Need Creative Minds to Help Plan Christmas Day at Disney

[joyerbides]

We, DH,DS's 15,12 & 8, and DD4 will be spending our first Christmas at the World. That in itself is a great X-Mas present. However, DS8 & DD4 still believe in Santa. We don't want them to think Santa forgot them, but I'm not sure how to do presents this year. Obviously, most of our money is going to this vacation, so money will be a little tight. How can we get presents for the kids to put under a little tree (will probably get one while we are there), without them knowing? Any creative X-Mas suggestions? Anyone who has been there on X-Mas day with kids, what did you do for this holiday? Thanks for helping

 

[Lesley Mahler]

I haven't been there for Christmas, but I do have an idea, don't know if it will work or not, but someone who has been can maybe comment on it.

My idea is to pay attention to things your kids really want while in the parks, sneak away and purchase them and then have them sent to your hotel, not your room. Talk to the CMs at check in and explain to them things are going to be sent to the hotel and you pick the things up on Christmas Eve. Then once the kids are asleep, you can go down and get the gifts and put them under the tree. Again, this is just an idea, I have never been for Christmas, so I have no clue how this would actually pan out?

 

[Astro Orbiter]

I must have the easiest DD5 in the world - she's well-trained that Santa, Easter Bunny, tooth fairy - all of them will only come to her home.

We spent last Xmas out of state - she ran in the door on Dec 28 and her presents were under the tree, waiting to be ripped into! Somehow on the way to the airport there's always something I need to run back in for...

She lost a tooth at WDW, we held it until we got home and tooth fairy showed up the next night.

Sell it the right way and it's not that your boys are being forgotten. It's that Santa only comes to your house; he'd get confused if he had to drop presents off at hotels or grandpa's house. Not to mention it's easier on Mom!

 

[joyerbides]

I haven't been there for Christmas, but I do have an idea, don't know if it will work or not, but someone who has been can maybe comment on it.

My idea is to pay attention to things your kids really want while in the parks, sneak away and purchase them and then have them sent to your hotel, not your room. Talk to the CMs at check in and explain to them things are going to be sent to the hotel and you pick the things up on Christmas Eve. Then once the kids are asleep, you can go down and get the gifts and put them under the tree. Again, this is just an idea, I have never been for Christmas, so I have no clue how this would actually pan out?

That is actually a great idea. Thank you.

 

[joyerbides]

I must have the easiest DD5 in the world - she's well-trained that Santa, Easter Bunny, tooth fairy - all of them will only come to her home.

We spent last Xmas out of state - she ran in the door on Dec 28 and her presents were under the tree, waiting to be ripped into! Somehow on the way to the airport there's always something I need to run back in for...

She lost a tooth at WDW, we held it until we got home and tooth fairy showed up the next night.

Sell it the right way and it's not that your boys are being forgotten. It's that Santa only comes to your house; he'd get confused if he had to drop presents off at hotels or grandpa's house. Not to mention it's easier on Mom!

We thought about that too. Just shopping before we go and when we get back, having presents under the tree waiting for them. It would probably work, but then again, I feel slightly guilty for not having something for them on X-Mas day. But of course, that is really my problem, not theirs.

 

[Lesley Mahler]

That is actually a great idea. Thank you.

You're welcome!!

 

[pookybean]

we were there for christmas last year, i have a 13 and a 7 yr old and had a 2 week old at the time. we wrote santa a letter telling him we were going to be in disney. set up a tabletop tree when we got there. santa left the kids stockings with a few little things (a couple of gamboy games, mix stick things, basicly small things they could use there or back on the plane). santa wrote a note that he left the big things at home. i had a friend come in and set up all the other stuff under the tree so it was there when we got back.

worked out well and she never questioned anything. that way i didnt feel any "guilt" for them not really having anything on actual christmas day.

megan

 

[joyerbides]

That actually is the best of both worlds

 

[4lilpoohs]

In 2006 we were there Christmas Day. We drove so that made it easier bringing gifts. We set up a table top tree. I forgot the stockings so I had to lay out a sock from each boy. lol Santa left a couple gifts for each boy. One gift for each of them was bought there. Plus he laid the stocking stuffers next to the socks. This year we are spending Christmas in Disney again

 

[disneymomto5]

If you're flying and need to keep packing to a minimum, I'd mail a few small things ahead of time. Maybe plan a special dinner for one night as a gift also we don't usually do alot of character meals so that would be a real treat for my kids.

 

[daisyduck123]

We spent Christmas week 2007 in WDW.
Our youngest (DS9) still totally believes in Santa...so I made sure I did everything right that I could:

1) I preordered a Christmas tree from www.peggyssweetsandmore.com. She delivered/set it up/decorated our room a little, while we were out at AK our 1st morning in WDW. She even brought Christmas cookies.

2) I was able to secretly pack all of the gifts & kept them hidden until it was time to put them out on Christmas Eve.

3) I let DS pick where we were having Christmas breakfast ('Ohana) & Christmas dinner (Chef Mickey).

4) I booked a sleigh ride at the Wilderness Lodge. We went on it right after dinner on Dec. 23. The kids were really surprised.

5) We went to the last night of MVMCP. Everyone had a great time!!

6) On Christmas Eve, Santa, Mickey & Minnie (dressed in their holiday outfits) were in our resort lobby AKL, for autographs & pictures. That can't be beat!! Hardly any lines for Mickey & Minnie & NO line for Santa.

 

[FE Mom]

We arrived on Christmas day. Party of 15 - 7 kids aged 2 to 10. We did not try to recreate an "at home" Christmas. We were thrilled to be together at WDW! We did bring gifts for the kids, but they were from us, not Santa, and all had a vacation theme. They received Disney crocs, autograph books and pens, scrapbooking materials, and Disney Dollars to spend. Grandparents also provided princess dresses and pirate booty. It was wonderful.

We, too, had dinner at Chef Mickey's. The only change I would have made is to hang out for MK fireworks or plan a cruise. The parents of the youngest children were ready to head back to SSR and to bed before it got too late.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We had a little Christmas tree that we brought along with us. I packed some smaller presents in my suitcase and left them in there when I unpacked. On Christmas Eve night after my son went to sleep, I got the presents out and put them under the tree. I also left him a note with my Santa writing on it (very different from my normal writing) to tell him that I left his big stuff under the tree at home and to look for it there. When we got home that night, he ran to the living room and there is was. We had picked him up from day care and didn't go home before leaving on our trip, so we had it all set up before we left home.

 

[luvpoohbear]

Sounds boring, but we were there on Christmas in 2002. My boys were 4 and 5. I bought one small gift that I could pack in my suitcase for each of them. On Christmas morning, Santa left them in their Sorcerer Mickey hats along with a note that he had visited our house and wanted them to know that he didn't forget them. They were excited to know that when we returned home there would be more surprises for them.

At first they were both disappointed that there weren't more presents there, but when it finallly sunk in that all the presents would be waiting at home, they were just fine!! They had a great time during the rest of our stay and it was probably the only time that they were excited to go home!!!

 

[joyerbides]

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