Special Christmas treat for family - suggestions?

JodyBPM

I gave up smoking a while back, and ever since have been transferring over into a savings account the amount I used to spend on smoking. It all adds up, and by Christmas I will have over £1K saved.

I'd like to spend that money on a surprise special treat for the family this Christmas, to say thank you to them for supporting me through some of my crankier days (hopefully all well in the past now!)

Any suggestions? I'm happy to spend up to the whole £1K, but if I do, I'd want it to be something pretty special that will be remembered.

We're a pretty average family, DH and I are in our late thirties fit and healthy (but not sporty or into adrenline fix type stuff) and children are 6 & 7.

Would ideally like to keep it a surprise for DH and the children, and if its a trip/activity for it to be something that could be done during the school christmas holidays.

Threebabes

No idea of price, but your kids are young enough for lapland trip?

cottonhead

Wow first of all I wanted to say I think thats amazing to quit smoking and save up the money as well ! Wish I had that willpower good on you. I bet your family are really proud.
I think I would be tempted to go away somewhere. Maybe a trip to a Christmas market ? They often have ice rinks and little stalls where you can eat traditonal food and play games etc. There is one in Bath if you want to stay in the UK or there is the christmas wonderland in hyde park in london. I dont know where you live though. In london there is an ice rink, circus show and lots of stall selling stuff. there is a big wheel and you could stay there for the night somewhere?

Gillybean103

Well done on giving up, it's a great achievement.

I second the Lapland trip, it would be memorable and your children are at the perfect age.

Jenny_Tall

Thirded!

Lapland sounds amazing, your family are lucky.

JodyBPM

Unfortunely I think Lapland comes in at around £2-2.5K for a day trip!!!!! Admittedly that's just from initial googling and I'm sure as a good MSEr that I could get it cheaper, but unlikely to get it within a £1K budget.

I do like the idea of a Christmas market, either in the UK or abroad. We live in the South East, near Gatwick airport, so travel is fairly easy. Wondering if the children are old enough yet to get something out of a city break abroad?

sassyblue

Lapland would be fab! But not sure you could get that for 1K, even some of the day trips are silly prices.

To give you a rough idea of costs if you want to go... we've just booked three days with Thompson, 4*, half board £600 each, that's three of us for early December.

Some hotels were cheaper but they were B&B....

---

What about a weekend at Center Parcs, a day or two in London at Christmas with a pantomime?

ETA: Jody, our posts crossed ...

JimmyTheWig

Are your children old or young for their age?
I'm thinking Peppa Pig World at Paulton's Park. We did it last Christmas and were really impressed. Most of the park is closed, but the whole of Peppa Pig World is open. The Santa's Grotto was amazing. Best we've seen.
Our eldest was nearly 8 at the time and they all want to go back again this year (but we can't afford it). But then we're all Peppa Pig fans in this house. I'm not sure that all 6 and 7 year olds would be impressed if they thought PP was babyish.

cottonhead

This is the place I was thinking about

http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/

JodyBPM

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Are your children old or young for their age?
I'm thinking Peppa Pig World at Paulton's Park. We did it last Christmas and were really impressed. Most of the park is closed, but the whole of Peppa Pig World is open. The Santa's Grotto was amazing. Best we've seen.
Our eldest was nearly 8 at the time and they all want to go back again this year (but we can't afford it). But then we're all Peppa Pig fans in this house. I'm not sure that all 6 and 7 year olds would be impressed if they thought PP was babyish.

I think they've outgrown Peppa Pig tbh.

In fact my eldest, who will 8 a couple of days after Christmas is beginning to question Santas in grottos. She still believes there is a Santa (of course there is!) but was starting to ask a few difficult questions last year about why there were so many Santas, and how come they looked different, which one (if any) was the real Santa...

HeadAboveWater

I thought they were just in the stores and grottos etc to help the real Santa out as he unfortunately physically can't be everywhere at once. It's only on Christmas eve the real magic works and he can travel faster than light with the help of Rudolph and all the rest...