Disney as a Christmas Gift?

[TomLovesBecky]

I'm trying the quick reply feature for the first time so sorry if this comes out wrong. lol
We are going to Disney World in just a couple of weeks but it is not a Christmas gift to the family. We are just going as a family vacation but honestly it's no more than we would spend on any other vacation so the timing doesn't matter to us. I would feel too guilty not to do the regular Christmas gifts for my kids or even my husband, who works very hard all year long and deserves to have some nice things this time of year. Not saying there is anything wrong with doing it in place of gifts but I wouldn't personally choose to do that. I am a shopaholic so I would just end up buying stuff anyway. ha ha.

 

[jrt1176]

I'm not married here.

But, I think WDW is a great gift for older kids. The younger ones still needs some things under the tree though, in my opinion.

I'd still get everyone something.

And I couldnt imagine not buying my wife a gift, even if she wasnt expecting it.

But. that's me. Every family is different.

 

[BradyBz12]

It's just DH and I (no kids) but since our anniversary is Dec 24th, our WDW trip has been both our Christmas and Anniversary gift to each other that past few years. That was the deal when we started doing 2 week trips (3 weeks this year!)

What usually happens is that each of us picks out one really nice "souvenir" while we're there (I got a beautiful silver necklace one year), but otherwise the trip itself is more than 'gift' enough for each of us.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[pdm2309]

My DS-6 is only getting the disney trip from me, but he will be getting something from Santa. I got tired of having to "compete" Santa because he always seems to bring my DS-6 exactly what he wants and I am left trying to pick up something else that isn't really wanted.

This way I can get him something he really wants that Santa and the elves can't make for him.

 

[RustManFan]

If it was me I might get some smaller gifts and maybe make them trip related. Coloring or activity books for the little ones. Travel wallet or purse for a teen. An extra memory card for someone going with a digital camera. Maybe some clothes that are Disney trip related too.

Maybe a gift card to use while on the trip....pennies to press....

You get the idea!!

And if trip is before Christmas you can pick up a park CD while there to play at home on Christmas day. What memories the CD will bring for years to come!!

 

[rick75]

We're going in February and yes this is our Christmas gift. We told our DD6 that Santa will be bringing her only a few small gifts. She said, "that's ok because we're going to Disney and all I want is Webkinz". Gotta love her attitude already. DW and I already picked out our presents for each other GPS naviagation system for the car since we're driving and a video camera. Otherwise the trip will our Christmas gift.

 

[yaddo121]

We'll be going for Christmas this year. Dh, DS (3), and I arrive on Christmas Eve while my mom and sister will be joining us on the 31st. The adults have agreed that Disney is our present to each other but I know we'll end up cheating lol! We do plan on getting DS some gifts to open on Christmas morning -- I'm debating about whether we should bring a little tabletop tree.

 

[Jaymie]

DH and I agreed not to buy each other gifts, we'll just fill each other stockings with a $50 limit. DS is only 4 so it will be Christmas as usual at our house. My brother & his family and my sister and her family are also joining us this year in WDW. So for my nieces & nephews I just bought them each a DVD (to watch on the way to WDW) and a gift card to spend there.

 

[edamethyst]

I'm trying the quick reply feature for the first time so sorry if this comes out wrong. lol
We are going to Disney World in just a couple of weeks but it is not a Christmas gift to the family. We are just going as a family vacation but honestly it's no more than we would spend on any other vacation so the timing doesn't matter to us. I would feel too guilty not to do the regular Christmas gifts for my kids or even my husband, who works very hard all year long and deserves to have some nice things this time of year. Not saying there is anything wrong with doing it in place of gifts but I wouldn't personally choose to do that. I am a shopaholic so I would just end up buying stuff anyway. ha ha.

This is me exactly also. I did book them a day at Discovery Cove with the Dolphin Swim which I think we will tell them about on Thanksgiving Day and that is part of their Christmas presents this year but they will all get presents Christmas morning also.

 

[tlh0726]

we (dh, me, ds16, dd4, ds2) exchange gifts xmas eve (each gets the others a gift $25 or under). xmas morning there will be a package for each that contains a string of lollipops to do a countdown to our trip March 14-22nd. We were also planning on getting tickets to the P&P party (looks like that is a no go now) and having another package that had costumes for each of us, need to think of something else now. Another package will have seaworld items. The trip is Santa's gift to us. The kids will also have out of town relatives present to open.

 

[Pakey]

We are taking our 3 grown children/spouses and one grandchild to WDW in January with a 3 day DCL after as their Christmas gifts this year. So their presents this year will consist of a gift bag that will contain their park tickets, airline reservations, deluxe dining ADR confirmation numbers, their cruise packets and their cruise excursion information. I've also had shirts made for them; one for WDW and one for pirate night on the cruise. My grandson will be getting his stuff in a Mickey backpack along with some items for the long plane ride.

If any of them complain, I'll be selling their vacation on ebay.

 

[mom-2-3]

This IS our Christmas. DD13, DS 7 & DS 4 will get somethig from Santa most like Potato Head and or Lego stuff. Like many kids, they just really have too much already. I have been trying to move my family in the direction of taking a trip for Christmas for a couple of years now. Hopefully they will all see this is a much better gift. Additionally both Grandma's will be joining us, unfortunately Grandpa passed away a few weeks ago (cancer, so not unexpected) so this is also an attempt at something different.

 

[LittleBugsMama]

This IS our Christmas. DD13, DS 7 & DS 4 will get somethig from Santa most like Potato Head and or Lego stuff. Like many kids, they just really have too much already. I have been trying to move my family in the direction of taking a trip for Christmas for a couple of years now. Hopefully they will all see this is a much better gift. Additionally both Grandma's will be joining us, unfortunately Grandpa passed away a few weeks ago (cancer, so not unexpected) so this is also an attempt at something different.

Sorry to hear about Grandpa. And I understand about the kids having more than they need already. This is the first year that we are doing a trip as our Christmas. Only problem is that the 17 & 19 years old didn't want to join us. So, I still have to shop for them, but they understand that it will be a little less than usual. They don't really care anyway...they are happy for their DB2 to be getting a trip to Disney. They mostly didn't want to leave their BF and GF behind! I wouldn't mind doing this more often.

 

[marynpaul]

I am taking my DD17 as part birthday gift/part x-mas gift. I am still giving her some other things for x-mas. but this is the big gift this year. At her age it just gets harder and harder to find things to buy and she absolutely loves going to Disney

 

[vsimeone]

My "kids" are 17 and 20 and we've gone to WDW many times at Christmas. It's always their "big" gift but they're getting a few small items too.

The last 2 times that we've gone (2004, 2006) and this year, we stopped decorating at home too. The kids are big enough to know that it can still be Christmas without decorations. We normally buy a "real" tree and with being gone for 2 weeks, we just won't get to enjoy it! One less hassle that we just don't need!

We'll spend Christmas Eve having dinner at Tutto Italia and watching the Candlelight Processional and Illuminations. Christmas Day is (hopefully) a photo shoot at the Beach Club and dinner with my parents, brother and grandparents at Yachtsman Steakhouse.

Family and the mouse - what more could you want or need at Christmas???

 

[AStamm]

Other than a few odds and ends for DS9, this is our Christmas gift to each other and to our son. There's nothing I'd want more than to be with my family at WDW for Christmas anyhow.

 

[bettyann29]

Me and DH are going to WDW in January and this trip will be our gift to each other.. so there will be no exchanging gifts between us.. We will have a limit of $30 for our stockings..

If I was doing a trip as a gift for my kids I would probably place a dollar limit on a few things just so they had something to open under the tree but I dont know that I could not get them anything else.. but thats just me..

 

[askfrog]

We are going Dec 6-15 including a 4 day cruise. This is our Christmas gift, our kids are 14, 12, 8, and 4. None of them believe in Santa so we don't need to worry about that and it is the first trip to disney for all of us. We have already told them that this is their present and they are fine with it. They also all got their own video mp3 player to watch movies on the plane so that is part of their present. Hopefully I can resist buying them stuff as it gets closer to Christmas.
April

 

[louise1928]

My husband and I started doing this 5 years ago and its the best decision we made. Our sons are 26 and 28 years old now, so the "gifts under the tree are long gone" however, we do spend christmas eve with family, and then we take off for a much needed holiday break. When and if we do have our 1st grandkids, things will probably change, but we both agreed that for now this is great! We are already making 2009 holiday trip plans. But this year we will be in Disney, leaving christmas day!

I think traveling with your family during the holidays or just as a couple is a great thing to do!!! Have fun

 

[mom2pandc]

We are planning the Disney trip (jan3-10) to be the gift from DH and I, and santa will be getting the kids a few things (DS5 and DD2) I stuck to $150 each and was able to get them quite a few toys as well as some clothes (they needed them anyway, they are both outgrowing the size they are in right now)
I'm planning on wrapping up 7 "gifts" from us since we'll be there 7 nights. I'm thinking along the lines of numbering a variety of things or pictures of
Truck (driving to indy to stay the night before flight)
Hotel (staying in before flight)
Plane (flight there)
Bus (Magical express)
Picture of POP (stayed there last year and are staying there again)
Mickey pic
Maps of parks
Then having son put them in order and see if he can figure it out (he's working on numbers a lot with preschool, so it's educational! LOL)
That's my plan, but it's subject to change, but that way they have something to open from us for the surprise trip as well as santa.