Is a Down Economy Good for Grandparents?

Photo: JGNY

A reader named Joel Margolese of Andover, Mass., while on holiday vacation in Boca Raton, Fla., wrote the following:

Doing the annual pilgrimage to South Florida this holiday season, we’ve all been struck by how everywhere seems to be more crowded than usual. Parks, beaches, even stores are jammed. We could barely find a parking space at our favorite park, which is usually empty.
Could it be that with the down economy, people canceled or didn’t book expensive trips like cruises or ski vacations in favor of bunking with grandma and grandpa?
I’m curious if you or your readers have any evidence of this.

What do you say, readers? Let’s hear from those of you with youngish children especially: what did you do this holiday season versus past years and what are your plans for the upcoming spring break?
You may remember that Robert Frank once explained on this very blog that the reason some retirees move into such large houses is so that the house acts as grandchild bait.
If you don’t want to spend much on your vacation but don’t want a visit to the grandparents either, you could always give Iceland a try.