Prospective Traveler?

I guess this is my post to the students and faculty who have gone through this: Is it hard to be away from family over the holidays? What have you guys done to either compensate or has it not even been a big deal because you don't have the hype of Thanksgiving between Halloween and Christmas? Just wondering since if I was to go abroad, it looks like it would be in the fall, and that is one of the problems I am trying to figure out.

Hope to heard your input!