Christmas suggestions

[dizzydrop]

So, we have 4 children and the plan this year is to wake up Christmas morning to a few presents under our tree...including tickets to Disney for everyone. We are going to leave our house on Christmas Day and our vacation begins for 2 weeks. My issue is all of the kids are asking Santa for the tix to Disney but they know we are going to FL...if Santa brings them tix then we will go to Disney while we are there. I just don't know what to put under the tree for gifts. I have bought towels and bathing suits so far but I need some simple things to put under there for the trip type things. I'm drawing a blank on what else to get. I really don't wanna spend a lot for under the tree because our trip will he enough but my kids are used a tree FILLED with gifts. I need help.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

How about stuff you need anyway, but Disney oriented? Like, pj's, sweatshirts, tshirts, etc...

Disney movie and game videos and music cd's
Little stuffies
Travel kits with toothbrush, comb, etc...
Do they have suitcases?
Traveling backpacks?
Coloring books
Regular books

 

[McKelly]

Do you let your kids eat candy? They have cute holiday themed candy around, Disney candy at Walgreens, that could be wrapped and put under the tree. We don't do stockings, so candy can be used as a "filler" under the tree.

How about pre-purchasing autograph books and/or the Epcot Passports.

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you go that route, I would remind the kids that WDW tickets are very expensive and that Santa will not be bringing other toys. If you are leaving that day, the excitement should help ward off the disappointment of few or no toys under the tree. I would consider adding a few travel toys from Santa. Maybe let the swim stuff be from mom and dad and get that Christmas eve so you can be completely packed by Christmas Day. A few well chosen toys to take on the trip could be added to carry on luggage after they are opened.
Suggestions:
DS or Vtec game
itune card if they have ipads or ipods
color wonder sets
small lego sets
books
magnetic sets

 

[pklein09]

I'm going to second the autograph book and perhaps a Disney themed pen. If they're crafty, you could get a blank book and give them stickers with which to decorate them during the car ride down.

A disposable camera for their own pictures.

A few Disney pins per kid for trading, if they're into that kind of thing.

Are they into reading maps? They could track their progress to Florida.

Make your own Bingo Cards. We did this for one of our trips down. I used corporate logos for the bingo cards (i.e. Honda, Toyota, Coca Cola, various hotels and restaurants), and slipped the sheets of paper into plastic sleeves. I then had dry erase markers for them to use so the bingo cards didn't get marked up. When someone got a bingo (or whatever pattern you choose), they got $1.00 spending money.

My kids were a little older and into exotic cars. If they found a Lotus, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Maserati, etc. they got $1.00 spending money. Porsche was out because there are so many of them on the roads in our neck of the woods.

Have a great trip!

 

[kimber11]

I wrapped up autograph books, costumes, coloring books and crayons for the plane, mickey and Minnie ears I found at a local party store, invitations for Bippiti Boppiti Boutique and Pirates League, and invitations to some of the character meals, disney photo albums, and I also wrapped up the free Disney planning dvd you can get for the kids to watch before we went. Hahah.

 

[TLuvsD]

I'd stash an item or two for when they get home--photo albums (those $1 from Michaels -- redo with a "Disney" themed front), picture frame for a favorite photo.

For the morning, anything you need to buy for the trip can be wrapped--sunblock, sunglasses, water bottles, snacks. Check the Dollar Spot at Target or the Dollar Tree store. I'd do the water bottles for sure--decorate with stickers, sharpies etc. Some ribbon (or webbing) to make those water bottle holder things (can't think of the name). Disney color hair bows for the girls (red, yellow, white, black). Check the craft forum for more ideas...

 

[bfamily5]

We are giving our 3 teens a trip to Disney for Christmas this year as well. We still do "Santa" - it's more for me than them, I think So When they get up Christmas morning they will open their gifts from each other and from extended family, then breakfast...while I am preparing breakfast, DH will sneak back down to the tree and put "the gift" under it. We plan to wrap an appliance box in Christmas wrap, with a huge bow...inside will be helium balloons that will pop up when released. At the end of the ribbon will be a sign that says we are going to Disney. I can't wait to see the look on their faces - must record on video!!! All that to say, kids typically associate the size of the box with the size of the gift. Have fun!!

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

Well, if you are planning on buying the kids souvenirs from Disney why not give them each their own Disney gift card. That way they can go shopping for their own and they will know that when the money is gone, it's gone!
I have found that when they are spending their own money they are very careful with what they buy. Also, don't know if it has been mentioned but bring some light up bracelets, sticks etc. for the night at the parks. They are expensive (and what isn't) at Disney. Have a very magical trip.

 

[mom2t]

How about pins they can use to trade at DW. I took our son when he was 5 . Mickey sent him a box( I placed it on the front porch before picking him up at preschool). In it was Disney items I bought on clearance, jacket, sweatśhirt, pins, coloring book, new Disney movies to watch on the trip down, Mickey baseball hat, pins to trade, etc. I bought of them on Christmas Eve online. We went in mid-Jan. Saved us a ton of money.

 

[seashell724]

I'm interested in this too. While we are not going until next fall I would like to ask for some Xmas gifts to use on our trip. Cuts costs.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Are they carrying any electronics on the trip?

*A good book if they don't get plane/car sick.
*Ipod gift card so they can download a movie or music for the trip.

My poor kids get underwear and socks when I need a filler to balance out presents. They laugh every year as they know why I'm doing it.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are giving our 3 teens a trip to Disney for Christmas this year as well. We still do "Santa" - it's more for me than them, I think So When they get up Christmas morning they will open their gifts from each other and from extended family, then breakfast...while I am preparing breakfast, DH will sneak back down to the tree and put "the gift" under it. We plan to wrap an appliance box in Christmas wrap, with a huge bow...inside will be helium balloons that will pop up when released. At the end of the ribbon will be a sign that says we are going to Disney. I can't wait to see the look on their faces - must record on video!!! All that to say, kids typically associate the size of the box with the size of the gift. Have fun!!

This is awesome! I hope you can post the video!

btw, love your avatar too!

 

[dizzydrop]

Thanks so much for the ideas. My older two have an iPad and a kindle fire so gift cards will be a good idea. We are driving down and it takes about 23 hours so we'll see what I can find in the stores for car ideas. I'm def gonna go check out autograph books and pens to order now. I have money put away to cash in for gift cards for each of them and I've asked both grammas to do Disney gift cards too. Last time we went down we spent tons of time at DTD and bought a ridiculous amount of toys and goodies so the gift cards will be great. It may be strange but my kids have so much they never use or appreciate and I just didn't want to spend 3 days putting away toys that I'll just donate in a few months, do that's why we chose to do our Disney trip at Christmas time!!! LOL, that makes it more for me probably hehehehe. Thanks again!!!

 

[mom2t]

Everyone got our son a small $5 gift the year we went and then money. He was 5 so he would not understand just getting money. We used this for his souvenirs on the trip.

 

[kymom99]

We are giving our 3 teens a trip to Disney for Christmas this year as well. We still do "Santa" - it's more for me than them, I think So When they get up Christmas morning they will open their gifts from each other and from extended family, then breakfast...while I am preparing breakfast, DH will sneak back down to the tree and put "the gift" under it. We plan to wrap an appliance box in Christmas wrap, with a huge bow...inside will be helium balloons that will pop up when released. At the end of the ribbon will be a sign that says we are going to Disney. I can't wait to see the look on their faces - must record on video!!! All that to say, kids typically associate the size of the box with the size of the gift. Have fun!!

I was thinking along these lines. A BIG box all wrapped up fancy with the tickets in it. That way they understand that this is a big gift. I like the balloon idea, too!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

We plan to wrap an appliance box in Christmas wrap, with a huge bow...inside will be helium balloons that will pop up when released. At the end of the ribbon will be a sign that says we are going to Disney. I can't wait to see the look on their faces - must record on video!!! All that to say, kids typically associate the size of the box with the size of the gift. Have fun!!

We did this one year...a huge box, with balloons, and I got one of those gift cards that plays music and cut out the music mechanism, and attached it to the flap of the box, so when they opened the box, the balloons flew out AND Disney music started playing...I think I used Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog...from the Mickey Mouse Club House.

Enjoy!

 

[rebbyparker]

We're doing the same thing! Taking my granddaughter as a surprise, leaving Christmas day. We'll do Christmas Eve with extended family and then all presents for Christmas morning will be Disney based. I bought a starter set of pins, will get an autograh book/bag and strap for pins from Etsy, a couple of gift cards (from Target), Disney sunglasses, rolls of quarters and pennies, with pressed penny locations map and Disney After Dark books on her Kindle. I also printed off a bunch of Disney printables (maps of the parks, where we have dining reservations and some other Disney puzzles, word searches, etc).

 

[MandiC]

I haven't read through all the other suggestions (yet! We are also surprising the kids at Christmas with the Disney trip, though they don't know we are going to Florida and they will have to wait a month after Christmas to actually go )
My ideas so far (keep in mind I have two girls ages 7 and 9)
-princess dresses to wear for our breakfast at the castle (I may sew these myself if I can get time to sew when they aren't around)
-luggage
-pins
-autograph books (I am making these)
-Disney clothing (I found some minnie mouse shirts at Kohls and have seen other princesses at Old Navy and The Children's Place, all in the $10 or less category)

 

[danygirl]

My dad and his best friend both used to wrap up things like 6 packs of soda, boxes of bricks, and other crazy stuff like granola bars if we had a big gift we didn't know about. One year I got an opal ring hidden in a box of old books. Still makes me laugh thinking about it.

Don't break the bank . It is the thrill of the unwrapping. The year we went to Disney our girls got itouches for the trip. Not much else