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Original poster

To ask for advice - should I keep holiday a surprise?

29 replies

Sharkwithknees · 16/05/2018 15:33

DD(8) knows we're going on holiday in August and this will be our main one. After I've had a crappy 12 months and DD's been overall a little star all year, I decided to book a 6 night break abroad in May half term, just me and DD. I've got an hotel booked the night before near to the airport and was planning on telling her were just going away for the night, which she's already excited about as she loves hotel stays for some reason Grin

My question is, at what point should I tell her? Or should I tell her now as I feel she's missing out on the build up and excitement?? Arghh I'm crap at keeping surprises Grin

OP posts:
LegoPiecesEverywhere · 16/05/2018 15:34

I would tell her now. The excitement is half the fun.

CaliforniaDream · 16/05/2018 15:42

Keep it a surprise! It'll be magic for her!

PixelAteMe · 16/05/2018 15:50

Keep it as a surprise, don’t tell her till bedtime in the hotel. She won’t sleep with excitement, but it will be amazing for her!

Original poster
Sharkwithknees · 16/05/2018 15:51

Arghh it's 1-1! Grin
If I did keep it a surprise, when would be best to tell her? In the morning before heading for the flight?

OP posts:
Original poster
Sharkwithknees · 16/05/2018 15:51

2-1 ha Smile

OP posts:
onlyconnect · 16/05/2018 15:52

I'd tell her. Looking forward to things is half the fun.

FrankiesKnuckle · 16/05/2018 15:53

Surprise! On the morning over breakfast' where are you going?

Piffpaffpoff · 16/05/2018 15:59

We didn’t tell our two that we were going to Disneyland Paris til we were on the train there. It was a disaster, they didn’t really understand it (they were a bit younger than your DD) and then they ran around like headless chickens when we got there not knowing what to do or where to go, making the first day was a nightmare!

I wish we’d given them a few day’s notice so that they could have got excited and thought about what they’d like to do when they were there. So I’m firmly in the ‘tell her’ camp.

RedHelenB · 16/05/2018 16:02

The build up is half the holiday for my kids .

Handsfull13 · 16/05/2018 16:05

You could always tell her you've booked a trip away but you don't have to tell her is out of the country or where your going til your at the airport. Then she gets a bit of both.

Original poster
Sharkwithknees · 16/05/2018 16:05

Argh don't know what to do now! I may just tell her the night before over dinner at the hotel. We're going to majorca. Then when we return it's the build up to the main hol Grin

OP posts:
ajandjjmum · 16/05/2018 16:09

You could still make it a surprise by telling her earlier - pack up a new swimsuit/sunglasses/summer dress as a gift, and let her open it when you choose to tell her. 'You'll be needing these next week' type of thing?

EllJ · 16/05/2018 16:32

I have a big birthday later in the year and my DH has started giving me clue cards with a puzzle I have to put together to work out what my gift will be. So far I have worked out that I'm going somewhere but I have no idea where!

Is it maybe worth doing something like that for her? Then you get to build up her excitement but still have a big reveal at the end for her.

MrsFezziwig · 16/05/2018 16:35

Wouldn’t an 8 year old notice you packing swimsuits & stuff?

BloodyBosch · 16/05/2018 16:37

I surprised my 7 year old last year. The look on his face was priceless. I would surprise him again for sure. I got him up in the morning, he had shower etc and I handed him clothes and said quick, get dressed we are going on holiday!!

TSSDNCOP · 16/05/2018 16:39

Tell her at breakfast. My DFriend did similar and her girls nearly passed out.

We are taking DS to Lapland three days before Xmas and I’m not telling him until we wake up in the airport hotel on the day.

Angrybird345 · 16/05/2018 17:07

Tell her!!!!!

Original poster
Sharkwithknees · 16/05/2018 17:13

Oh some great ideas here Grin thank you!!

MrsFezz- I don't plan on packing in front of her 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Sharkwithknees · 16/05/2018 17:14

Think I'm definitely leaning towards telling her at the hotel, possibly with a cryptic gift in the run up Grin She's beside herself with excitement at the night away we're having so will be fab to see her face Grin

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 16/05/2018 17:16

If it's a surprise she'll have six days of fun.

If you tell her now, she'll have however many days it is before you go, plus the holiday.

Tell her now and tell us what she said/did!

Aprilmightbemynewname · 16/05/2018 17:16

When we booked Longleat 2 yrs ago we woke dc's up at 6 am. We had packed the night before. Dd's were ecstatic but ds told me to go away and stop being stupid of course we weren't going on holiday!! They loved having it as a surprise!

Furano · 16/05/2018 17:20

Tell her, looking forward is half the fun!

VitriolicMuse · 16/05/2018 17:20

Surprise definitely. If it was me I would let her think the hotel was the holiday and then in the morning tell her the holiday has only just started! I do this sort of thing with my kids and seeing how excited they are!

ChessieFL · 16/05/2018 17:26

I would tell her before you go for the following reasons:

  • you say it’s just you and DD going so I assume there’s other family members who are staying at home (her dad??). My DD would hate not to say goodbye to her dad if she wasn’t going to see him for a week, so if you don’t tell DD before you leave home she will assume she will see him the following day when she won’t. I know you can skype but not the same.
  • your DD will probably want certain toys, books etc for a week away. You might not pack the right stuff!! My DD is already planning what she’s going to pack for our holiday in August, she’s already on about her fifth list as she keeps changing her mind what she will need!
Gazelda · 16/05/2018 17:28

We surprised DD and DS with a trip last summer. Told them the night before, when we arrived at the airport hotel.
It was a disaster! DD got very overwhelmed, emotional and finally confessed that she's afraid of flying and us springing a flight on her last minute hadn't given her chance to prepare herself or seek reassurance from us.

Her reaction ruined the surprise element for DS too.
All children are different, but the surprise was a definite mistake for us. In future, we'll make sure that the DC get to share the excitement of the build up.