Christmas Presents - what to do?

[hurricanesarah]

I'm leaving this week to spend Christmas and the New Year in Florida and am wondering what everyone else is doing with regard to presents for their children. Are you taking them with you, buying them when you are there or waiting until you return. I have an 11 year old with her heart set on a petrol scooter! To be honest I didn't give it much thought until this morning! [msnoo]

[feathersonline]

Why not have Christmas twice? Buy some presents whilst you're out there, and leave some at home to be opened when you get back - then it won't be so depressing once the holiday is over[8D]

[athurstance]

We give the kids their main presents before we go. We also go to both lots of grandparents who like to see them open their presents. Then we take their smaller stocking filler presents with us.

[andreah]

We have a 6 year old who is expecting Santa to visit her in Orlando this year. I have one case dedicated to just her presents.

I know that presents are probably cheaper in Orlando, but I know that this way they will all fit in the case to come home again.

It also means that I can enjoy my holiday instead of worrying about shopping all the time. (well I can concentrate on shopping for myself!!)[msnwink]

[amy]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by hurricanesarah
I have an 11 year old with her heart set on a petrol scooter! To be honest I didn't give it much thought until this morning! [msnoo]
[/quote]

Not wanting to be a party pooper, just a word of warning;the petrol scooter is not a toy, it is a mechanically propelled vehicle and therefore if it is used on a UK road it has to comply with road traffic legislation, as does the rider.
There are far too many issues this mpv's fall short on to mention here, however the main one you should consider is ringing up your insurance company and ask for a qoute for an 11 year old for 3rd party cover on one of these machines.
The same law applies to the 'miniture motorcycle' which has become another trend, where again the seller does not inform you of the law, mainly due to the fact they are ignorant to it.

Unless you have a large garden or access to private land(with the owners permission)I would not waste your money.

[chrizzy100]

My kids never had presents when we went to FL Christmas......they had money to buy what they wanted....nans would do a small Christmas before we left or when we got back....

[CERICROWLEY]

Hi Sarah

We do all three of the above, bring a couple of small things out with us, Buy plenty when we are there, hoping to have enought room to bring them home. And leave stuff home as well. As you can't take a hi-f- tv and whatever out with you.so we have three bites of the cherry so to speak.

Ceri

[Lisa and Scott Parker]

We are taking one present each for our children then small ones to fit in their stockings. Santa will be leaving other presents at their Aunties house while we are away so they will have some when we get home.

We have dropped hints that Santa might give them tickets to some of the parks for Christmas and some money to buy what they want as a souvenir while they are there.

We have not wrapped any of the presents as we didn't know what would happen if US customs decided to search our bags so I've got paper and cellotape to take as well!

The boys are worried that he won't find them in Florida so we are having to take a Please Stop Here sign too, just in case.[xmas1]

[SunLover]

Just a word of warning to anyone planning to take gifts to Florida for the big day, remember to take your receipts, so you can show customs where they were purchased, and also, don't wrap them until you get there, as security will probably make a mess of your festive oragami by ripping them open to see what is inside. [xmas1]

[Ray&Sarah]

We had a Christmas Day here in the Uk before we went to Florida on the 18th December last year and then we took stocking presents to give to our lads on the actual day whilst in Florida. They thought it was great as they had two christmas days, including two christmas dinners.[msnsmile2]
We took the presents unwrapped, along with the wrapping paper and cellotape and of course their christmas stockings.[msnsmile]