Top 10 Reasons to Give a Vacation Gift This Christmas

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Top 10 Reasons to Give a Vacation

Gift This Christmas!

Christmas is going to be here before you know it! When you think back over past Christmases and think of what you remember the most, it’s probably not what you opened under the tree. This year, give a vacation instead of Christmas gifts! It’s something your whole family will remember forever. It’s no wonder that more and more families are choosing vacations over materials for Christmas. A family vacation means time together and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Still not sure about it? Here are a few reasons why you should, plus a few bonus tips on how to reveal the surprise.

What better surprise than the surprise that the whole family is going on vacation? Since giving tangible gifts is the norm for the holidays, your family really won’t expect the gift of a vacation. The reaction alone might be worth gifting a trip!

2. No more broken and forgotten toys.

Do your kids really need the newest edition toys? They always seem like a great idea until those same toys sit broken or unplayed a few weeks later. Giving the gift of an experience can never break or go forgotten! And don’t think that just because you’re giving a vacation, your kids won’t have anything to open on Christmas morning…

3. You don’t have to forgo things entirely.

Unwrapping things around the tree has become an integral part of most Christmas mornings. You don’t have to give that up when you give the gift of a vacation. You can easily find small items related to your vacation to wrap for your family.

It can even be part of the surprise if you have your kids unwrap those gifts first and then announce the vacation. Things like customized shirts, swimsuits, themed PJs, and key chains can all be great items leading up to the big reveal! And they’re probably things you would be purchasing anyway.

4. Less clean up!

Is the after-Christmas messy bomb part of your day? Since you won’t be given as many toys and things wrapped in boxes, you won’t have as much to clean up. After you’ve spent so long planning gifts, it can be a bit of a shock when the magic of Christmas morning fades and you’re the one left to clean up the mess. You may still have a few pieces of wrapping paper to gather, but nowhere near as much as before when you give the gift of a vacation.

5. It can be less expensive (REALLY).

You might think otherwise, but take a minute to average out how much you spend per person in your family. Families in the United States typically spend $300-$400 or more per family member every year. It may seem high, but most families probably don’t even realize it if they don’t do their shopping all at one time. Just consider the crazy prices of electronics alone, and you can easily hit that number.

While some family vacations are going to cost more than others, many will end up costing less than what you would have spent on traditional Christmas gifts. If you also have an annual vacation budget, you can add this to your Christmas budget for some extra magical vacation moments and still come out ahead.

Another idea is to let grandparents in on the surprise. Often times grandparents want to know what to get their grandchildren for the holidays anyway. This way, they can theme their gifts around the vacation or even contribute towards it if they so choose. With a little bit of planning, you can make any family vacation affordable.

6. Family vacation means time together.

While Christmas morning is always fun, kids tend to scatter right after to play with their newly opened gifts. The gift of a vacation means you’re going to have much more time together as a family, and not just on Christmas morning.

When you actually take your vacation, you’ll learn new things about each other. The kids might not know that Mom can hula or that Dad knows random historical facts. You’ll even be surprised at the things you might learn about your spouse or children when in different places!

7. Planning can be part of the surprise.

If you surprise your family with a future vacation, the anticipation is almost as much fun as the actual vacation. Not only will you avoid holiday crowds by planning your vacation for a future date, but you can also pick a time that best suits your schedule.

Plus, you can let your family help plan some of the final details and activities. This is always fun because your kids get to share what they’re most excited about and really contribute to the family vacation.

The gift of a future vacation also means you can teach your kids about saving by starting a “Souvenir Fund” or something similar (which is awesome to have because then they’ll learn to budget their money while on vacation and think twice before buying a random street toy).

8. Traveling is educational!

When you give your family the gift of a vacation, you’re giving them a chance to see different places and people. This can be a perfect opportunity to teach them about different cultures as well as the history behind the places you are visiting. No matter where you go, from Disneyland to Hawaii, you’ll be amazed at just how many educational opportunities there are.

9. Memories are worth more than things.

Your family will remember the family vacation for years to come. So many things become broken and forgotten in less than a month from Christmas morning. Your family’s first visit to the ocean or first time in Disneyland won’t be soon forgotten. In fact, your kids will probably remember those times well into their adulthood. The gift of vacation and experiences means family memories that will always last longer than any new toy or electronic.

10. It’s fun!

This might seem obvious, but family vacations are so much fun! Giving the gift of a vacation means you’ll get to experience that fun together and for much longer than a few hours on Christmas morning. Opening new things can be fun, but the fun you’ll have exploring and laughing on your vacation will be even better.

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Happy travels!