Looking for trip related Christmas gift ideas..and...how to surprise them...

[Mumof2]

We are going on the Carnival Spirit Jan. 1 (and another land holiday Spring Break). We are not telling the kids (girls age 8, 5) about the cruise until Christmas, and this will be one of their presents. (Last time we went on a trip I told them months in advance and after the initial excitement they said "oh, you shouldn't have told us - it's WAY too long to wait!! So this time, they'll get a week's notice.:D )

 

So, I'm looking for ideas for gift ideas they could use on the trip. So far I've thought about a disposable camera, MP3 players, books, colouring stuff (for the plane). Any other ideas?

 

Also, I'm devising a plan of how to "wrap up" the cruise for Christmas...maybe cut out pictures from a brochure or something. I'm looking for fun creative ideas...???

 

TIA,

 

Mel

[mcfam5]

Here are some ideas that come to mind:

 

~ New luggage

~ Embroidered beach towels

~ new swim suits and cute cover-ups

~ cute summer outfits or warm weather dresses (search online for season end sales!)

~ FunShip dollars in the stockings

~ Cruise survival kits for each (containing things like favorite snacks, journals, markers, sunglasses, small stuffed sea animal toys, new toothbrush & travel size toothpaste, cute laynards for sign and sail card, lip balm with SPF, etc., etc., etc.!)

 

Good luck and I hope you can successfully keep the secret!:)

[mcfam5]

Here are some ideas that come to mind:

 

~ New luggage

~ Embroidered beach towels

~ new swim suits and cute cover-ups

~ cute summer outfits or warm weather dresses (search online for season end sales!)

~ FunShip dollars in the stockings

~ Cruise survival kits for each (containing things like favorite snacks, journals, markers, sunglasses, small stuffed sea animal toys, new toothbrush & travel size toothpaste, cute laynards for sign and sail card, lip balm with SPF, etc., etc., etc.!)

 

Good luck and I hope you can successfully keep the secret!:)

[Paleochick]

We are going on the Carnival Spirit Jan. 1 (and another land holiday Spring Break). We are not telling the kids (girls age 8, 5) about the cruise until Christmas, and this will be one of their presents. (Last time we went on a trip I told them months in advance and after the initial excitement they said "oh, you shouldn't have told us - it's WAY too long to wait!! So this time, they'll get a week's notice.:D )

 

So, I'm looking for ideas for gift ideas they could use on the trip. So far I've thought about a disposable camera, MP3 players, books, colouring stuff (for the plane). Any other ideas?

 

Also, I'm devising a plan of how to "wrap up" the cruise for Christmas...maybe cut out pictures from a brochure or something. I'm looking for fun creative ideas...???

 

TIA,

 

Mel

 

I'd also add

sunblock

sunglasses

beach toys

Things to do on the plane

 

I'd wrap this stuff up in a big sand bucket...the kind you take to the beach. Wrap the sand bucket in a beach towel. Or, wrap each item individually and place them all in a big wrapped box with numbers on each gift. Have them unwrap the most boring and confusing things first (camera, etc). Move towards the cruise tickets or something like that. Go to a party store and get beach or cruise-themed wrap. This should be fun. When my kids are older I want to do this too.

[katier825]

Great ideas! How about buying some tropical print paper or fabric to wrap the gifts in? Or maybe one of those tropical print backpack/duffles from LLBean?

 

:)

[cusyl]

I like the suggestion of luggage, or a backpack. Fill it full of bathing suits, beach towel, summer outfits and make a certificate on your computer, put stickers on it of cruise ships, etc. Wrap that up as a gift. Also, you could wrap up a little scrapbook or photo album.

 

The first year we took the kids to see snow and and on an airliner, we wrapped up a toy airplane and their tickets.

[crusinmama06]

You know what would be awesome....Carnival has miniature ships that are Christmas tree ornaments. We buy them on every ship we go on so we can see where we have been every year.

 

Maybe you can go to the ship's roll call and find someone willing to purchase you one of the ship's ornaments if you paypalled them the money in advance.

 

Then you could tell them that you have a "special ornament" for them to hang on the tree this year. They can unwrap it. And then the screaming will begin. ;)

[Paleochick]

I like the suggestion of luggage, or a backpack. Fill it full of bathing suits, beach towel, summer outfits and make a certificate on your computer, put stickers on it of cruise ships, etc. Wrap that up as a gift. Also, you could wrap up a little scrapbook or photo album.

 

The first year we took the kids to see snow and and on an airliner, we wrapped up a toy airplane and their tickets.

 

Here are the LLBean tropical backpacks. They're on clearance right now.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?page=book-packs&categoryId=7863&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1

Let us know what you decide to do. Have fun!

[Onessa]

Use your computer printer and using clip art and photos from the RCCI site. create and print out a fabric transfer personalized to their cruise -- make up matching T-shirts or canvas bags with the transfers.

 

Also make up a simple little count down calendar so that they get a good understanding of just how close the trip is.

[Paleochick]

We are going on the Carnival Spirit Jan. 1 (and another land holiday Spring Break). We are not telling the kids (girls age 8, 5) about the cruise until Christmas, and this will be one of their presents. (Last time we went on a trip I told them months in advance and after the initial excitement they said "oh, you shouldn't have told us - it's WAY too long to wait!! So this time, they'll get a week's notice.:D )

 

So, I'm looking for ideas for gift ideas they could use on the trip. So far I've thought about a disposable camera, MP3 players, books, colouring stuff (for the plane). Any other ideas?

 

Also, I'm devising a plan of how to "wrap up" the cruise for Christmas...maybe cut out pictures from a brochure or something. I'm looking for fun creative ideas...???

 

TIA,

 

Mel

 

Don't forget to wrap up their formal dresses and new shoes. Girls will eat that stuff up! :p

[NoelsCat]

Here are the LLBean tropical backpacks. They're on clearance right now.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?page=book-packs&categoryId=7863&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1

Let us know what you decide to do. Have fun!

 

Thank you so much for posting this! I bought one for my SIL who is 13 cruising with us in January. I am going to fill it with goodies for the cruise for Christmas. What a great idea! --- and a great deal!!

 

Thanks again!!

[Mumof2]

You guys are GOOD - keep those ideas coming!!!:D

 

Mel

[NoelsCat]

Okay...

 

I got that tropical backpack ... and I got a portable dvd player (via bestbuy -- on sale for a low 69 bucks!!) I was going to get her anyhow --- I am going to try to order a DVD from the cruiseline made to advertise and load that in the DVD player... then on Christmas I am going to have her PLAY the DVD to tell her about the trip!

[Paleochick]

We are going on the Carnival Spirit Jan. 1 (and another land holiday Spring Break). We are not telling the kids (girls age 8, 5) about the cruise until Christmas, and this will be one of their presents. (Last time we went on a trip I told them months in advance and after the initial excitement they said "oh, you shouldn't have told us - it's WAY too long to wait!! So this time, they'll get a week's notice.:D )

 

So, I'm looking for ideas for gift ideas they could use on the trip. So far I've thought about a disposable camera, MP3 players, books, colouring stuff (for the plane). Any other ideas?

 

Also, I'm devising a plan of how to "wrap up" the cruise for Christmas...maybe cut out pictures from a brochure or something. I'm looking for fun creative ideas...???

 

TIA,

 

Mel

 

You know what else would be fun? Give them a gift certificate for a pedicure a few days before the cruise. They would have so much fun picking out their polish. In our area there's a little spa/salon for girls. They might have fun doing something like that.

[notentirelynormal]

Maybe something to do with the shore excursions - I usually print out a page, sometimes with pictures and stuff it in an envelope and put it in the tree - words like - "This certificate is good for one excursion on the Jolly Roger Pirate ship in Aruba". Or, "This certificate good for one bed in Cabin B245 on the Sun Princess on December 26, 2007". Must share cabin with family." Then a picture of the ship and/or the room.

 

Each gets one and has to open it at the same time. My kids are grown having kids of their own and they still love it. If its really expensive I spread it out between more then one page, after all I have to get my money's worth of enjoyment out of watching them figure it out.

 

A few one dollar bills so that they can buy small things during the trip without having to ask permission or for your to buy it for them. On board, give a certificate for use for a purchase in the gift shop of their choice (put a $25/50 cap on it), or maybe a drink a day.