Feeling Guilty...Should I?

[kribit]

We just booked a trip for 12 days in December arriving home the day after Christmas. We are very close with my family and my kids love their gramps and gran and I'm starting to feel a little bad that the kids won't be spending Christmas Day with them as usual. We usually have a large Christmas Dinner with lots of people at our home.

My husband feels that this will be a one time thing where our kids are still young and will probably only enjoy Christmas in Disney once in their lives. My mom said she was happy that we're going to enjoy that time, but I'm feeling a little guilty.

Anyone ever do this? Any thoughts?

 

[Perditamarie]

It will be a trip of a lifetime that everyone will remember. If it is making you crazy, can you change your dates to be in WDW a little earlier and be home for Christmas. If not, take your trip, don't feel guilty, and start a new tradition with a big New Years open house!

 

[robinb]

I agree! Go and have a great time. Replace your Christmas open-house with a New Year's open house.

 

[Mari annie]

I agree with everyone!

Start your own traditions!
My dad passed away last March, we do all the Holidays, and too much for me, so we did Disney and my kids and myself and dh were much happier!

We started a new traditions, we will now be going to MCO on 2 other Holidays as well.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I guess I am the unpopular vote here. I could never be away from our family at Christmas. Sure part of me would love to see Disney on Christmas but truthfully for me there is nothing like watchng my kids come out and see what Santa brought them and then making breakfast while we all watch the Christmas Parade. I cook for the holidays every year so I have a house full of company. I love it! Maybe because we had alot of loss growing up that I feel like Christmas should be with all of our family. Besides- my kids love it when all their grandparents and aunts and Uncles are here. We really have a good time. You have to do what you think is best for your family. I personally would not go away for Christmas. JMHO.

 

[susykt4]

My family never celebrates any holiday on the actual day. It's still just as special- everyone gets together and has a huge meal and celebrates. We just do it on the Saturday after Thanksgiving or for some strange reason this year we did the Thursday evening before Christmas. Keep your plans and celebrate w/ extended family when you return from vacation.

 

[momz]

you have one family, that you will have to deal with for all time. Why create a problem with the grandparents? they are an important part of your children's lives, they deserve be acknowledge as such. WDW celebrates Christmas for many weeks, you could change the dates and return home in time to enjoy your family. The kids will enjoy telling stories of their trip. I don't see the point of intentionally offending the grandparents, or huring their feelings over something so easily avoided.

 

[kribit]

Thanks everyone.

Turns out my parents always wanted to take us as young children to Disney during Christmas and are really happy for us. They may even join us for a few days to celebrate the holidays in Disney!! I know it's a long way off but we were discussing the whole trip this morning and we're so excited. The way we look at it, our kids are only going to be young once and we want to enjoy every minute of their innocence.

 

[Traveliz]

Not sure how old your kids are - but my daughter absolutely did not like the idea at all once when I brought it up - she clearly wanted to be home at Christmas. I can't remember how old she was at the time.

Now this next year she will most likely being doing the college program at Disney so she will be there and she is talking about that is the one day she will wish she wasn't there. We are all coming down a couple of days later but for her it still won't be the same.

Liz

 

[soccermom5]

we are doing the same thing but with another family so 17 of us we have 8 they have 9 but my ?? does santa come to disney or does he drop off at home

 

[kribit]

soccermom5...I had asked the same question and people seem to have Santa come to Disney. We're planning on getting a small artifical tree and one of the other posters suggested shopping at Downtown Disney when you arrive. I thought this was a wonderful idea. My ds loves Legos and they have a great store there. My dd loves anything. We've been lucky thus far, they don't ask for anything...we have to pry it out of them.

We arrive around 10am on a Sunday and didn't have any plans to go to parks that day, so we'll just shop and I'll hide the presents in the car, closet of the hotel etc... My kids are still young enough that we can get away with that. Are you flying? We're driving, so it will be a little easier to pack the car with wrap, etc...

 

[belle&beast]

I wish we could do this, but the response we got from the inlaws made our decision for us. It is better to just keep the peace. My parents would be happy for us and would probably join us, but DH's family can be difficult and it just would not be worth the years of stress it would bring.

 

[soccermom5]

we re hoping to fly but getting 17 of us on the same flight : but my idea was to tell the kids that santa could bring 5 presents each so put 10 on your list for him and going to walmart dwn there or packing an extra suit case i have plenty of time to figure it out i guess

 

[momz]

Thanks everyone.

Turns out my parents always wanted to take us as young children to Disney during Christmas and are really happy for us. They may even join us for a few days to celebrate the holidays in Disney!! I know it's a long way off but we were discussing the whole trip this morning and we're so excited. The way we look at it, our kids are only going to be young once and we want to enjoy every minute of their innocence.

kribit, you could not have had a better outcome to your dilemma. That is wonderful. Have a great time.

 

[LuvENDisney]

We just went to WDW for Christmas. Luckily, my side of the family went too. My inlaws were okay with us spending Christmas away because we celebrated the week before; opened presents and ate our big meal. However, my extended family who is used to getting together for Christmas was sad that we weren't home, but, of course, knew that this was a trip we couldn't pass off.

My children are very young, so, because we drove, we just brought a few of their gifts, smaller ones (i.e.CARS diecasts) and left the rest at home. My DS was soo happy to be able to open Christmas presents 3 times!

 

[Ksquared]

Good for you... I hope you have a wonderful time. I've often thought about going over Christmas but have decided to wait awhile...perhaps when the kids are a bit older.......I don't think I could deal with the crowds, etc.......right now I'm content on staying home for Christmas.......next year we are going down in early December so we can see Disney with all the Christmas lights and I'm real excited about that.....

I think what I'd like to do one year is surprise the kids with a trip maybe leaving the day after Christmas or Christmas night........and staying over New Year's.......

 

[Barb D]

We went to WDW in December (before Christmas) once, and probably won't do it again. For our family, we've decided that we'd rather "spread out the special" instead of having the special of Christmas and the special of Disney at the same time. Just something else to think about. Your family may vary, of course!

I'm sure you'll have an awesome time no matter what you decide!

Oh -- and another thought -- while your kids are little is a great time to go in the off season (like October) when it isn't so crowded.

 

[LoveMyDisneyCats]

Go for it! We've spent the actual Christmas in WDW several times..luckily my parents and sister have gone with so that eases my guilt about the kids/grandparents thing. Inlaws have never gone, but are always ok with it- They say TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT if we can! We just do their x-mas before or after. Actually it makes Christmas for us and them. Instead of cramming 3-4 family Christmas gatherings in to two days. We can actually enjoy the holiday and it makes it last a couple weeks since we do the family stuff before or after. Plus, my kids see both sets of grandparents several times each week and usually talk to them everyday. So getting together on Christmas for us is like a normal day with the added presents and turkey. I guess if you don't see your families that much, I could understand that it's more of a special gathering, as it should be!

As for presents, Santa always brings some special Disney gifts and puts them under our "tree." One year it was a small artifical tree (ordered though Disney florist- very pretty and easy, but kind of pricey- plus we had to ship it home). Another year my then 3 year old and her grandma colored and cut one out and then we taped it to the wall (asked the shop at the resort for large paper...the stuff they wrap breakables in). They also used the paper and made a fireplace which we taped on the door so Santa could get in. The people at the resort shop also gave us some old postcards and little "giveaways" (like the mickey shaped plastic balloon weights) to use as ornaments and they gave us silver paper for a star too. They were so awesome- they actually kind of got into it too! I also bought some Mickey shaped ornaments and taped those on our "tree." It was a really fun way to make Christmas OURS and make it special. After all, we had a tree at home already...
We also brought Disney stockings with us to hang (cheaper from a Target, Menards, etc., or get them at Disney Store/DisneyShopping.com) These are EASY to take with since they're flat!!! I just waited and picked up stuffers at Downtown Disney and the Orlando Walmart/Target (being Orlando, they have great selections of Mickey products- especially stocking stuffer size- for pretty cheap).

As for other presents, when we get home there's always Santa's big delivery waiting for us (yes my kids are incredibly spoiled). Either have someone come and put out the stuff an hour or so before you plan to arrive home or if you arrive home late in the night like we always do, you'll be carrying the kids to bed anyways so just do it then.

Whatever you decide to do- have fun! And good luck with the family, hopefully it'll work out that they can go with!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We spent 10 days at WDW in December, arriving home on Christmas Day. We thought it was a good compromise since we still got to spend part of Chistmas with our family. Being in Calif, we got our 3 hours back by flying west. We got home at 2:30 p.m., so we still had enough time for presents and dinner at my parent's house.

I will say that it felt weird not being at home for the time leading up to Christmas. My sister called us in our room on Christmas Eve and we talked to everyone at her house on the speaker phone. I felt a little pang of homesickness! It was also weird flying on Christmas Day. We had our Christmas lunch at the airport in Dallas. It felt like just another day at the airport. I was glad to be home at get to my parent's house for all the Christmas festivities!

I'm glad we took our trip. It was wonderful seeing all the decorations. But I was also glad to be home!