There is no time of year that is more closely associated with tradition than the holidays. Passed down from generation to generation, many families have their own way of celebrating together, whether it's putting out decorations that have special significance, participating in a special event as a family, or enjoying long-treasured recipes over dinner, these traditions are woven into the fabric of the season. For some families, those traditions include traveling to a unique destination. This is especially true for families that start to spread out as children grow up and move away. Instead of having everyone travel back to their hometown, they travel to a fun and interesting place, even bringing some of their own traditions with them and combining those experiences with holiday traditions from their travel destination. At many Exploria Resorts destinations, there are plenty of new traditions to try out and add to the mix. You never know, some of them may stick around for a while! Orlando, Florida With its world-famous theme parks and year-round beautiful weather, Orlando has been a family-oriented destination for decades. So, there are already a lot of families that have made Central Florida a holiday tradition as well. Some of the local traditions you can explore include: Christmas lights on Jeater Bend Jeater Bend Drive is a residential street in the town of Celebration, Florida, which is only a short drive from Summer Bay Orlando Resort. You'll see a dazzling display of synchronized music and colorful lights just walking past the homes, as they sparkle in unison to the music. There's no charge to catch this spectacular show. Simply park nearby and go for a stroll. It's probably a good idea to go on a weeknight when it's less crowded. The lights are on display from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every evening through New Year's Day. The Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs For many families traveling to Orlando, they make up for not having their own Christmas tree by enjoying 27 of them at the Christmas Tree Trail, located at Disney Springs. Each of the trees is decorated according to a Disney theme or based on a Disney character. There's even a Star Wars Christmas tree, along with trees that celebrate The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast, Snow White, and Toy Story, among others. The trees are decorated with seasonal ornaments and there are holiday refreshments available. You might even see snow, thanks to that well-known Disney magic! The Post Office in Christmas, Florida That's right, a local post office is part of a holiday tradition for many who live in the area. On December 25, 1837, the U.S. army started building a fort in a location east of Orlando, naming at Fort Christmas. Today, the town of Christmas, Florida stands in its place, and if you mail something from the post office there, the postmark reads, “Christmas, FL.” Many families who live in Central Florida make it a tradition to drive their Christmas cards to this post office so that their friends and family receive them with this postmark. If you're in Orlando over the Holidays, it may be a little late to get those greeting cards out, but it's still a cool place to send out postcards! The Smoky Mountains | Gatlinburg, Tennessee Of course, some folks are of the opinion that it just doesn't feel like the holidays unless there's a nip in the air. In Gatlinburg, it's likely to be a little colder than Florida, although it could range from a mild climate to cold and snowy weather. Regardless of the temperature, though, there are plenty of annual events and local traditions that make it feel like Christmas! Enchanted Winter at Anakeesta Anakeesta is a magical mountain theme park in Gatlinburg. Through February 28th, this venue is hosting the Enchanted Winter at Anakeesta, an opportunity to explore this park decorated with twinkling holiday lights and offering breathtaking views throughout the 70-acre park. The smell of fresh pine fills the air, with occasional wafts of hot cocoa. Be sure to have your picture taken in the iconic life-sized snow globe to keep as a treasured memento. Christmas at Dolly's Stampede Country singer Dolly Parton has been entertaining us during the holidays for decades, during annual TV specials and through the release of her many hit Christmas songs. At her namesake venue, Dolly's Stampede, a special country Christmas show runs through January 2 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The house band, Mountain Ruckus, entertains the crowd with country and western music favorites mixed with a generous helping of down-home comedy. There's even an appearance by Santa Claus himself! Hatfield & McCoy Christmas Disaster Dinner Feud Also running through January 2, this unique comedy dinner show attempts to bring the feudin' Hatfields and McCoys together to settle their differences in the spirit of the holidays. City and country folk alike will enjoy the singing and dancing, spectacular stunts, and mountain comedy during this show. And this holiday dinner includes plenty of pulled pork barbecue, fried chicken, and homestyle sides. With beautiful resorts in Orlando and Gatlinburg, Exploria Resorts can help you enjoy these holiday traditions… and even create some new ones. Find your home resort's featured offers here!