traveling and holiday gifts?

CaseBride

We are going to drive to my parents for Christmas and New Year's this year. In the past when we have traveled for Christmas the kids were either too young to really know what day it was, or else we were flying, so there was no way it was possible for us to bring gifts with us. So we would just open them either before we left or after we got back.

But this year I am wondering what to do... we do have a minivan, but with three kids and all their assorted stuff, it's not exactly like we have a ton of room to bring presents, and they will be getting some from the grandparents anyway.

We were thinking of maybe just bringing the "Santa" presents and leaving the Mom/Dad presents at home (doing them before we leave).

I'd love to hear everyone else's experiences and opinions...

gault530

I think doing the mom and dad presents before you leave is perfect.  If they are old enough to expect presents, they are old enough to understand why you can't bring them.  Also, it's not like they are going to have anything to open.  It just extends the present opening a little bit.

todds_wife

gault530:

I think doing the mom and dad presents before you leave is perfect.  If they are old enough to expect presents, they are old enough to understand why you can't bring them.  Also, it's not like they are going to have anything to open.  It just extends the present opening a little bit.

All of this makes perfect sense.

We are flying, so there will be a lot of shipping going on both ways, I have a feeling.

PrncesWife

The present juggle is part of the reason why we stopped traveling on Christmas.  DD's first Christmas we drove out to CA.  I packed 1 huge suitcase that was only full of presents.  We don't give a lot of gifts (1 from Santa, 1 or 2 from us) and we only have 1 kid, so space wasn't as much of an issue. 

If there isn't room to bring all of them then I would probably do what you are thinking and just bring the santa gifts and do the ones from you either before you go (so they have new entertainment for the car) or after you get home.

Pesky

We're flying so I have shipped some Santa presents there, enough to keep them entertained for a bit.  Remaining Santa presents and presents from us will be here and we will open when we return.  So what you propose is fine, just be prepared to bring back more than you are taking!

uteandbuff

We traveled last year for Christmas and that might be the last year we do that for a LONG time!     We packed what we could and the Santa gifts.   The rest we left at home for her to open after Christmas.    The only hard thing was she really wanted a bike from Santa.   So we assembled it and put it in front of the tree and took a picture.   Then for Christmas - there was a letter from Santa with the picture saying it was waiting for her at home.  Right before we left town - I ran back into the house after she was in the car and put it under the tree so it was there and waiting when we got home.