Last December my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and she passed away last spring. So my stepfather, my husband, my daughter an myself are all going away to Mexico for Christmas this year. Didn't want to be at home this Christmas. I've spent every Christmas Eve-Day at my mom's house my entire life.
All the rest of our family (my in-laws and grandparents, etc) lives out of town and will be sending Christmas presents to the house.
Question is what to about Christmas presents for my almost 6 year old daughter who still believes in Santa? Obviously we can't take all the presents on the plane. So do we open presents first before we leave. Take one or 2 small ones with us and open those there and the rest when get back? Never been out of town for Christmas. This is going to be a hard year for all of us, want to make it as easy as I can for the little one.
Would it be possible to ship some presents before hand so they will be there when you arrive then ship them home?? or have santa leave them at home and deliver a couple to the tree where you are staying!
A. J
K.,
My sister has done this a lot. They have lived out of state-town from my parents. We are a close family and like to spend Christmas Eve at my parents. They load up the car, and put the kids in, one of them stays upstairs while the other puts the kids in the car. While the kids are all in the car, my sister, usually, puts the presents out. My brother in law always says "mommy is so slow" the boys never think she's putting out the present. Then when they come home they can see that Santa has come.
She brings a few gifts with them for them to open on Christmas morning and leaves a note from Santa, that the big presents are at their home...
God Bless You Family, I know it has to be hard on you without your Mother!
When we have been in that situation, we have taken a couple of small things with us (or bought them in the country we were visiting) and told the kids that Santa will leave the gifts home. Try to see if someone can set them up in your house, so when you arrive all the gifts are by the tree.
When we were going to be out of town on Christmas day, Santa made a surprise visit early, the morning we were leaving. He left a note that said "Surpise!! I heard you were not going to be home on Christmas morning and I didn't want to miss you, so I decided to come early. Merry Christmas!!" The kids were so excited because they did not expect it at all!!!
I asked a similar question and got a lot of responses. Here is the link to the post. http://www.mamasource.com/request/6198615156289699841
:)
We have Christmas every other year out of town. Santa ONLY comes to our house. I set it up before we leave and have my husband pick me up when it is ready and the kids do not come back in the house. We send Santa an email letting him know we are going to be in Houston, but please go ahead and leave the presents at the house. They get plenty of presents in Houston to keep them occupied until we get back. If I knew they were not going to get much down there I would take a couple of things with us that travel well for them to open, but they would not be the ones from Santa.
K.,
I would tell the little one that Santa is coming early with the big stuff because he knows you all are leaving town. Then I'd make a great stocking and maybe one or two "bigger" or "better" gifts and bring those for actual Christmas morning. Have the relatives send them so that they get there before you leave and can be opened early also...good luck to you guys!
I have heard about santa making special trips early or late to accommodate christmas schedules. This was done for my niece last year who was at her dad's for christmas then celebrated later at her mom's house. She is 8 so that was probably her last year of believing, but it seemed to work.
Santa goes to Mexico so have him leave several smaller gifts there for her. When you get home, there will be the rest under the tree. Santa knew you guys were in Mexico this year, but did not skip your house. This way it will seem like 2 Christmas mornings!
just a thought.......bring just a few gifts. Santa could leave a note that he left the big stuff at home so that it will be waiting for her........
I would have Santa stuff her stocking (that you take with you) in Mexico. "E-mail" santa and tell him where you are going to be and that the big stuff will need to be delivered to the house but you will have her stocking with you. Then she will look forward to getting home to see what Santa left. I don't know how you do Santa (wrapped or unwrapped) but have a friend set it up after you leave for your trip. Have a blessed Christmas and your mom will be with you in your hearts.
We went out of town for Christmas once . . .actually came home Christmas night. We were able to arrange for others to put the presents under the tree so that when we walked in the door that night my kids were so excited that Santa still knew to deliver the presents to their home. We did have a couple of smaller presents at our location, and we said that Santa probably knew they would like a couple of things to open on X-Mas morning. Do you have any local friends/neighbors you can trust to do this for you?
Ship the packages or leave a few packages at the house in her bedroom. Upon your return, she can open them then.
