Unwrapping Memories for Our Adventurous Bunch

 

In our family of seven, with five energetic boys under the age of 10, Christmas wasn’t just a holiday this year; it was an all-encompassing adventure! From a cancelled quick trip to Maine to visit family that ended up with 2 boys on the couch with the flu, to a drive up to the Gainesville area to visit more family, and a few fun squad adventures, it was a lot of non-stop action!

So, to go along with that theme this year, we decided to embrace the enchantment of the season by gifting experiences rather than material things. I know, I know, most kids would be super upset if they didn’t get that long awaited toy, so we did let Santa give a few fun toys that they REALLY wanted. But as for Mama and Papi, we let them unwrap their next adventures instead. Join me as I share how our boisterous clan dove headfirst into the magic of Christmas making plans for new memories in the coming year; gifts that will last a lifetime.

 

A Grand Slam

Our eldest, MJ, a passionate baseball enthusiast, dreams of becoming a Major League player one day. To fuel his love for the game, we decided to surprise him with tickets to his favorite baseball team’s spring training game in nearby Tampa. The sheer excitement in his eyes when he unwrapped the tickets was priceless. The prospect of getting up close and personal with his baseball heroes filled our home with an electric buzz of anticipation and we can’t wait to attend the game this spring.

 

Escaping into Adventure

Next on our list was our almost 8-year-old, Jasper, the puzzle master of the family. Nothing brings him more joy than unraveling mysteries and conquering challenges. To cater to his adventurous spirit, we opted for a different kind of gift—tickets to an escape room of his choice. We’ve shared our experiences in various escape rooms before, and each time we leave he eagerly reads the board to see which game he wants to do next. For him, getting to choose the experience only made these tickets even more exciting!

So, he opted for Carter’s Haberdashery at The Escape Artists in Sanford, FL and it did NOT disappoint! As we uncovered the mystery of the curse of the ancient gold, we opened one secret door after another, leading us through room after room of adventure. This is definitely our new family favorite room we’ve done so far!

 

Roller Coasters and Laughter

Our energetic 7-year-old, Matthew, dreams of nothing but the thrill of roller coasters and the magic of theme parks. This Christmas, we decided to make his dream come true by gifting him tickets to his favorite theme park, Bush Gardens. His face lit up and I could see him daydreaming of his next day filled with adrenaline-pumping rides and whimsical attractions.

Since it’s over two hours away, we got to make a full weekend trip out of his first visit. We traveled to Tampa to stay with Mimi (my mom, the boys’ favorite honorary adventurer) and brought her along for a day full of coasters, animals and treats. It was a fantastic way to end our winter break, getting the boys back just in time to kick of the 2024 half of the school year.

 

Soaring to New Heights

For our fearless 5-year-old with an affinity for adventure, we decided to take the festivities to new heights—literally. Indoor skydiving became the chosen gift, promising an exhilarating experience for our tiny thrill seeker. He had no idea what he was getting into, but he knew his big brothers had gone before him. The feeling of being a big boy now, complete with his own flying adventure, flashed brightly in his huge smile.

We used one of our winter break vacation days to bring the 4 biggest boys, and a friend, over to iFly of Orlando and Mateo was living his best life! He got out there, listened during the training, executed like a pro, and flew to the top of the wind tunnel with ease! I can see more sky diving in his future, and most likely it’ll be the real thing by the time he’s 18!

 

Traditional Joy for Our Littlest Gift

While the older boys reveled in the excitement of their experiential gifts, we wouldn’t forget our youngest family member, the almost 2-year-old bundle of joy, Jack. Recognizing that he’s at an age where the magic of play is found in simpler pleasures, we choose traditional toys and games to nurture his curiosity and creativity. But his favorite gift, was the brand new toddler trampoline so he could soar through the air just like his big brothers!

 

Bringing Us Together

In a world often consumed by materialism, we know our boys have all the toys they need and sometimes get enamored with the next item on their wish list. But we wanted to find a different kind of magic this year through experiences. So, with each gift above, the only caveat was that we MUST all go together on each adventure!

This Christmas we created a plan for our family of seven embark on a year of togetherness, laughter, and adventure, planning for memories in 2024 that will last a lifetime. As the wrapping paper settled and the magic of reindeer and elves disappeared, the true magic of Christmas remained not in the tangible gifts but in the intangible bonds we will continue to forge through shared experiences and the warmth of family love.