Last year as the holidays approached, we came across the opportunity to take our first cruise as a family. The catch? The cruise left the day after Christmas, on December 26! We knew that, ultimately, the experience would be memorable, so we decided to just go for it. To this day, our children still talk about our cruise. We do not regret the decision and look forward to the opportunity to recreate it again. It was the perfect way to keep the excitement of the holidays going a little longer.
I think Travel Over Toys is a unique way to gift your family something unique for the holidays. A gift that, while it is not tangible, will be meaningful and memorable for years to come.
Keep it a surprise
This was such a hard secret to keep, but we are glad we did. As our children were opening gifts, they didn’t realize some were hints about the vacation. As they discovered luggage tags and boarding documents for the cruise, we could see the wheels start turning as they realized we were taking a cruise. The moment came when they figured out the surprise, and the best part was telling them we wouldn’t have to wait long to take the cruise as our bags were already packed, and we were leaving the very next day.
You are gifting a memory that will last forever.
As I mentioned, my children still talk about our first cruise and frequently ask when we are taking the next one. In fact, my daughter often “packs her bags for the cruise” as she is always ready for the next one. Even my husband still talks about the all-you-can-eat stone crab at the buffet and just the courteous manner all the crew members treated him. Toys are great; we know our kids love them, but creating a memory is priceless.
Gift travel to your family
We took my father-in-law on the cruise with us, and while yes, my children were excited, he may have enjoyed himself the most. This cruise was the first ever and the first time visiting the Bahamas. Of course, it was special to have him travel with us and for him to witness our children make memories.
Something fun to look forward to
Maybe leaving the day after Christmas isn’t a realistic time to travel, but the excitement of receiving their gift will be worth looking forward to. Perhaps you can create a countdown calendar with your children so they can be part of the planning and know when it’s time to start packing their bags.
Drop a few hints as clues for the other gifts
Since we took a cruise, some of their stocking stuffers included sunscreen, new flip-flops, snorkel masks, and lanyards. Suppose your gift happens to be a ski trip; that is a great time to gift all the necessary ski clothes and accessories. You could drop hints about the location with a map or gift books about that destination like this New York City Scavenger Hunt Book.
I truly feel that travel over toys is a mantra and way for us to intentionally share the world with our children. We can’t put a price tag on the memories we make. Start making plans now to make this holiday season extra special and give the gift of travel to your family.
