Disney For Christmas

[tmggeorge1]

I have 4 kids at Christmas they will be 13, 12, 10, and 2. I have been debating whether I wanted to buy a bunch of Christmas presents or take a trip to Disney. I have leaned on a trip to Disney as the older kids have everything and don't really need anything new. We haven't been to Disney since 2012 and don't currently have a trip planned till 2018.

My question is what would you give them under the tree so that when Christmas morning comes they have something to open. I swear with each passing year it gets harder to buy for them. Plus I am tired of wasting money on stuff that they lose interest in after a short while. I think the memories would be nice. Any opinions would be great as I am struggling to pull the trigger and spend the money.

We would leave Jan 13th. So not right over Christmas but pretty close.

 

[Lynne G]

well, my kids are bigger, and for the last 4 years, we've done trips instead of stuff for Christmas. I'd get gift cards and some shirts or small stuff for the trip. I'm with you, as they get older, the price of what they want goes up, and my kids also have a need for nothing. Thus, even this Christmas, we're going on vacation, and no big gifts. I do always have some little gifts, and fill their stockings.

I'd say go for it, and give the main gifts the trip. Family time is worth more to me, than giving large gifts that they don't really need.

 

[Sagginit]

I would buy anything they might need for the trip like autograph books with pens, gift cards, pins, new hats/mouse ears etc. I learned about the Parks App last week and since they run discounts/sales I may just window shop on my trip and buy some items from the app to have the "souvenirs" sent home. You can check it out for maybe some items you would buy once there.

Another idea is when I was a child I would get some speciality candies or candy in special holiday packaging and if the box was big enough my parents would wrap it instead of trying to cram in a stocking. Like lifesavers had rolls that came in a box that looked like a book and my mother still buys me this giant toblerone set each year. Target often has cartwheel deals or sales on these items so you can buy a few for a low price plus then its a theme of sorts.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I love this idea, but kids just love to open presents. So I agree with the PPs, give them things that will make the trip special
-magic bands (you can order stick ons customized to each child)
- family t-shirts
- costume for the little one?
-airplane pillows?


Experiences. If you typically do BBB, or Face painting, or pick a pearl, gift an invitation to that experience. For pick a pearl, we gifted the pearl cages from Santa.

 

[kymom99]

One year I gave my son a trip to great wolf lodge. I bought a gift card, tshirt, and a stuffed wolf and wrapped it up to let him know we wee going and we went in January. He loved it

 

[verleniahall]

What about starting with a "family gift" that says that you are going to disney

then do special things FOR the trip - pick a pear cage (can get them from etsy - super cute), gift card, t-shirt (you can find some cool retro ones on kohls) and some other "goodies"

Maybe a special "family event" like the Behind the Seeds Tour or something from Santa?

 

[princesskimberella]

Will you tell them before Christmas ? If not I would do a family gift for the the trip and small stocking stuffers. We have gone a few times the week leading up to Christmas the first time I felt kinda empty not having anything under the tree so they did have gifts to open Christmas morning. The past year they told me no gifts ! We came home Christmas Eve and they put all their stuff they had gotten from the trip under the tree We all slept in Christmas morning, had nice breakfast and talked about our trip before we went to visit family.

My kids are 16,14 and 13 so they get that's it not all about gifts and Santa. I did see you still have a little one so small things may be the way to go.

The $ does add up and I prefer taking that money and making memories than buy stuff they will out grow or not use a month later. This year we are looking into Universal at winter break.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Disney gift cards with trip spending money. You can select from multiple card designs at the Disney store online so they don't get mixed up. Disney stuffed animal/s for the 2 year old so they have something to hold onto and enjoy on Christmas Day.

 

[Narnia_girl]

I love this idea. I've been trying to live a simpler (less stuff) life the last few years. (Reading Joshua Becker, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus for example). I often fail, but it's a process of valuing experiences and people over more stuff.

If you do the trip, I'd suggest you casually bring up the topic of experiences vs. stuff with your older kids between now and then. It doesn't have to be a big philosophical discussion but can be fun: would you rather visit the Grand Canyon or get a new iPad? If you could spend the day white water rafting or shopping at a mall, which would you choose? We have dinner table conversation starters like this; You can tailor the questions to your family. I think it helps shift kids thinking from Christmas=stuff.

Of course everyone likes presents, especially little ones, so a few gifts as suggested above would be nice.

I have a friend who started something similar last year. At Thanksgiving, one child get chosen (at random) and they get to spend the next few weeks planning a family vacation (with mom/dad's help). Then on Christmas they have a scavenger hunt with clues to reveal where the family trip will be. I think that is such a fun idea!