@TXNS_fan bring a Christmas tree.

My mom packed a little tree for the trips we took to Cancun & Disney World. My daughter was little & was afraid Santa wouldn't find us. He did!

Well - we travel* instead* of doing gifts so that helps. I ask the children ahead of time do you want a trip or stuff. They were OK with backpacking across Spain instead of presents. However, I am giving them each something nice - but it is still "an experience" and not stuff. I will make a nice card that says "You are getting to go to a college basket ball game" and "You are getting to go on a 2 hour horse back ride" - both things that I have scheduled in January when we are back.I am going to do stockings in Spain, with pokemon cards, lottery tickets, chocolate etc. - I am not sure how to actually do stockings - ours are fancy Pottery barn ones, too big and fluffy to take on a backpacking trip so we might have to figure out that part.

My mom also packed one suitcase with gifts for my little one. Everyone else knew the trips were our gifts. We didn't expect anything else.

@TXNS_fan You could bring a small lighted tree and stockings if you have the room. One year we were away during DS's b-day. We took photos of the presents and placed them in a card. That way he knew what was waiting for him.

@TXNS_fan We don't have that issue in San Antonio. There is a Christmas tree in my family household waiting for us.

Maybe if where you are going has some nice decorated public spaces you could have your Christmas exchange there - many hotels and public squares, restaurants etc. have breathtaking decorations - how fun to grab hot chocolate and exchange gifts under the glow of twinkly lights!Or - maybe bring a beautiful candle and walk out doors and find pine cones, sea shells, evergreens and make a centerpiece. Place the gifts in each chair around the table. You could also use construction paper and make placemats - place the gifts on the placemats around the table.

@Cabin_Mama Enjoy Spain! I was an exchange student there for almost a year and got to enjoy all of the different holidays out there. It will be a great experience for the kids!

@TXNS_fan When we have been in Indiana for Christmas I packed a small tree from Sams that had all the decorations in the box. It wasn't a huge box and the tree was beautiful. We had a condo and I brought things like the table covering, candles ect. It was really quite nice without a huge effort. I did drive my truck so had plenty of room but it would fit if you were driving a suv or something with a large trunk. Our relatives were amazed we had the place decorated before they came for drinks that night! Not sure if Sam's carry them now or not.

@Cabin_Mama I love love this idea. Christmas is usually filled with stuff we really don't need and maybe don't want but a trip that exciting is awesome. Having the after the holiday gifts for them is super great, too. Your children are very lucky!

I wanna be home for Christmas!

For spouse and kiddos: Take stockings and get small more expensive gifts that can fit in the stockings. For larger gifts, leave those at home and put a website picture of it in the stocking. Santa always knows where the stockings are located, he doesn't require a tree or chimney.For extended family and friends: I'd either buy online and have the items shipped to the destination home or give gift cards.

You can also 'make' your own little Christmas tree together once you get there. Go outside and cut down a tiny tree or branch, make a popcorn, flower or yarn garland, make a star out of aluminum foil, make decorations out of things from nature or draw/color them.

@Littlegoo :Thank you! I'm a wreck trying to get 4 people ready and finalize bus tickets and navigate what will be open/closed when we are there. We are staying in apartments so at least there are real bedrooms and a kitchen and a clothes washer. It's a new kind of adventure for sure. And... UPS won't deliver my daughter's backpack because they are afraid of the dog.

Another perspective is that you leave home so that you can have a different experience. It's OK to fully embrace how different it feels. A person could really burden themselves with trying to cart a carload of presents and decorations to make some other place feel like home - simple can be amazing. Tuck a string of colored lights into your bag and call it done