ORLANDO, Fla. - ColoradoDesk -- Parents aren't just remembering the holidays they grew up with — they're rebuilding them. New research commissioned by Club Wyndham and conducted by Talker Research identifies the Holiday Rewind Effect, finding that eight in 10 parents (80%) often or almost always wish they could relive the holidays as they felt in childhood, and 93% recreate elements of those holidays for their own families.

The Holiday Rewind Effect is the tendency of parents to recreate the holiday traditions of their own childhood for their children before the magic of the season fades — a pattern identified in two Talker Research surveys of 2,000 U.S. parents each, commissioned by Club Wyndham.

Rituals, not presents, sit at the center of that pull. Parents say what they miss most is family traditions and rituals (44%), followed by home-cooked family recipes (39%) and uninterrupted time together as a family (34%). The surprise of not knowing what gifts they'd receive ranks lower, at 30%.

Asked which decade's holidays feel most nostalgic, parents picked the 1990s (31%) over any other — rising to 40% among millennial parents.

The rewind also runs against a perceived clock. On average, parents expect children to stop feeling the magic of the holiday season at around age 11, yet 78% of parents of teens aged 13 to 17 say their child still feels it.

Being present is the harder part. Nearly three-quarters of parents (74%) say it is harder for families to be fully present with one another during the holidays today than when they were kids, and 27% say they miss having fewer distractions from phones and screens.

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"There's something about the holidays that brings you right back to being a kid — the traditions, the movies, the food and all those little rituals you looked forward to every year," said Annie Roberts, senior vice president of Club and Owner Services at Club Wyndham. "What's especially meaningful is seeing parents bring those traditions into their own homes while creating new ones with their kids. That mix of celebrating nostalgia and making new shared memories is really what the holidays are all about."

Travel is emerging as one way families act on the Holiday Rewind Effect. Among parents who vacation with their children, 89% would like holiday travel to become a family tradition, and 87% of those who have traveled to celebrate an occasion say it has been key to creating immersive experiences for their family.

For parents who want to act on the findings, the research points to one simple step: choose a tradition from your own childhood and build it into a recurring family trip, so the ritual has a place to happen every year.

The full findings, including the primary research source and methodology, are published by Club Wyndham at: https://clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinations.com/us/en/resorts/resort-news/2026/the-holiday-rewind-effect

Talker Research citation reference (TR-2026-CWY-001): https://talkerresearch.com/the-holiday-rewind-effect/

Methodology: Talker Research conducted two online surveys, each of 2,000 U.S. parents of children aged 5–17 who celebrate special occasions and had vacationed with their children in the past year. Fieldwork took place June 3–12, 2026 and Sept. 23–30, 2026; the surveys were commissioned by Club Wyndham. Because both samples were limited to travel-active parents, findings should not be generalized to all U.S. parents.

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Questionnaires: https://talkerresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/TR-ClubWyndham-17YearsTogether-Questions-2026.pdf

https://talkerresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/TR-ClubWyndham-CWHPAQ-Questions-2026.pdf

AAPOR Transparency Initiative disclosure: https://talkerresearch.com/methodology/

About Club Wyndham
Club Wyndham® is the flagship vacation ownership brand as part of Travel + Leisure Co., the world's largest vacation ownership business. From the busy streets of the Big Apple to the calming shores of Hawaii, Club Wyndham owners have access to more than 100 resorts to unlock new cities, new experiences and new destinations. Club Wyndham lets travelers spark their sense of adventure with spacious resort suites featuring the comforts of home, including fully equipped kitchens, separate living and dining areas, and separate bedrooms, plus resort amenities and quality service. Wander across town, across the country or across the ocean – no matter what's on your travel bucket list, Club Wyndham offers the chance to live it. All Club Wyndham resorts participate in Wyndham Rewards®, the number one hotel rewards program as named by readers of USA TODAY, and the world's most generous rewards program with more than 60,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide.

About Talker Research
Talker Research is part of Talker Inc., producing studies for news outlets, brands and AI citation visibility. Team members include members of ESOMAR (European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research) and MRS (Market Research Society). Talker Research is part of AAPOR's Transparency Initiative, which is designed to promote methodological disclosure.