Travel stress

[YoungYolandaYorgensen39]

How do you do Christmas if you are going to stay with someone? Do you take all your presents with you or save them to open when you get home?

We are going away for Christmas this year, driving 300 miles to stay with my DM for four or five days.There are six of us (me DH, four kids.

This morning I woke up at 5am panicking about how we will fit all our stuff into the car and whether we should leave some presents behind to open at home.

We have been away for Christmas before but it was when the kids were much smaller and it was easier to keep the magic (ie belief in Santa) alive. Now I’m stressing that the older two will spoil it for the little ones as they will see all the bags of presents crammed in the car. If we don’t take the presents there won’t be much to open on Christmas Day and we also have to come up with a plan to explain why the presents are not there...

It’s all just proving to be a headache at the moment.

Any suggestions to make it less stressful?

Thanks.

Have you bought every thing. You could get it delivered near your mum? Drive at night so the kids are asleep? Bribe the older kids?

Yes, take all the presents! Pack them in the back under a blanket before the kids get in the car.

You are overthinking this!

(Unless you have bought them all bikes)

Yes we’ve bought almost all the children’s presents. I did consider getting some sent ahead but we would have the same problem coming home and have presents from the rest of the family too. Night time driving might work. Bribes for the big ones - possibly!

As much as I’m looking forward to Christmas with my wider family I’m starting to appreciate how straight forward and complication free Christmas as home is.

No, no bikes!

Just had a brain wave. A car roof top box! Are they difficult things to fit and use? Never had one before.

OP, if you both drive then hire a care for presents and luggage both ways. It will add to the cost of Christmas but its worth paying for your peace of mind.

Here's to a great Christmas with your Mum and extended family.

A car roof top box!

We cross posted. Great idea, and I think if you buy from Halfords they'll fit it for you as well. I seem to recall a car outside a Halfords in the summer having it done.

We went away for Christmas once when I was younger. Santa only delivers to your house so we had some presents whilst we were away then the bigger Santa presents when we got home.

Borrow a roof box is the simplest solution. Otherwise take some and leave some for later. Children get carried away with the excitement of the holiday and barely notice the presents when they’re young.

Rather than buy new, check out fb for second hand roof box. And if crook bars whistle, wrap some insulation tape around the fixings. Sorry for less than technical explanation.

With 4 kids a roof box could become a neccesity v soon anyway.

Halfords will fit them (do you have rails?) pop down and ask what they have that will fit your car.

With the bars etc they aren’t cheap.

There are also soft roof bags that don’t need bars.

Was just about roof box. Think this is definitely your solution. Think you can hire them.

We do have bars on the car roof for a roof box so will certainly try to borrow one and then look at making that purchase.

I have looked at the presents again today (all wrapped and hidden in the wardrobe) and think we probably will have to just take some and have some to open at home. Now to decide which to take! Worried about the older two’s presents which look quite disappointing. Oh well, too late now and of course it’s not just about the gifts.

I’m super excited to be having Christmas with my mum!