Am I allowed to.....

[mojophone]

start jumping up and down excitedly like a mad man yet? We are less than 2 weeks away from being at that Big ole Mouse House in Florida.

My next question is this. We have been trying to get the kids to understand that this trip IS their christmas present this year. They keep giving us wish lists for presents and on one hand it breaks my heart that they don't have anything to open this year, but on the other hand it tickles me silly that this trip will be the first for all of us. What do the rest of you do? We are planning on having them make a wish list while we are there and then my wife and/or I are going to sneak off to Downtown Disney and buy them each one gift that they can open up here at home on Christmas day but that is the extent of their christmas presents this year. I only hope they won't be too dissappointed that this is all they will be getting.

btw, Are trip is from December 17-24 and we are staying at Pop Century Resort.

 

[livie1205]

your fine.....we are doing wdw for christmas this year....we made a family decision that wdw would be are christmas, we will put one gift under the tree for them to open but the money we would have spent on gifts we put away for spending money so they will be able to get more things while we are there.we gave them the choice and this is what they wanted.

 

[PeachesDoesHair]

I think having a gift for them to open and possibly a stocking should be fine.

 

[NotUrsula]

Depends on how young they are. If they are still little it won't matter how many times you tell them; they will be upset that they don't have gifts under the tree. We travel on holidays quite often, but kids are kids; they still want that box-opening experience. I'd buy cheap gifts like you would put in a stocking, but wrap them extravagantly.

We're at WDW when you are, but we're still buying gifts for DS; nothing extravagant in terms of cost, but there will be presents. We're coming home on Xmas morning, so the physically larger gifts will be at Grandma's where we will have dinner. We will take the smaller ones with us to let him open in the hotel room (a couple of books and a trading card deck -- he can enjoy them on the plane home.)

 

[wrldpossibility]

We're going at a similar time (leave in 6 days!). I agree that it depends on your children's ages. It sound like yours are young since they're making lists for Santa. Ours are 7, 5 and 2, and we're doing a combination of things. I can't wait until they are all old enough to understand a trip can = Christmas presents. But for now, we've explained that the trip is their Christmas present from us, but that Santa will come (we'll be back home for Christmas morning and they naturally are worried about that). So on Christmas morning they will each have 2 small gifts from Santa (we scaled back, but at their ages, they won't notice that the gifts are less expensive than usual), and lots of gifts from relatives. We plan to find stocking stuffers in WDW.

If your kids are young, I imagine they WILL be sad if there is nothing on Christmas morning. They can't understand the cost of a vacation relative to the cost of a toy. I'd buy one present each from the Santa list before you go and have it ready. Add any gifts from relatives and simple stockings, and they'll be happy!

 

[hollyb]

You can't be serious NO presents at all for them on Christmas morning? You really can't swing a few hundred dollars for gifts?

 

[Northstar]

You can't be serious NO presents at all for them on Christmas morning? You really can't swing a few hundred dollars for gifts?

Eww, hollyb! Trying to brag a little about how much you spend on gifts and how that means you love your kids more? I know, probably not, but that's what it sounds like. Why should people feel guilty if they CHOOSE not to spend "a few hundred dollars" on shiny consumer junk?

I agree that a little something to open... a surprise from Santa... is a big part of Christmas morning for most families. If your kids still believe in Santa, I'd make sure there's something to open on that special day. But don't let guilt trap you into buying them stuff... that's so far from what Christmas is about!

 

[NeverBeen2DW]

How old are your kids?

 

[tjmw2727]

I will chime in and ask how old your children are as well, I think it might make a difference. We often give "experiences" as gifts, my dd's are 10 and 12 and they love them. If your children are younger it may be harder to understand, espcially since they don't realize the cost of the vacation.

It also sounds like you will be back home for Christmas morning. I don't know your situation but I would consider tyring to do at least one gift from the wish list if you can. It dosen't have to be the most expensive gift of course but maybe somehting on that "Santa" list rather than something they pick on the spur of the moment at Disney.

Sounds like you have a wonderful Christmas trip planned, take lots of pictures! I have a feeling, regardless of the number of gifts under the tree, that this is going to be a special Christmas for you all.

TJ

 

[4lilpoohs]

We will be there 12/13-12/26 My plan was giving each child one gift. Santa would give one gift plus the stockings. We would leave the gifts from us at home to open when we got back. I had my kids write lists. No one wants any really cool gifts. Just small things. So I had a problem with giving just one gift They are getting a lot less than they usually do though. So to answer your question I think one gift is a great idea...I just couldn't do it

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Were the kids part of the decision to go to Disney as their present? If they were, then they should be able to get it on some level. I think one thing to open Christmas morning will be great -- you can also watch the Disney Parade, look at photos, and talk about your fantastic trip!

 

[mojophone]

Ok, Our son is 12 and still makes a wish list but no longer believes in Santa, our daughter is 8, makes a wish list and still believes in Santa. As I said when I started this post, we are having them create a wish list while we are down in WDW and the wife and/or I are going to sneak off to Downtown Disney and get them each one thing from that list.

Now onward to something I shouldn't have to explain but will anyways. No I don't have the extra couple of hundred dollars to spend. The reason being is this past summer my wife lost her job and our income became extremely limited, mind you the trip to WDW had already been paid for which is why we are still going to go, but the full blown Christmas this year is not going to happen. As I said though we are getting them a little something so they at least have something to open up on Christmas morning even if it is something from Disney.

 

[tjmw2727]

Thanks for the update - I totally think the kids will understand that the trip is a big gift. If there is any dissapointment it will quickly fade while the memories of the trip will not!

Oh, and no you don't have to explain yourself, esp your finances. Just remember you are giving your whole family a wonderful Christmas gift.

Yes you are now allowed to jump, although you may be a bit tired by the time you leave

TJ

 

[livie1205]

i kn ow i will not feel guilty for not doing hundreds on gifts...this is a big trip and they will be at their OTHER parents house for chritmas this year (because we will have them for 8 days befor)plus they will get gifts on our trip.they will also get gift from other family...i was sorta poor when i was growing up and my mom and dad did what they could....i respect that and always understood why i could not get lots of stuff...and i NEVER got to go to wdw until i was about 23 and now i take my parents.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Hey! We'll be at Pop the same time as you (12/15-12/25).

Our trip is also basically our sons' Christmas present too. But, we're buying them each 3 things that they can open when we get back. They made lists that we shared with the grandparents, aunts and uncles so they'll probably end up getting most things on their lists, just not all from us. Our boys are 11 and 8 and they understand that the trip is very expensive. But they're still young enough that Santa will bring them a few things.

My husband and are hardly buying anything for each other. His birthday was in November and mine is at the end of December. We usually get each other a bunch of presents but we decided to scale back this year because of the trip. I got him a Nintendo DS Lite for his birthday and he's getting me an iPod for mine. For Christmas, we both get to pick out a watch at WDW. Besides the trip, that's it. I'm sure we'll buy t-shirts and misc. souveniers too.

I'm as excited about leaving as you are. We only have 10 days to go!!!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I'm not trying to judge anyone but IMHO I think the hard part with replacing the traditional Christmas morning with a trip to WDW, though God knows I love WDW, is that a child doesn't see any connection.
Santa is someone who watches over them, (sees them when they're sleeping, knows if they've been bad or good, etc.)
Why would Santa abandon them just because they're going to WDW? I think if anyone who does this should do it when their kids are so young that they don't really know they weren't home Christmas day. Maybe pretend it's Christmas on Dec. 23 and a 4 yo usually won't know the difference.
Otherwise wait until they no longer believe in Santa so that you can explain that WDW=your Christmas present.


When I was in 8th grade our parents asked us to pick one: Traditional Christmas vs. 2 weeks in FL (Vero Beach) with our friends from the shore and their parents. We all chose the FL trip but when we came home it was a huge let down and swore I'll never skip Christmas again. WDW is there all year long but Christmas is only one day of the year and to us it's more magical than WDW.
ok I'm done ramblin'

 

[tjmw2727]

big snip,
WDW is there all year long but Christmas is only one day of the year and to us it's more magical than WDW.
ok I'm done ramblin'

With all due respect the OP didn't ask if he/she should give a trip as a Christmas give, he/she already has, why pile on guilt? The question was how to handle the Christmas morning presents vs the wish list.

Personally, IMHO time with family, Monday or Christmas can be magical, no matter where you are or what presents you have. Family together on vacation is a great and true "gift".

The true meaning and "magic" of Christmas has nothing to due with a pile under the tree from "Santa".

TJ

 

[sgmom]

Maybe volunteering at serving a Christmas meal??

We are leaving in a few days and this is a gift from the grandparents. So, the splurging on the gifts this year is understandable and not expected - well the adults understand! DD is 2, so she has no clue. DS is 6 and will probably ask, I've already tried explaining that this is their gift. So, we usually get together to open presents on Christmas Eve and the little ones go crazy. However, instead of sitting around staring at the tree all evening, I'm suggesting that we as a family go volunteer. I hope it goes over well??!!!

As a kid, I remember looking at photos of our Christmas trip to FL and Disney, and remember having a few presents, but I don't remember my parents going all out to buy all the wish list items! Enjoy your trip!