https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 19:41:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664583 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 08:00:53 +0000 Anagram 2664583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're doing Christmas early at our house. We did the same thing last year, since we are always at either my parents or the in-laws on Christmas day. We're going to open presents this Sunday morning and do the whole Christmas morning thing with breakfast, Christmas PJs, etc. </p> <p>When I was growing up, we never had Christmas on Christmas day, because my dad was a pilot and seemed to always be traveling on the day---we would usually do it early. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664564 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 03:48:02 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2664564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them shipped at grandmas house waiting for us when we get there. She wrapped them for me 🙂 Easy. </p> <p>We purposely didn't buy her anything big, so it won't take up so much room in our check-in luggage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664546 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 00:29:27 +0000 ALV91711 2664546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is the first year we are travelling and we are flying. I've already shipped a box to grandma with gifts, plus there will be a few things we bring in our luggage. </p> <p>There will be a few things left behind under the tree for when we get home. MIL already shipped her gifts for DS and I might leave behind the lego we are getting him. </p> <p>If I had the option of driving things there and back I would. This year I've just been very careful in the size of gifts I've bought. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664531 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 23:07:10 +0000 gingerbebe 2664531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just gave DS his gifts here and there leading up to our departure. But DS is weird (I think its his introversion), but he actually needs to warm up to toys. Pretty much every time we buy him something new, it sorta sits there ignored for a few weeks and then he gets used to it being around and THEN begins to play with it. So we've been giving him his gifts early and figure he'll discover he likes them in a few weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664468 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 18:52:06 +0000 yellowbird 2664468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are flying. We are going to unwrap presents from each other on the 23rf at home and we had all Santa presents shipped to where we are going. 23 are bringing extra luggage to bring back gifts and anything that doesn't fit family will ship to us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664457 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 18:04:02 +0000 PawPrints 2664457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We will give them to her before we travel. It's easy now since she doesn't totally grasp what's going on, but I think it will still be manageable when she's older. Growing up I always knew that some gifts were from my parents and separate gifts were from Santa, so it wouldn't have confused me if I got my gifts from my parents on a different day. So we'll probably do a Christmas-day-observed if we need to in the future. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664433 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 16:31:56 +0000 bookwormmama 2664433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we traveled on LO's first Christmas we brought the gifts with and he opened them all on Christmas morning. I think if I were to do it again I would bring his Santa and stocking gifts and maybe one more from us and save the rest for when we got home. He got really overwhelmed with all the gifts...but he was also only 9 months old and at 2 he might not get so overwhelmed. We now stay home on Christmas Day and travel to my parents' house for a week after Christmas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664398 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:50:39 +0000 CakeLady 2664398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We fly to see family and for the last 2 years have done a separate mini-Christmas at home, usually a few days before. Last year we sent a few small things to my IL's for DS and there were plenty more gifts already there for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664388 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:37:15 +0000 erinbaderin 2664388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: Oooh, good thinking! Santa knew it wouldn't fit in the car! Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664379 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:29:58 +0000 MrsSRS 2664379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: I've seen notes saying that since Santa loves mommy and daddy too, that he needed to leave big presents at home because he knew they wouldn't fit in the car and wanted to help mommy and daddy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664374 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:28:08 +0000 erinbaderin 2664374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We drive about 4 hours, and we bring the presents with us. This year we got one too-big thing (a train table) that we're going to have set up when we get home with a note from Santa saying...something. That he couldn't fit it in the sleigh maybe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664316 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:38:02 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2664316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since you have the option to drive the gifts, I would send them with DH. Its obviously more complicated if you only have the flying option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664309 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:35:43 +0000 Mrs. Washi Tape 2664309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We usually travel every Christmas but by car which is a little different. I like to do all of our own little family's gifts in our own home, so we don't take them with us when we travel. I have found though, that I really don't like doing 'our' Christmas when we return home after Christmas is over. After doing all of the big celebrations, it just feels too much like an afterthought. I prefer to do our celebration before we leave even if that means doing it before Christmas eve. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664283 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 14:01:28 +0000 runnerd 2664283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We drive, so we have the option to tote our stuff, but we do ours before we travel. Granted, that usually means Christmas Eve morning or night of the 23rd. There is just something about opening our family presents at our home that is important to me, and would make me sad not to do so! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664278 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:57:17 +0000 skipra 2664278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only traveled when my oldest was a baby. We left big items at home but made sure to have Santa's gift and stocking staffers for the benefit of older cousins. I would be tempted to bring everything in the car because Christmas morning is so exciting with all the presents but it can be overwhelming for the little kids and probably makes more sense to leave some home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664271 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:51:52 +0000 looch 2664271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We leave them at our house, we fly and there's no way to bring stuff back and forth.</p> <p>Last year we made it fun for our son, we had a camera in the living room and when he got all anxious about not having any presents under the tree, we were able to show him, Santa in fact had already been there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664270 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:51:11 +0000 jape14 2664270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We drive to/from our parents' houses (7-8 hour trip) and we have so far done our Christmas separately before we go. (I think our LOs are pretty much the same age - DS turned 2 in September.) He's the only grandchild on both sides so he has plenty of things to open there. </p> <p>This year we are doing Christmas at home a week early (this coming Sunday) -- I'm going to make cinnamon rolls, we'll put out cookies for Santa the night before, fill stockings, the whole thing! Hopefully he won't be too confused about Santa coming twice but we'll see. Next year we are hoping to stay home and have people come to us :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664269 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:50:58 +0000 Smurfette 2664269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would have DH bring them and take them back. My parents did this growing up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-fly-home-for-holidays-what-do-you-do-with-gifts-you-bought-los#post-2664264 Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:47:07 +0000 SweetiePie 2664264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you somehow get them there and open there? Do you open them before you go? After? If you open them at your own home (before or after) do you have a tradition or ceremony of some sort?</p> <p>I go home every year to my parents (fly) and this is the first year he will know whats going on and be excited to open presents. The last 2 years I didn't even wrap the ones I got him, they just magically appeared with the rest of his toys.<br /> This year I am flying home with LO 19th-28th, then DH is driving to meet us the 23rd-26th. First time one of us is driving so we have more options. I'm debating if I should wrap them and have him drive them and drive them back once opened. Or if I should do something when we get home. Like maybe have them under the tree for when we walk in the door so its like the fun continues and no schlepping required.<br /> He will have plenty to open from my family back home and I did send a few that I got there (small stuff) so he has a couple to open from me. </p> <p>Not a dilemma, just curious what others do :) </p>