I have been making a 100 mile drive to the closest city with my daughter and my sister for the last five years. It is the only time I really get to spend with my sister during the holidays as she lives far away. We do more people watching then shopping and meet local friends for lunch and compare shopping experiences. Joanns will be on the list, and maybe a LQS if they have a good special. It is hard to explain why I am so willing to fight the crowds, but we always seem to have a great time.