OUR
HOLIDAY
RITUALS
We talk to Purple Dragon members about their holiday rituals together as a family, including tried-and-tested tips for travelling with kids
“My top tip for travelling with little ones
would be to pack lots of surprises and
snacks for the journey. My daughter, Aurelia,
loves unwrapping things and the process of
getting to the treat or toy definitely helps to
pass the time. When we travel, I relax the
rules and routines go a bit out the window. I
find that whatever gets everybody though
the journey happily and without a battle
works best and you can worry about getting
back to normal when you get home.”
Heidi Range, with Aurelia (1)
“We love to travel together and the children get as excited as we do about travelling. My holiday ambitions know no bounds – no flight is too long, and no destination too out there (as long as there are hospitals nearby). After all, the pain of a twelve-hour flight with a toddler is quickly forgotten on a beautiful beach! I enjoy planning holidays far in advance and I enjoy doing all my research. As my children grow up, I find us planning holidays with friends so that they have lots of buddies to have fun with. Alternatively, kids’ clubs also do the trick. I think travel is a wonderful way to broaden horizons and spend much needed family together without being distracted by work and I can’t get enough!”
Madeleine De Matteis,
with Isabella (2)
and Arthur (4)
“Our family holiday ritual is visiting our favorite place, Estepona, Spain. Both sets of grandparents have holiday homes here, which makes it extra special. This place defines childhood – being free and vibrant – it’s beautiful and we cannot wait to introduce Belle, our new born, to this magical place in summer.”
Victoria Danon, with Sylvie Rose (3) and Sybelle Lily (3 months)
“Every holiday is approached as an adventure. We tell Jana stories about the places we’re going to visit and we show her some videos on where we’re going. Jana also gets to pack her Trunki with her favourite toys, so she doesn’t miss home too much. When we’re on holiday she gets to choose some of the family activities we do too.”
Christophe Pflieger, with Jana (3)
“Our favorite holiday destination is without a doubt Greece. I recommend booking through Mr and Mrs Smith or I-escape Kids Collection, we found a really great resort last year that was complete barefoot luxury but super accommodating for little ones. For us the Snuzshade is a must to keep afternoon naps in the pram, which means we can grab some sun and maintain our afternoon cocktail ritual!”
Kate Louise Martin, with Daisy (1)
“My wedding anniversary and my husband’s birthday lie on the same day in July. Since having our daughter, Jasmine, this time has been about us enjoying ourselves as a family and also being able to celebrate as a couple. The perfect place for this has been the beautiful, yet extremely windy, island of Mykonos. We can take Jasmine to all the beach clubs and she actually ends up dancing more than we do. The view from the villa is pure serenity and a truly relaxing home for a week. We see it as the perfect place to balance family time and to be able to invite friends out with us to have some adult fun.”
Stephanie Abrishamchi,
with Jasmine (2)
“We adore visiting Italy together as a family, we love everything about the country. The food, culture, weather and it’s so family friendly. After the birth of my second daughter, Edie, my husband and I actually took Shared Parental Leave and travelled Italy for nearly 4 months, with a 3-year-old and 4-monthold in tow! We started off in Northern Italy, on the Italian side of the Alps and went skiing for the first part, then slowly meandered our way down and across the country. It was one of the best experiences we’ve had together as a family.”
Emily Seares, with Livia (4)
and Edie (2)