Is there anyway to spin a vacation as an Christmas gift if it happens before?

[Camelfeet]

DH has the nov 29th- dec 7th off.  We are considering going on vacation - ultimate destination unknown, but we will obviously have to book something in the next couple of days.

 

Our initial plan was to go on a vacay mid jan, but due to a national holiday DH can take a 9 day vacation with only taking 2 days off work.  

This ruins my Christmas plans, because I was going to spin the vacation as a christmas gift and get them things like a new outfit, books, and travel stuff related to our holiday.  Stuff that we will probably need to get anyway....  

 

Is there anyway to spin it as "still a Christmas present" even if the vacation ends 2 weeks before christmas?  DH thinks so, but I'm worried I'll have disappointed kids when the christmas tree only has a couple pressies underneath.   I mean, 2 weeks is a long time ago to a 6 year old.

 

 

[SpecialClassical]

What if you surprise them with an early Christmas? Put up the tree, do the presents, make the meal, and enjoy! Just choose a day (a few days before you plan to go?) and have them wake up to a wonderland in their home. Then on Christmas have a day of family games, popcorn, movies, and treats!

[Camelfeet]

What if you surprise them with an early Christmas? Put up the tree, do the presents, make the meal, and enjoy! Just choose a day (a few days before you plan to go?) and have them wake up to a wonderland in their home. Then on Christmas have a day of family games, popcorn, movies, and treats!

 

 

Ok, I sort of like this.  The surprise factor would definitely be cool - something TOTALLY unexpected.  

[SpecialClassical]

It is more work for you all at once, but they will remember it forever!

[Tess in the Burbs]

We are going on vacation before Christmas and everyone knows it's our Cheustmas gift. We do this every other year. No complaints!

[J-rap]

I like the idea of celebrating Christmas -- maybe not a full-blown Christmas but somewhat -- early, before the trip, and give your kids what you wanted to give them.  (The itinerary, a new outfit, things to do  on the trip, etc.)  When it's actually Christmas day, maybe you can do a picture show of the trip, and present each of your children with a little souvenir of the trip  that you secretly picked up.  ;-)

[gingersmom]

My kids Chanukah present is a trip we are not taking till June. 

 

Take lots of pictures and you can make them photo albums to give as Christmas gifts. 

[MomOfOneFunOne]

AMDG

 

Well, admittedly I haven't done this with a kiddo yet but when we did the same sans kids, we still decorated for and celebrated Christmas but the gifts were a bunch of unsorted pictures and empty albums and misc. doo dads to play with (even though we're adults): a jar of sand, bits of stuff from the beach, hotel soaps with bows, stuff like that.  I wrapped most of it like regular Christmas presents or hung it on the tree as ornaments.  We had caribean food instead of traditional. 

[DaffodilDreams]

My kids Chanukah present is a trip we are not taking till June.

 

Take lots of pictures and you can make them photo albums to give as Christmas gifts.

Great idea! In the past, snapfish has had a buy one get two free deal around the holidays. That would make it super cheap!

[Erica in OR]

If you do photo albums, consider letting the kids take the lead. A Christmas gift one year was for them each to choose an empty photo album from the store, then go through our digital photos and select the pictures they liked the best to fill the album. Someone mentioned Snapfish—I haven't used it, but maybe there's choices the kids could help make? A Christmas break project? Or something to fill the time between the trip and Christmas?

 

Erica in OR

[Ottakee]

I like the idea of the picture books with photos the kids chose as their favorites--and you can add in a few favorites as well.

 

Maybe a T-shirt or something else from your destination to remember the trip.

[Starr]

6 years olds don't need expensive presents. I would still have things wrapped on Christmas and have a chat with Santa.

[fraidycat]

What if you surprise them with an early Christmas? Put up the tree, do the presents, make the meal, and enjoy! Just choose a day (a few days before you plan to go?) and have them wake up to a wonderland in their home. Then on Christmas have a day of family games, popcorn, movies, and treats!

  

I like the idea of celebrating Christmas -- maybe not a full-blown Christmas but somewhat -- early, before the trip, and give your kids what you wanted to give them.  (The itinerary, a new outfit, things to do  on the trip, etc.)  When it's actually Christmas day, maybe you can do a picture show of the trip, and present each of your children with a little souvenir of the trip  that you secretly picked up.  ;-)

  

I like the idea of the picture books with photos the kids chose as their favorites--and you can add in a few favorites as well.Maybe a T-shirt or something else from your destination to remember the trip.

I think these are all great ideas!

 

Early Christmas, then souvenirs and photo albums/ scrapbooking supplies for Christmas morning. Perhaps, just printed pics and empty albums/scrapbooks and the family could spend Christmas Day actually making the scrapbooks from the trip.