Help me figure out this Christmas bike conundrum!

[Rainallnight]

I’m probably being really dense about this.

We’re staying in a holiday rental for Christmas, near family. We’ve done it before and bringing Father Christmas presents is a pain but manageable.

However, this year, DS needs a new bike and Christmas is perfect timing.

A bike is not portable!

We could get Father Christmas to deliver it early so it just doesn’t come with us on the journey at all.

We could buy it near where we’ll be staying but then we’d have to…what? Get one of those bike racks put on the car? We’d literally never use it again.

Is there an option I’m missing?

Santa always delivered the stocking to where we were and big presents to home. DDs accepted this at 3&5yo onwatds

Will you really never take him anywhere he will want to use his bike on a bike rack ever again?

Father Christmas could deliver a bike bell or helmet with a note explaining that he knew mum and dad couldn't get an actual bike home

Could Father Christmas include a card telling him there was another present delivered to your house as it was a bit big?

Agree with providing a linked gift like a new helmet or bell and explaining the cottage didn’t have a big enough chimney : couldn’t get it home

How old is DS ? If not too young I would give it early and write a card from Father Christmas saying it was easier to leave it at your house as that was the address he had, But FC says DS needs to remember on Christmas Day he has had his Big Present

This is a good idea

Oh I like PP's ideas of the helmet etc and a letter saying another present is waiting at home - ignore my previous post

Yes, this is a good idea.

Sorry, for context, he’s a tall five year old. So bike won’t be massive but not a tiny first bike either.

I'd be inclined to give him the bike now and do something else for Christmas.

How much is he even going to ride it at a holiday rental?

Why is something big like a bike from Father Christmas and not from you?

When do you leave for the holiday home and do you have an elf on the shelf?

If so you could use the elf to deliver the bike with a letter from Santa saying he knows you won’t be at home on Christmas Day so delivered early.

I would do a secret photo shoot of the bike next to his bed or in the garage at home, and print off a photo to put in his stocking. Don't forget to leave the bike in the same place to await your return!

Because that is the way op does Christmas with her child.

I think an early delivery with a note about being away is a nice idea, but maybe plan to allow for a day when he can have lots of fun riding it.

Because lots of families have Father Christmas bring the big presents?

If you do want to collect it from somewhere near your rental, OP, would it fit in the back of your car with the seats down? We can get our 9yo's bike in the boot with a shove.

cant You just borrow a bike rack? Ask around friends to see if someone has one

then tell ds you’ve had a note from Santa that he has to wear an eye mask to get in and out of the car - but you don’t know why then obviously take off the eye mask once in car

Have it delivered to a nearby family member who can drop it off on Christmas Eve? Or, wrap in a blanket and put on the bottom of the boot with everything else piled on top

If the child is young enough to believe in Father Christmas presumably it can't be a very big bike? Are you sure you can't fit it in the car? We drove to Belgium with 3 adult bikes and food, clothes etc for a week inside the car last year. It was snug I'll grant you, but doable. I would think that unless you have a really tiny car you should be able to pack around a child's bike. Just take the wheels out and maybe the bars off to give you more flexibility if it's an awkward fit.