The countdown is on and there’s shopping to be done. The good news is many companies have finally figured out traveling families can mean big business, so more and more products that make parents (and kids) lives a little easier on the road are showing up every day.

We’ve broken down the gift list by age group. Nancy Solomon covers gifts for babies, toddlers, and school age kids and Dana …

The season leading up to Christmas is a light-filled festive time in Rome that can provide an ideal backdrop for an enchanting vacation with kids. Beside its great museums, on-going exhibits, and the ancient Rome landmarks, there are several annual Christmas events that are not to be missed, particularly when visiting Rome with children.

I asked two Paris local travel experts for suggestions on the best holiday activities in the City of Lights. The first selection of ideas is from from Marlys and Michael Schuermann, the team behind @ParisBuff. Parisians by adoption, they offer budget tips to Paris and beyond. Michael is the author of the book Paris Movie Walks.

The second selection is from ParisKid, a family-focused tour company offering guided walks for non-French speaking children ages 6-12 and their families.

I’m not a big fan of mingling with camera-clicking tourists in the shadow of the blazing Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, but traditionally I like to get a quiet look at it before it’s gussied up and lit, which was my plan on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

But had I not been approaching the Rockefeller Plaza tree area from Sixth Avenue—rather than heading there directly from 5th Avenue, which thousands of visitors do every day—I would have missed entirely …

There is something so magical about being on holiday in a big city at Christmas time. And if you have kids with you London is particularly enchanting.

The streets are sparkling with fairy lights, the store windows are alive with mechanical elves, dancing dolls and miniature trains whizzing around tracks and Santa is waiting for you to visit him in his Grotto.

But where do you start?

This is my first Christmas in Central Europe and I have to admit, I’m excited! We live near all the wonderful European Christmas markets—it doesn’t get more festive than that. We checked out the one closest to our house in Montreux last weekend. I wasn’t sure what to expect … with 146 “chalets” featuring local crafts and food, I knew it was going to be big and busy.

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season in the US. It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is here Thursday … this also means that the Passports with Purpose travel blogger fundraiser is in full swing.

We announced our incredible Passports with Purpose prize last Monday—a 5-night stay in a suite plus dinner at the Riviera Palm Springs. In addition, we are also thrilled to be part of another truly wonderful prize, a 5-night stay at any of the nine Paradise by Marriott resorts …

There’s no doubt that Walt Disney World is at its most magical during the holidays. The theme parks and resorts are decorated to their jaw-dropping max, and there’s plenty of extra entertainment in the form of special parades, shows, and themed character greetings.

The downside? Crowds. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is generally the busiest of the year.

We are participating in the Passports with Purpose fundraiser again this year. After last year’s huge success, $30,000 raised and a school built and operating in Cambodia, Passports with Purpose has another good deed in the works—a plan to raise $50,000 to help build housing in India!

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to LAFTI (Land for Tillers’ Freedom), an independent, nonprofit organization based in India dedicated to improving the lives of the Dalit Caste, India’s poorest of the poor population.

Literally, our best family memories are from the multigenerational vacations we take each year with grandparents, siblings, and cousins. Not only are memories formed, but the lasting bonds between family members who live far away are fortified.

These trips are key in keeping our bi-coastal families very close. But, let’s be real, some of our biggest family blowouts have also been on these vacations. How do you maximize the good time while minimizing tension?