Need Creative input!

[lifesgr8]

DH & I are giving our kids a trip to Walt Disney World for Christmas this year. That is the gift. With kids ranging from ages 3-16 (5 kids total) I still want to make Christmas morning special. I was thinking of doing some kind of scavenger hunt/puzzle that as the kids open the boxes they would figure out what they were getting. I need some input as I only have come up with a few ideas. In the past everything under the tree has been from Santa so in keeping with that tradition I have come up with a riddle that will be the first box.....

Dear family,
This year Santa has a new tradition for you
Before you get upset…..I promise you won’t be blue
Your gifts this year take a bit of thinking
While you open them an answer you will be seeking
Open the gifts according to the tags
Open with joy the boxes and bags
As you look in with surprise
Clues to the riddle will arise
The riddle? What is our gift this year?
By the time you open the last box it will be clear!

Love,
Santa Claus



so far I have
socks with 9 pairs in the box (9 days gone)
lego airplanes for the little boys (ride a plane to get there)
safari lego toys for little boys (wdw safari park)
2 of my older boys need luggage so they will be getting a roller bag
I was going to get luggage tags for the kids that already have luggage
new swimsuits for everyone (warm,pool where we are going)

my dh won an ipad at work, in june.(I hid it for christmas) we thought when all was said and done they could open the ipad with a wdw app loaded if it wasnt clear to them.

i also thought I could wrap their plane tickets and disney tickets but, that would be a dead give away and I am working on making them figure out via clues but, i need something in between ??? any fun, inexpensive, things I could throw in for filler?

I thought I would have a chart hanging on the wall and fill in the clues as we go. I also have already figured stocking stuffers would be travel essentials and snacks for the trip. All the food is paid for,and I will still have some disney visa rewards to use by then. So I am thinking the kids wont need much if any spending money because I will use my rewards points for all of that.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Check out this thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2809643

 

[lifesgr8]

Txs! Got my brain movin!

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Maybe pj's with characters on them, or shirts? Maybe stuffed animals?

When I asked a similar question last year, someone suggested a large box filled with Disney balloons (think fridge box) that will pop out when they open it. Attached to the bottom of the balloons could be the big reveal: A letter or tickets? Maybe a sign saying: "We're going to Disney World!" Even if they figure it out before you get to that point, it will still be fun to reveal the answer that way.

I like to give my kids disney gift cards on holidays to use in the parks. Maybe a card attached to a balloon for each kid in the box? I don't know...just thinking what I would do!

 

[kwdw]

For the ones old enough to understand a gift card - I'd have the last item be a Disney Gift card - as I think you got to "a trip someplace warm" - but you didn't get them all the way to "Disney"

The gift card only needs to 5-10 dollars - since you said you had reward points for their spending money. The ones not old enough to understand a gift card or use it - maybe some Disney stickers?

Or - if you need the last one to be even cheaper - buy a multiple pack of stickers - and divide it up among all of them.

This is a great idea, btw. Still something to open - which can feel important to kids..... - but the focus on the trip.

 

[noahdove]

Glow sticks for Electric Parade and Wishes? A magnet with your family name on it for your door? Snack packs so that they will have something to eat while waiting in line? Can't wait to see what others think Have a very magical and blessed Christmas.

 

[jennamarie]

Maybe pj's with characters on them, or shirts? Maybe stuffed animals?

When I asked a similar question last year, someone suggested a large box filled with Disney balloons (think fridge box) that will pop out when they open it. Attached to the bottom of the balloons could be the big reveal: A letter or tickets? Maybe a sign saying: "We're going to Disney World!" Even if they figure it out before you get to that point, it will still be fun to reveal the answer that way.

I love that with the balloons! That would be so exciting!

And I agree with PJ's with characters on them or the shirts, maybe shirts they can wear at Disney. If you are into autograph books maybe special Disney pens and a cheap disposable camera so they can take their own pictures on the trip?

Have fun!

 

[MapleGirl]

• Glitter/pixie dust
• fairy wands/foam swords from the dollar spot at Target (magic kingdom)
• Small animal figurines (animal kingdom)
• a Disney movie or a movie clack board (DHS)
• passport for stamping (Epcot)
• make a little book with pics of each of the new fabulous cupcakes (see cupcake thread on the food board) with a spot on each page to check off when you try it and what the family's thoughts were on each one
• sunscreen
• hats/sunglasses
• waterproof card/key holder for the water parks
• floaties for the pools
• a countdown calendar made from mickey heads from Home Depot

 

[GSUJillybean]

My kid is 4, and someone in another thread suggested a paper chain to kind of give him an idea of how long it is until we leave.

So, his final gift is going to be a box with a paper chain and a postcard from Mickey saying that, when there's only one link left, Mommy will bring him to come visit Mickey's house.

 

[lifesgr8]

I thought I would post an update incase anyone came across this issue for themselves. This is what I came up with for Christmas morning. I had all the boxes wrapped in different patterns of Disney paper. The night before the kids got Disney pajamas. I made a poster board with numbers on it and had a marker next to it so as they opened the boxes...we would fill in the clues to the "real" gift.

1. the letter from Santa. I had the oldest read this to the younger kids.
2. stretchy gloves (for colder nights in the park)
3. Animal stuff (for animal kingdom) older kids got animal snacks like animal cookies, crackers and fruit snacks. Younger kids got toy trains and an animal lego set
4. toy airplane for younger kids older kids got playing cards with the word aviator on them (clue is airplane)
5. itunes card & new earbuds for older kids. Younger kids got a leap pad (clue was something to do on airplane)
6. they all got something to do on the airplane. Activity/puzzle books from the dollar store that were disney themed.
7. i went throughout walmart looking for things with "the world" on it. in the cookie isle there is a company called the world that makes all different kind of cookies on it. some got those. oldest son got an air freshener for his truck that had the word world on it. younger son got a new book he wanted to read with the word world in the title.
8. new swimsuits
9. box of socks with 9 pairs in each box (9 days of travel)
10. each got a new outfit
11. luggage bag
12. rain ponchos
13. went to the grocery store asked the dairy dept guy for a box that the florida orange juice came in. He gave me 1 for each kid. I then went to the dollar store and bought a whole bunch of disney items (puzzles, toys, cards, etc etc, there is a ton!) wrapped those items and put them in the box. then I wrapped the orange juice box. (clue...florida & disney)
14. then dh won an ipad at work several months earlier. i loaded the disneyworld line wait times app on it. had the kids open it and see what app was running. just incase they didnt already know....they could figure it out then.

they each also got a disney movie to open in the orange box. i also got each child and extra gift that the opened randomly of somthing they had been wanting for a while. that had nothing to do with the trip. just something they wanted or needed that I wanted to throw in.

they are stoked! we still have 20 more days and we are already packing!

it was alot of work and crazy to pull off but, it was fun. i went way over budget since the trip was supposed to be the gift but, they are still young and it was alot of fun. I told the older kids....next year you will really just get a trip!

 

[ChristyG180]

Just saw this -- what a GREAT idea! how did it work out this year?

 

[lifesgr8]

Just saw this -- what a GREAT idea! how did it work out this year?

It went great. We have not left for our trip yet. It was alot of work and took me way over my budget but, it was worth it! It made the trip all the more special. Read my post right before yours and you can see details.