or nothing at all. (Give yourself 1 point.)
   2. Buddy the Elf came by and put a tasteful sprinkling of Christmas cheer on my house. (Give yourself 2 points.)
   3. Clark Griswold would be proud. (Give yourself 3 points.)

Now, tally up your points and see how you score:

5-7 points = Even if you love this time of year and make the best of it with store-bought baked goods and an easy schedule, you still deserve to decompress a little after it’s all over.  Get 2016 off to a great start with a quick 3-5 night getaway!  Take a cruise, spend a long weekend in NYC, or catch a flight to Cancun.

8-11 points = Perhaps you’ve suffered some aggravation at the hands of family, inlaws, outlaws, or otherlaws. Or maybe you just went out of your way here and there to make it a special Christmas. Either way, wouldn’t it be nice to escape and unwind? Take about 7 nights to recreate yourself and do something that you’ve always wanted to do. Is it Hawaii?  Maybe it’s Cuba? You decide!

12-15 points = There’s no doubt about it.  You’ve really put yourself out for others this season.  You’ve had to endure a holiday that maybe you don’t even enjoy that much for one reason or another. Nobody is more entitled to a break from the daily grind than you are.  10-14 nights, or more, are what this doctor of travel prescribes for you to recharge your batteries. This is a great length of time to do that European tour or river cruise you’ve always dreamed of. This is definitely a good time to do something more exotic or distant, like China, Galapagos Islands, the Amazon, or Australia.

Whatever your score, I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

Azalea Travel