Hellobee Boards

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

@MrsSRS: Oooh, good thinking! Santa knew it wouldn't fit in the car! Thanks!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.