We have 3 most awesome kids ages 10, 8, and 2. Because the older 2 don't believe in Santa any more, and the younger one is not quite old enough to understand the whole Santa concept, we decided to get our children one big gift each and one or two other presents to go along with it (not nearly as much presents as they got in the past). We felt like it would be better to get them something they really wanted instead of a ton of small toys they will either brake or not like.
Anyway, We got my daughter a bike, and as we know, it isn't the most ideal shape to wrap. I don't want her to come upstairs to find her brother got exactly what he wanted but she didn't get anything, but I also don't want her to come upstairs to wake me up, and already see the bike before I see her reaction.
Can it fit behind the tree? Maybe put a blanket over it with a big bow on top? You could disguise the shape with another box or something next to it so she doesn't recognize what it is.
Hmmm... or, maybe they aren't allowed to come up before a certain time and you can get up a little earlier and put it out with a big bow on it?
How about a scavenger hunt? She gets an envelope on the tree with the first clue (or even the only clue) to where she has to look for her present and you can hide it (with a big bow on it, of course) someplace that she wouldn't see it first thing - like the garage, if you have one. Or even out in your backyard, if you don't. Saves you from missing the reaction by her finding it early. We did this with my Dad's birthday presents one year and we all had a really fun time with it. Hope you find a suggestion that will work! Have a happy holiday. :)
Do you have a nieghbor or good friend that could keep it until the last minute or store will also keep the bike at the store until Christmas if need be.
Cathy B
At Christmas we always stay up long after the kids go to bed. We set out any presents that are from Santa and anything from us that is too bulky. This year the youngest is getting a enormous stuffed puppy that we decided to box in a homemade box (see below about the fusing of two boxes) and wrap.
I suggest that you stasrt with asking the store that you get the bike from, if they have the original box for a bike that is bigger than her's and check to see if it might fit. There are a lot of stores that break down their boxes and keep them until the next trash day and all it takes is to ask. Wal-Mart, Target etc. get items in boxes all the time.
If that doesn't work then take two identical smaller boxes and put them together by sticking one inside the other (flaps fully extended makes it easier) and then use packaging tape to fuse the two boxes together. Good Luck!
You might try hiding the bike the night before in the garage, and buying a bike horn or some other small bike accessory. Wrap that and when she opens that someone can wheel in the bike.
Set up a scavenger hunt of things related to the bike for her to find and ultimately find in the garage the bike.
Like wrap a bike helmet, then tell her to go somewhere else in the house for a bike bell, then somewhere else for something else for her bike and lead her to the garage where there is a bike with a big red bow on it! :)
Make sure the first gift is out in front with her name on it so she sees it right away! :)
I am with you on getting something they really want and will play with over the course of the year vs a bunch of little things that aren't going to be put to use!
You could hide it... We do "The Grinch Stole Christmas" it is a tradition started in my husbands family to slow down Christmas morning a bit.
The Grinch steals all the presents and hides them before Santa gets there, so they do come down to Santa presents, but I'm sure he could come along after Santa has left. He leaves a hint in the tree with a little stuffed Grinch, written Dr. Suess style, hoping that the kids don't find his clever hiding places. We usually have 3 or 4 or 5 hiding places (depending on how tires The Grinch is on Christmas Eve)with hints at each one to find the next. It's been a fun thing for our family.
You could have her go on a treasure hunt! Create a series of clues that leads her through the house and then she ends in the garage where the new bike is. Just an idea-- good luck!!
We wrapped our son's bike in a couple of those big bags they have now. You can pick them up at the dollar store, or places like Target have really strong ones. That way it doesn't look like a bike, but a really big present.
Maybe you could send her on a treasure hunt with one or two clues and hide it in the garage with a big bow on it. I always had fun doing that. (My 9 year old son made a treasure hunt for my daughter on her birthday, she was turning 26. She had fun even at that age.)Maybe, since its a big gift you could save it unril towards the end of the opening of gifta. Just have fun. Christmas is a great family time.
My dad bought me a much wanted 10-speed bike when I was about 10 - 11 yrs old. He wrapped a very small box with a note in it saying my gift was hidden in our basement. I then had to (obviously) go to our basement and search for the bike. I think the search for the bike is more memorable for me than the bike itself.
You could do this for your older children and as another mom suggested, save the big gifts for the end.
Here's an idea. Wrap a big empty box with the first clue that will lead her on a "treasure hunt" to find her gift. You can put a few rocks in the box so it is not obvious at first that it is empty. The first clue will lead her to the next clue, etc....I wouldn't have more than four clues...but I think that would be memorable for her, and fun for the whole family...imagine her excitement building with each clue.
I would get one of those really big bike bags to put it in. I have seen them at Walmart, just about anywhere that sells bikes. My mom has several because once you untie the top you can reuse it over and over. A bike sounds like fun!
When I was younger and my parents got me a bike for Christmas, my mom set up a type of scavenger hunt with a card placed on the tree for the first clue. It then lead to a few other cards and then finally down to the basement where my bike was!! It was a fun memory that I will never forget!