We will be abroad on Christmas Day- would you do Christmas on a different day?

[Anonymous]

Are you visiting family? If so, I would just do Christmas abroad on Christmas. If its just a vacation then yes I'd do it early on the 21st - but you obviously can't send her to school that day if so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are 1.5yo and 4yo. We will be out of the country from Dec 22-Jan 6th. If we do Christmas at home (i.e. Santa's coming tonight! and gifts in the morning) will my 4yo know the difference yet? She goes to full preschool for what it's worth.

I feel silly asking but has anyone done this?

Yes. I did this once. Children were det but it didn't matter. I just told them that I had written to Santa and told him that they had been very good and that we were going to be away on Christmas Eve. Santa send me a note saying this happens to quite a few people and, while he would miss us, he was sending Santa presents by mail.

Mine were 10, 8, and 2. I think the ten year old already knew but other two bought it hook, line, and sinker.

[Anonymous]

At that age we brought one small gift to the destination and the rest was waiting when we got home. The place you'll be on Christmas Day, I presume people will be walking around saying Merry Christmas and at most hotels/resorts we've stayed, there was a Santa brunch or Santa in the lobby, etc. It will still be special and fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well you have three months to figure out this first world problem

Dr. Seuss said that your heart grew three sizes! I guess you fell off the wagon.

[Anonymous]

What if you gave some gifts on St. Nicholas Day (December 5th), St. Lucia Day (December 13th), and Twelfth Night (January 6th)? I have kids that are only slightly older and we stretch out presents between Christmas and New Year’s vs opening everything all at once.

[Anonymous]

Give them before you go. 1/6 is a LONG time to wait to be back.

[Anonymous]

When I was small, Santa always left presents for us before we left for our Christmas trip.

[Anonymous]

When we were traveling, Santa dropped the big stuff off at home and delivered a stocking to the vacation location. Santa might want to drop the big parcels before your trip given that you won't be back until January 6. When our kids got older they preferred to be home Christmas morning and we often traveled Christmas afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We fill out a Google form on Santa’s website to apply for early delivery (reason: out of town travel). We get accepted every year!

LOL 21st century parenting at it's finest

[Anonymous]

My son goes back and forth between houses, the parent who doesn't have him for Christmas celebrates Christmas (including a "santa" visit) a different day, often a different week entirely.

It's not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

+1 on the token gift abroad with the real loot at home. But be sure how plan the set up! I once had to wrap the big home gift while the kid was asleep and then go in to “check the house” when we got home and then rush like crazy to eat the cookies, dump the days old milk and then put stuff under the tree.

[Anonymous]

We had been either out of country or state twice or more during Christmas, I just quick went inside house took out wrapped gift and left then under Christmas tree while DH and kids outside waiting for taxi to pick us up to airport then told kids Santa would come on Christmas Eve and leave gift even he didn’t see us; another time I didn’t have time and just left all wrapped gift inside storage room and told kids Santa hid them so no one would steal them while we were away.

[Anonymous]

I'd just bring something small on your trip and, if you want, add a note from Santa that says he made a pitstop [wherever you are] but his elves also left a few things at your house.

[Anonymous]

We will be in Paris from Dec 18-28 this year. We plan to tell our then 6 year old that Santa knows when you’re on vacation and will deliver presents when we get back. We will just do Christmas on December 30th, once we have time to get back and settle back into home.

[Anonymous]

We’ve been out of town visiting family for Christmas 16 out of the last 19 years. Santa comes while we’re gone, and leaves gifts for when we return.