On holiday for Christmas - how to make it feel like the real deal?

[2point4kiddies]

For the first time ever we are going on holiday with our two kids (9&5) for Christmas and wondering if anyone who has done this before, has any ideas of how to bring Christmas easily abroad? My eldest is querying if it's all real etc so I need to manage this as well.

We will only be taking stocking presents (no ideas what to put in these yet) and one present each from FC, all our presents will be opened before we go away. Thinking of packing some paper chains and possibly if I can find it, a small inflatable Christmas tree for our hotel room. Want to make it still feel like Christmas - despite it being hot!

How did you manage packing and storing presents in the hotel without them being found? How did you manage the presents 'arriving' on Christmas Eve?

Thanks in advance anyone who has any experience of this!

We did this once. Packed stocking presents up tightly and wrapped in a couple of carrier bags and buried in our luggage, kept them in suitcases in wardrobe where the kids didn’t look.
We also did paper chains and maybe those window sticker peel off things? Inflatable tree great idea, plus speaker for Xmas tunes. Will you be able to buy xmassy food?

I’d recommend not opening all presents before you go - take photos of a few of them, and wrap up the photos in envelopes or fake crackers, so they can open up the present sort of and get a surprise on the day. Plus like you said, one main gift each to open on the day. Make sure you pay for enough luggage!

Also take games and plan it out with the kids what you’ll do. Online Xmas quiz games with family at home as well? And get some Xmas T-shirts for them to wear on the day.

Thank you those are some great ideas especially those window stickers! I'll have a think about leaving some presents, I think the surprise is a good idea but we're away until early Jan so don't want to end up them moaning they want to get home 😂
Our hotel is AI so all food will be there - Christmas buffet - however good thinking about games, I mean I'm hoping we'll be lounging by the pool but might be nice to have some festive things to do as well! Thank you x

Inflatable pool toys would be a great gift - small in your suitcase but can be blown up Christmas Eve. If you’re having other gifts at home, you could set them out at home and take a photo and put it in the bottom of their stockings with a note on the back “I dropped these off at your house”, then get a relative or friend to set them up like that for your return.

You could do something like this with tinsel (or a garland) and command hooks

@2point4kiddies we are also going away for Christmas this year, have bought a pop up tree from Amazon which rolls down into a small box-the kids don't know and it's small enough to hide so we are going to put it up Christmas Eve when they are asleep and will have the small presents/stockings under it when they wake up.

We fly Christmas Eve so also planning Christmas activity bags for the plane (our kids are 9 and 7)

In terms of the big stuff DD has asked for a Barbie house and has written to Santa and asked for it to be left here to open when she is back (because she knows it won't fit into our suitcase home 😉)

We are also seeing family for a meal before we go so grandparents presents being done and opened then

Enjoy your trip!!!!