Stasha over at The Good Life is hosting her Monday Listicles again, and the topic this week is “What Makes A Perfect Vacation” (chosen by Staying Afloat!).

This list is kind of perfect, timing-wise, because in lieu of a big Thanksgiving celebration next week, my immediate family is taking a trip instead.

So here’s my list of the Top Ten Reasons You Should Take a Trip and Skip a Big Holiday Altogether:

10. No house to clean.

9. No stress about where to go to celebrate the holiday. For the past couple of years, my little family of six (or five, depending on when we’re talking) has made it a point to stay home for Thanksgiving. With such a huge web of family functions to try to make it to for Christmas (we’re looking at around eight this year, again), I’d rather just make a nice meal for our family at Thanksgiving and call it good.

8. Kansas in November is tricky, weather-wise. It could be snowing, it could be 60 degrees. Chances are good it won’t be terribly pleasant. But in Texas in November (or Florida, where we went four years ago)? Close to perfect.

7. We get to have fun and not worry about keeping the kids entertained during family functions. Because oh yes, they will be entertained at Sea World.

8. No house to clean.

7. No dishes to wash. (Are y’all jealous yet?).

6. While I do enjoy cooking for people (maybe not every.single.day. but you know what I mean), I don’t enjoy cooking things (like turkey and stuffing) that people have eaten all their lives and have very strong opinions about how they should be prepared. So, we’ll just eat out instead!

5. There will not be a week’s worth of leftovers to deal with (i.e. consume, sneer at in the fridge, throw away and feel guilty about).

4. Hotels are way more fun than your own home.

3. Um…no house to clean?

2. My family will get more than just an afternoon of child-wrangling to spend together. And after the year we’ve had, I think that’ll be a good thing.

1. No house to clean! Can I get an “amen!”?