One of my BFFs was celebrating a milestone birthday.  A jaunt to Tuscany was out of the question, so a group of us met at a Hampton Inn just 45 minutes away.

Our tiny hotel room could not accommodate a swinging bathroom door on a hinge, so to save space, the door was on sliders.  Our window looked out onto a highway off-ramp.  Someone commented that the room was actually quite large by cruise-ship standards.

We gabbed and laughed and ate microwaved appetizers.  We never set the alarm or got a wake-up call.  Nothing we did the next day was pre-planned or required reservations.

We came home refreshed and feeling like we had spent far more than 24 hours away.

And while a trip to Tuscany might’ve been lovely, it would’ve also been fraught with jet lag, high hopes, and must-sees.

Having no expectations was the key to our magical getaway.  Something to remember during this holiday season of “too much.”